Tutorials

How to Draw a Wooden Figure for Carving: Proportions and Layout

25 min read

To draw a wooden figure for carving, first build a clear reference, choose its proportions, and connect the front and side views. Then fit the design to the wood block and locate the clothing, hands, and feet from shared landmarks.

This guide shows three ways to prepare the reference, a clothed figure drawn on two different-sized blocks, and a grid method for copying matching views. It also shows how to restore the guide lines after the first cuts, so the drawing continues to help as the block changes.

Choose a way to build the reference views

Begin with reference material that helps you understand the figure from more than one direction. You can make silhouettes from a physical subject, work out the shape in a rough model first, or build a drawing from structural references. Choose the route that answers what is still uncertain about your design.

Make silhouettes from a subject you can view from several sides

If you have a physical object or model to study, photograph its front and side, adding a top or back view where it helps explain the depth or a hidden edge. Keep the subject in the same pose. Compare shared landmarks before treating the photographs as a matching set; a different angle or scale can change the apparent shape.

In a drawing tool, trace the outer contour or turn each view into a clear silhouette. Keep the original photographs beside the silhouettes so clothing overlaps and internal boundaries remain available. A silhouette gives you an outside shape; the original view helps you decide what the lines inside it mean.

Set the views to one intended figure height and keep their baselines aligned. Check both front width and side depth against the wood, then print the outlines at the chosen size. Position each print on its corresponding face and check the shared levels before using it to mark the block. The grid method later in this guide gives another way to copy the outline while preserving its proportions.

Make a rough model when the shape is hard to picture

If there is no physical reference and the profile is difficult to resolve on paper, make a rough study in soft modeling clay. Concentrate on the head, torso, limb directions, and any projecting hair, hat, or bag. Turn the model and adjust those larger masses until the front and side describe the same design.

Photograph the model from the useful views, then use the silhouette process above to prepare the outlines. The model lets you revise the volume before committing it to wood. It does not guarantee an error-free carving: the final design still needs room in the blank and suitable support for its projecting parts.

Build a structural drawing from several references

When you cannot photograph or model the whole subject, collect references for its overall structure and for the areas you need to understand. For a figure, that might mean a full-body pose, a side view of the head, and a closer look at the sleeve, hand, or garment you want to depict.

Start with the larger body masses and the directions of the limbs, then use shared levels to develop the corresponding views. Check how the parts connect before adding the outside clothing outline. Keep uncertain areas simple and leave room to revise them instead of treating one imagined contour as a final cutting line.

The proportion, joint, and clothing sections below develop this structural approach through a clothed figure. Whichever reference route you choose, the finished drawing should describe a shape that fits the wood in height, width, and depth. Resolve conflicting views before transferring more detail.

Choose a consistent style

Before deciding where the eyes or coat buttons go, decide what you want the figure to express. A realistic person, an exaggerated character, and an abstract figure can all work. Each needs a consistent relationship between its proportions, pose, and level of detail.

Unpainted wooden figure with lines dividing the head, torso, arms, and legs.
A simple figure still needs a clear relationship between its body parts.

Use drawing to make those decisions while changes are easy. Compare the reference with the block and with the kind of finished figure you have in mind. Planning the major relationships first helps you avoid discovering a mismatch after useful wood has been removed.

Small carved figure, reference drawing, and a wood block divided by guide lines.
Design connects the reference, the intended style, and the available block.

It helps to separate proportion from structure. Proportion describes relative sizes, such as the head compared with the body or the upper arm compared with the forearm. Structure concerns how those parts connect and move. You can exaggerate their sizes while keeping the pose readable.

Hand working on a full-body anatomy drawing with bones and muscles.
Study the underlying form before concentrating on small details.

Compare realism, exaggeration, and abstraction

Comparison of realistic, exaggerated, and abstract human sculptures.
Compare realistic detail, enlarged features, and simplified masses.
  • Realistic: the figure follows observed proportions and gives close attention to muscles, hair, and clothing. Smooth transitions can make individual cut planes less prominent.
  • Exaggerated: a larger head, nose, hands, or feet can carry the character, while the torso and clothing details are simplified. The pose still needs to work with those choices.
  • Abstract: the gesture comes mainly from lines, masses, and the spaces between them. Very little facial or clothing detail may be needed.

