The Linden Tree:  Drawing   Accurate portrait drawing, like all realistic drawing, requires getting the structure right at the beginning. We start by having the student draw a vertical line representing the farthest right any part of the head would come, then another vertical line showing the farthest left limit, followed by one for the top and one for the bottom. This ensures that the whole will fit on the page. After that comes light lines representing the placement of various parts of the head. The instructor guides this exercise thorough questions such as, "How far down are the eyes from the top of the head -- 40%, 50%, 60%?" Then supplying the correct answer and having students measure with calipers if they remain unconvinced. Showing is better than telling.

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