I've been meaning to do this post for a few weeks now, but I've either been too busy or too lazy to put in the effort to show you guys why most of you are entirely wrong about proportions. The purpose of this post is to keep you thinking and for you to realize not everything is as black and white as it seems. To make this post as user-friendly as possible, I've included pictures (yay
)
Say hello to
Frank everybody! (found this image off google images, don't mock his right hand, it was photoshopped since he was holding something). He's a very sarcastic individual as you can tell by his t-shirt.
Frank is a nicely proportioned individual, and for argument's sake, let's give him the following measurements:
Height - 180 cm
Wingspan - 180 cm
Sitting height - 92 cm
Now, Frank wants me to help show you why the measurements I just gave you
don't mean (I told you he was sarcastic). We'll start off with a case example of Frank and Frank's clones.
As you can see in this image, Frank's clones are much wider than he is. The first clone to his left, Frank #2, has the same exact measurements as Frank does
EXCEPT for his wingspan. Frank #2's wingspan is an astounding
185 cm. A lot of you proportion nazis are saying "omg his proportions are perfect!!" Allow me humor you even further. To Frank #2's left is Frank #3, who has the same exact proportions as the previous 2 people EXCEPT for his wingspan, which is a massive
190 cm. Can you say orgasm?
Does anyone else see anything wrong with this picture?
In case you didn't, let me explain. Frank #2 and Frank #3 have longer wingspans, this is true, but
only because they have wider torsos. Does this mean they proportionally look better?
Of course it doesn't! Different strokes for different folks, some people may prefer the leaner, skinny guy, while others may prefer the heavy-set tall guy. This does not mean any of them are more in proportion than the other.
Before you begin flaming this post with your strongly opinionated opinion, allow me to humor you with another case example.
Frank and his clones are exposed to radiation poisoning and begin to go through horrific manipulations of their appendages and bodies. After 8 gruesome minutes of agonizing pain, they stand side by side as originally and allow for us to compare and contrast them like lab rats.
As you can see, all the Franks are of equal height, but have varying sizes of torsos, arms, and legs (almost like real life, right? nahhh no such thing, everyone is the exact same proportion always!) Frank, the true Frank we started with, went through a transformation that led to the following: a shorter torso and longer legs. Thankfully, nothing happened to his wingspan (cue sigh of relief from proportion guys, but then they come to a startling realization).
A short torso? This means his sitting height is way too short for his height! He's so out of proportion it makes my eyes bleed!Let's look at the other Franks, shall we?
Frank #2 was lucky, his legs and torso were spared. But his arms were shortened! Poor guy. Frank #3 had his torso lengthened, his legs shortened, and his arms remained the same. But Frank #3 was unhappy, because his long torso gave the appearance that his arms were short (while they remained just as normal as before, and the same length as the original Frank).
"Whoa, whoa!" you may be thinking. "I see what you're trying to tell me BD! And I don't like it one bit!"
I know you don't! But here's
my concluding point: Proportions for an individual depend on a myriad of different variables that change from person to person. Telling me your measurements will never mean anything because there is no standard definition of proportion for all people.
Now....
DEBATE! 
Author
Topic: Proportions - Why You Have it All Wrong (Read 10718 times)