# Exaggerating bodies line by line **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 22, 2024, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exaggerating-bodies-line-by-line/999194 "2024-03-22T10:04:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exaggerating-bodies-line-by-line/999194/41 "2024-03-28T13:12:15Z")
> [@Amber13](#): > > I was talking about contouring legs, I was wondering what’s the technique called when they draw lines for thin and thick legs, do they draw lines close from each other to make thin legs and draw lines far from each other to make wide legs, not line width. I’m confused. Using just lines, how else would you depict thick or thin besides the distance between the lines? The technique is called drawing. Unless I’m completely misunderstanding what you are asking. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exaggerating-bodies-line-by-line/999194/42 "2024-03-28T13:35:00Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > There are books and videos on drawing that go into detail on this subject also. I think (just guessing) what the OP is asking for, is the term(s) one would use to search for such a video on youtube? How would you find such a tutorial on the interwebs? _What is the technique s/he wants to learn **called**?_ I didn’t find any such terms. But I did find [a lot of free online help.](https://www.google.com/search?q=drawing+legs+technique&sca_esv=f936a1be70cd0bce&source=hp&ei=M3IFZs_8C6uh5NoP7daw-Ak&iflsig=ANes7DEAAAAAZgWAQ9VaBrkjOwcXjUZW0snq1avDBsPJ&ved=0ahUKEwiP4rbOiZeFAxWrEFkFHW0rDJ8Q4dUDCA8&uact=5&oq=drawing+legs+technique&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6IhZkcmF3aW5nIGxlZ3MgdGVjaG5pcXVlSPEwUABY7S1wAHgAkAEAmAEAoAEAqgEAuAEDyAEA-AEBmAIAoAIAmAMAkgcAoAcA&sclient=gws-wiz#ip=1) ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exaggerating-bodies-line-by-line/999194/43 "2024-03-28T13:45:57Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > I think (just guessing) what the OP is asking for, is the term(s) one would use to search for such a video on youtube? How would you find such a tutorial on the interwebs? “How to line draw” gave me plenty of hits. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exaggerating-bodies-line-by-line/999194/44 "2024-03-28T14:42:55Z")
Shading? Hashing/hatching? Contour grid? > [@Spoons](#): > > let’s look at the female figure pictured on the package Good example, it’s a lovely drawing and a great logo. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exaggerating-bodies-line-by-line/999194/45 "2024-03-28T14:51:11Z")
I merged the two essentially identical OPs together. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exaggerating-bodies-line-by-line/999194/46 "2024-03-28T14:58:30Z")
Are you talking about something like classical artist William Hogarth’s **Line of Beauty**? William Hogarth (1697-1764) – noted British artist and caricaturist whose series of painting and engravings often “told a story”. Often pretty bawdy. Here’s his Line of Beauty – basically the creative use of an ogee curve rather than straight lines or simple arcs, meant to present s sense of tangible reality to his works of art. > **[Line of beauty](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_of_beauty)** > > Line of beauty is a term and a theory in art or aesthetics used to describe an S-shaped curved line (a serpentine line) appearing within an object, as the boundary line of an object, or as a virtual boundary line formed by the composition of several objects. This theory originated with William Hogarth (18th-century English painter, satirist, and writer), and is an essential part of Hogarth's theory of aesthetics as described in his 1753 book The Analysis of Beauty. According to this theory, S-sha... ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exaggerating-bodies-line-by-line/999194/47 "2024-03-28T15:49:12Z")
> [@Dorjan](#): > > > [@Amber13](#): > > > > I was talking about contouring legs, I was wondering what’s the technique called when they draw lines for thin and thick legs, do they draw lines close from each other to make thin legs and draw lines far from each other to make wide legs, not line width. > > I’m confused. Using just lines, how else would you depict thick or thin besides the distance between the lines? The technique is called drawing. Unless I’m completely misunderstanding what you are asking. That’s exactly what **Amber13** is asking. But we assume it can’t be that simple of a question, so we’re all talking about the style of the lines. I, as a retired Professor Of ‘Drawring’, can’t wrap my mind around why this would even be a question. (Or how Rob Liefeld ever got a job…) But, yes, Amber, you’d draw a thick leg with the outlines farther apart, a thin leg would have them closer together. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exaggerating-bodies-line-by-line/999194/48 "2024-03-28T17:27:37Z")