The useful question is whether the choices support one another. A small body beneath a large head is a deliberate style when the limbs, stance, and expression belong to the same design.

Drawings comparing figures with different numbers of head-length units.
Head units make different proportion systems easier to compare. View full-size image.
Two figure diagrams with shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, and knee joints highlighted.
The connecting segments give a pose its structure. View full-size image.

Look at several figures together and compare what changes: the length of the torso, the size of the head, the thickness of the legs, and the direction of the pose. Those repeated choices can become a recognizable carving style.

Three wooden figure examples with contrasting body shapes and proportions.
Look for a consistent relationship between the head, torso, and limbs.
Three stylized carved characters with enlarged heads or bodies.
Exaggeration can emphasize the feature you want a viewer to notice first.

Study the overall rhythm before the details

Angular or elongated figures do not need realistic proportions to feel coherent. Compare how their shoulders, waists, clothing, and feet support the same visual rhythm.

Groups of carved standing figures with angular bodies and varied proportions.
Consistent proportions can give a group of figures a shared style.
Tall stylized wooden figures with narrow bodies and large hats.
Lengthening a shape works best when the rest of the design supports it.

Gesture sketches are useful for this comparison. Follow the torso first, then the directions of the arms and legs. You do not need a finished portrait drawing to plan a small wooden figure, but you do need to know how the main parts relate.

Sheets of human figure and upper-body gesture studies.
Compare the angle of the torso with the direction of the limbs. View full-size image.
Drawing of a person with one arm extended and the other bent overhead.
A clear pose begins with connected body masses and limb directions. View full-size image.

Choose the head and body proportions

Use the head as a convenient measuring unit. Head length means the distance from the top of the head to the chin, without adding the height of the hairstyle. Total height includes the head itself. For shoulder width, use head width instead of head length.

Start with the kind of figure you want

Our short-legged figure below is about 11 cm tall and roughly 5.5 heads high. The longer-legged style is about six heads high, with a slightly enlarged head. These are design choices for the figures, not measurements that every person should match.

Hand holding a short-legged painted wooden man beside other small figures.
This short-legged figure is about 11 cm tall and roughly 5.5 heads high.
Hand holding a longer-legged wooden man in a cap and red vest.
The longer-legged style uses roughly six heads of total height.

You do not need a whole-number ratio. A figure can be 5.3 or 5.5 heads tall if that suits its character. What matters is whether the parts look intentional together.

Check the body and limb segments

In the seven-head reference, think of one head above approximately three head units from chin to the pubic landmark and another three down to the feet. This gives you a simple starting framework for comparing the body below the head. Check it against the actual pose rather than imposing it on every figure.

Front-view figure sketches marked with head-length proportions.
Count the head itself when measuring total height. View full-size image.

Compare the upper arm and forearm next. In this reference they are similar in length, with the forearm a little shorter; the relaxed wrist falls near the upper thigh or pelvis. A bent arm changes where the wrist appears, so keep checking both linked segments.

Arm and torso reference lines added to standing figure drawings.
Compare the upper arm, forearm, and wrist level in the reference pose. View full-size image.

Use the knee to compare the thigh with the lower leg. They are broadly similar lengths in this simplified drawing. If you shorten the legs for a compact figure, adjust both segments thoughtfully instead of leaving one unexpectedly long.

Pen indicating leg divisions on a figure proportion drawing.
Check the two leg segments around the knee. View full-size image.

The relationship between shoulders and hips changes the silhouette too. Broader shoulders over narrower hips create an inverted taper; narrower shoulders over wider hips create a different balance. Choose from the person and style you are depicting. These shapes do not need to follow a fixed rule based on gender, and a large-headed cartoon figure may place much less emphasis on them.

Figure sketches with shoulder, waist, and hip widths marked.
Choose the silhouette for the person and style you are making. View full-size image.

