A soldier is dressed in uniform and faces the viewer.

Achille De Gas in the Uniform of a Cadet
by Edgar Degas

Courtesy National Gallery of Art,
Washington

Question
In order to draw this man's body with appropriate proportions, which part of the body did the artist most likely start drawing first?

Responses

legs
legs

chest
chest

arms
arms

head
head

1 answer

In many cases, artists often start with the head when drawing the figure, as it helps establish the scale and proportions of the rest of the body. Therefore, it's likely that Edgar Degas began with the head when drawing the soldier in uniform.