Given her posts, this is all wild-ass guessing, but I _think_ she’s talking about shading with contour lines. As an extreme example, see this hand drawing. Would you draw those contours closer together for a thin leg and farther apart for a wide leg? [![](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d0/a9/36/d0a9368536bb78710d5206de29b27a48.jpg) ](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d0/a9/36/d0a9368536bb78710d5206de29b27a48.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Amber13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/amber13/32/13807_2.png) [@Amber13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amber13)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exaggerating-bodies-line-by-line/999194/49 "2024-03-28T17:35:59Z")
I do speak English, BTW. I’m sorry if I reused those words, only foreign users who don’t speak English the first time would reused words. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exaggerating-bodies-line-by-line/999194/50 "2024-03-28T17:38:03Z")
_♪Take. On. Me.♪_ ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exaggerating-bodies-line-by-line/999194/51 "2024-03-28T17:43:09Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Is this a homework assignment? Yeah, seeing the second OP, I’m now thinking it must be. I suspect that Amber is hitting a foreign language site to prevent being caught. Either that, or Amber is an AI trying to ask a question. ---
**Author:** ![Amber13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/amber13/32/13807_2.png) [@Amber13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amber13)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exaggerating-bodies-line-by-line/999194/52 "2024-03-28T17:45:23Z")
well drawing is art medium, I know what it is. I what technique is called is when lines are farther apart and closer apart drawing thin and wide legs but not weight gain wide. ---
**Author:** ![Amber13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/amber13/32/13807_2.png) [@Amber13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amber13)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exaggerating-bodies-line-by-line/999194/53 "2024-03-28T19:32:46Z")
I’m not AI, I’m a human, BTW, I won’t ask questions like that again. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exaggerating-bodies-line-by-line/999194/54 "2024-03-28T19:42:27Z")
I don’t mean to be insulting, I’m sorry if it came across that way. It just a very confusing use of language, and we are trying to puzzle it out. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exaggerating-bodies-line-by-line/999194/55 "2024-03-28T19:44:08Z")
> [@Amber13](#): > > drawing thin and wide legs but not weight gain wide. Can you give us a link to an example of what you mean? We are all still guessing. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exaggerating-bodies-line-by-line/999194/56 "2024-03-28T20:10:48Z")
Again, if what you want is a term or _word_ for this it’s gonna be difficult to say. It’s all so relative… ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exaggerating-bodies-line-by-line/999194/57 "2024-03-28T20:11:30Z")
Amber, are you just asking about ‘proportion’? This is a widely examined subject in line drawing that covers everything from facial proportions to the proportions of limbs. It starts with drawing straight line grid that is used to space the drawn lines. The grid can be resized for different proportions. Please look through the following video to see if you can find what you are looking for. If you search on “LINE DRAWING BODY PROPORTIONS” you will get numerous sites and references covering this subject. > **[Drawing the Human Figure! - Proportions - Tutorial \[PART I\]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4oPH0FMEB8%5C&feature=youtu.be)** > > Drawing the Human Figure! - Proportions - Tutorial \[PART I\]In this video we will look at some basic proportions for drawing the human figure in a simple mann... ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exaggerating-bodies-line-by-line/999194/58 "2024-03-28T20:25:33Z")
Is it just basically called “drawing to scale”? You are representing the actual object, real or imagined, by making the ratios of the distances between lines the same as the edges or features of the object. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2024, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exaggerating-bodies-line-by-line/999194/59 "2024-03-29T11:34:36Z")
> [@Amber13](#): > > I’m not AI, I’m a human I think it would help the interactions here if you could provide a bit of background so people can understand where you’re coming from. If you want to, that is. No pressure, but I mean one of your [threads](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eyes-and-light/982396) was basically ‘why can’t people see with their eyes shut?’ - surely you realise that the puzzlement caused by such a question is likely to overwhelm any actual discussion. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2024, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exaggerating-bodies-line-by-line/999194/60 "2024-03-29T16:28:39Z")
I parsed the question the same as it was earlier. IOW, it’s similar to asking why fat people’s legs are wider than thin people’s legs. A question with such an obviously self-evident answer that the typical reader assumes it must be in regard to something else. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exaggerating-bodies-line-by-line/999194.md?page=2)