Compare head counts and shoulder widths

Pen pointing to a standing figure on a head-unit proportion chart.
Use head length for height comparisons and head width for width comparisons. View full-size image.

For a relatively narrow shoulder line, try comparing it with about 1.5 head widths. Increasing that to 1.8 or two head widths makes it broader. A more powerful or exaggerated silhouette might use 2.5 or three. Treat those numbers as comparisons, not a cutoff beyond which a design becomes wrong.

Drawn shoulder guides labeled two head widths and one-and-a-half head widths.
These are alternative design proportions, not limits for a real person's body. View full-size image.
Head counts as design choices
Total height Possible effect
About 8–9 heads An elongated figure, as in fashion-style drawing.
About 7–7.5 heads A starting point for a comparatively naturalistic figure.
About 6 heads A larger-looking head, with room to adjust torso and leg lengths.
About 5 heads A more compact, youthful-looking or stylized figure.
About 1–2 heads A strongly simplified cartoon in which the head dominates.

These are drawing conventions, not a scale of ideal bodies or a way to determine someone's age. Use the reference and your intended style to decide where your figure belongs.

A row of figure drawings ranging from oversized heads to elongated bodies.
Changing the head count changes the visual emphasis of the whole figure. View full-size image.

The Bojji figure below sits between those examples, at roughly 2.5 heads high. Its large head carries much of the expression, allowing the body to stay simple.

Hand holding a small Bojji wooden figure with a large head and short body.
This Bojji figure uses roughly 2.5 heads of total height.

Place the joints for the pose

Mark the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and knee before letting clothing hide them. In a simple standing reference, the shoulder line slopes away from the neck, the elbow is near the waist, and the wrist is near the pelvis or upper thigh. These landmarks help you compare a pose; they are not fixed horizontal lines for every arm position.

Pen pointing to shoulder and arm reference marks on a figure drawing.
Begin with a standing reference, then adjust the linked segments for the pose.

For a hand-in-pocket pose, trace the connection from shoulder to elbow to wrist. Use the collarbone, chest, navel, and pelvis as nearby reference points. If the hand must reach a pocket, the upper arm and forearm still have to connect through a plausible elbow position.

Wooden man with hands in pockets held in front of a joint-position drawing.
Follow the shoulder, elbow, and wrist through the pocket pose.
Angled view of a wooden man with a bent arm and hand in a pocket.
The elbow still needs a believable connection to both shoulder and wrist.

Place the knee roughly between the pelvis and ankle in this simplified layout, then compare it with the reference. The knee and seat help establish the side silhouette. Later, trouser folds can reinforce those positions instead of being scattered across the legs.

Side view of a wooden man with a pen pointing to the knee area.
Locate the knee before using the trouser shape to describe it.

For a raised arm, change the direction of the linked upper arm and forearm around their joints. Do not simply slide a finished sleeve shape upward. Check the shoulder, elbow, and wrist together after changing the pose.

Joint circles and an extended arm added to a standing figure drawing.
Keep the limb segments connected as you change the arm position.

Clothes, hair, hats, and bags make the outside silhouette more complicated, but the underlying checks remain useful: body proportions, limb lengths, and joint positions. A long coat or loose sleeve can cover a landmark without making it irrelevant.

Draw the head from the front and side

Small faces leave little room for an accidental mismatch. Start with the relative positions of the features, even when the final face will be simple. Pay particular attention to the eye spacing and the relationship between the nose, mouth, and chin.

Front and side drawings of a man's head with horizontal and vertical guides.
Plan the face from more than one direction. View full-size image.
Small painted wooden man held beside detailed head drawings.
A simplified face can use the same basic landmarks with fewer details.

Use thirds and eye widths as a starting framework

Draw a centerline, then divide the face into three approximate vertical intervals:

  1. Hairline to brow.
  2. Brow to the base of the nose.
  3. Nose base to the bottom of the chin.

The hairline is below the top of the head, and the brow line is above the eyes. Keeping those distinctions clear prevents the entire face from being compressed into the wrong area.

Pen pointing to horizontal divisions on front and side head drawings.
Divide from hairline to brow, brow to nose base, and nose base to chin. View full-size image.

Across the front of the face, compare five approximate eye-width spaces: the outer side area, one eye, the space between the eyes, the other eye, and the other outer side area. Use the widest face area for the comparison rather than adding the ears as extra eye-width units.

Front-view head drawing divided by vertical facial guides.
Use the five-eye-width layout as a starting comparison. View full-size image.

In this guide drawing, the nose is about as wide as the space between the inner eye corners. The mouth line starts about one-third of the way from the nose base toward the chin, leaving about two-thirds below it. Adjust the mouth width, lip thickness, and feature spacing to the face or character you want; these guides are a starting layout.

Pen indicating the nose and mouth guides on a face drawing.
Place the nose and mouth in relation to the surrounding features. View full-size image.

Give the profile depth, hair, and a neck

Carry the brow and nose-base levels across to the side view. They give a useful starting height for the ear. Place the ear back from the front of the face and compare its position with the reference.

Pen marking the ear area between brow and nose-base lines.
Carry the brow and nose-base levels into the side view. View full-size image.

For a simple profile, think of a rounded skull mass above a tapered lower face. Sketch the projecting nose and let the mouth and chin sit behind its tip as the reference requires. This helps you plan depth before the head is shaped from a rectangular block.

Pen drawing a head profile using a circle and an angled lower shape.
Use a rounded skull mass and a tapered lower face to plan the profile. View full-size image.

Add the hair outside the skull outline. Short hair, long hair, and a side part each need their own space. Locate the neck beneath the jaw and behind the chin so that the hair, ear, and neck have room to meet.

A larger hair outline added around a simplified side-view head.
Leave room outside the skull shape for the hairstyle. View full-size image.
Completed simplified head profile with ear, neck, and hair outlines.
Check the nose projection, ear position, and neck before refining the drawing. View full-size image.

For another carver's explanation of these facial landmarks and profile relationships, see Donald K. Mertz's Face Eye Study 2.

Fit the reference to the wood block

Bring your prepared reference views or structural sketches, paper, a pencil, a ruler, and a square. Choose a sound block large enough for the figure's front width and side depth as well as its height. Our guide to choosing carving wood explains what to check in the material itself.

Printed photograph of a man in a green jacket beside an unmarked wood block.
Compare the whole pose with the block before drawing the details.

Choose the orientation before drawing

Decide which end will be the head and which will be the feet. Check the grain on adjacent faces and consider how it will pass through the chin, neck, and other projecting parts. A narrow feature can break when the fibers give it too little support.

Hands holding a partly carved wooden figure beside a rectangular block.
A projecting chin needs enough supporting wood.
Hand holding a block with lengthwise grain markings visible on its face.
Read the grain along a long face of the block.

Lengthwise grain is a useful starting orientation for an upright figure, but a vertical line on one surface does not guarantee a smooth face or an unbreakable chin. Layout and cutting direction are separate decisions. Review how to read the grain and plan a carving before removing wood.

Wood block turned to show an adjacent face and its grain.
Turn the block and check the grain through the planned shape.

Adapt a seven-head reference to six head units

The reference for this clothed figure is approximately seven heads tall. For the first block layout, use six head units instead. Draw the vertical centerline and divide the height into six sections, keeping the cross-lines level.

Square held against a wooden block during layout.
Establish a straight centerline and level cross-lines.
Wood block divided into six horizontal sections beside the figure reference.
Use six head units for this design, then adapt the reference to them.

This changes the figure's proportions. Uniformly shrinking a seven-head drawing would still leave it seven heads tall. To make a six-head design, keep the chosen head unit and redistribute the body below it.

On the printed reference, the head measures about 3 cm across and the shoulders about 7 cm. That is a little more than two head widths. We will simplify the shoulder-to-head relationship to 2:1 for the block drawing.

Pen pointing to the jacket shoulder on the reference beside a gridded block.
Measure the reference before deciding which proportions to change.

The block is 5 cm wide. Leave 0.5 cm at each side, giving a planned shoulder width of 4 cm. With the chosen 2:1 relationship, draw a head about 2 cm wide. These are this layout's dimensions, not a required size for every figure.

Ruler laid across the top of a wood block to measure layout width.
On this 5 cm block, two 0.5 cm margins leave 4 cm for the shoulders.

Mark the chin and draw the head between its width guides. Allow room beside the face for the ears and above it for the hair. Do not confuse the face boundary with the full outside silhouette of the head.

Head outline being drawn in the top section of a gridded wooden block.
Set the head width and chin, with room for the ears.
Pen working around the head outline on the block.
Allow for the hair outside the face shape.

Locate the hairline, brow, nose base, and chin, then add the facial divisions. Check the head as a whole before carrying the drawing down the block.

Pen marking facial guide lines inside the head outline.
Place the hairline, brow, nose base, and chin before individual features.
Face guides added to the head on a six-section wooden block.
Check the face divisions against the chosen head shape.

Map the clothing from shared landmarks

Finish the head landmarks

Sketch the ears between the brow and nose-base levels. For the side-parted hairstyle, locate the part from the photo: in the front view shown here, it sits slightly left of the nose, with a shorter section of hair on the left and a longer section on the right.

Pen outlining an ear beside the face guides on wood.
Align the ears with the brow and nose-base levels.
Pen pointing to the hairstyle on the printed reference.
Locate the part from the reference rather than centering it automatically.
Wood block with a side-parted hair outline drawn above the face.
Carry the shorter and longer sides of the hairstyle into the drawing.

Mark the nose a little generously so there is room to refine it when carving. A pencil line can still be changed; the important point is to avoid removing the wood needed for the projection.

Wood block showing the completed head guides and nose outline.
Reserve enough wood for the nose before reducing it during carving.

Find the pelvis underneath the clothes

Below the head, mark the midpoint of the remaining five sections as the pelvis reference for this simplified figure. The trousers have a dropped crotch, so the visible crotch seam sits lower than the anatomical pubic landmark. Use the underlying body to locate the clothing, rather than treating the trouser seam as the center of the body.

Pen marking a horizontal body reference below the drawn head.
Mark the pelvis reference halfway through the five sections below the head.

In this pose, the coat hem and the fingertips are near that reference level. Mark their relationship on the block. A horizontal comparison is easier to transfer than several separate guesses about where each edge should end.

Pen comparing the coat and hand positions in the photo with the block.
Use this pose's coat hem and fingertips as linked landmarks.

Locate the sleeve end above the hem, then extend its level across toward the vest. Mark the vest's lower edge above that line. Keep comparing the spacing with the photo as you compress the body into its new proportions.

New sleeve and vest reference marks below the head drawing.
Carry the sleeve level across to locate the vest edge.

The vest's center follows the centerline. Draw its lower point, then use that point to place the nearby coat opening, slightly to the left in this front view.

Pen indicating the centerline and angled lower vest edge on the block.
The vest's center and lower point help locate the coat opening.

Compare the other sleeve level with the bottom of the trouser pocket. Once those marks are connected, place the hand that enters the pocket. Treat the sleeve, hand, and pocket opening as related shapes.

Pen comparing the hand-in-pocket area of the reference with the wood drawing.
Connect the pocket, sleeve end, and hand as one small group.

Check the arm against the block edge

Use the side of the block as a firm limit while comparing the outer arm. Draw the diagonal from shoulder toward sleeve and check whether its angle has enough room.

Block held beside the reference to compare arm width with available wood.
Check the outer arm against the actual edge of the block.
Pen drawing the diagonal outer arm line on a tilted block.
Follow the shoulder-to-sleeve direction before adding folds.

One angled arm in this reference wants to extend outside the available width. Mark that problem now. A front drawing that appears complete is not ready for cutting if part of the figure lies beyond the wood.

Wood block and reference showing the angled arm's limited space.
Flag an arm that needs more width before committing to cuts.

Finally, check the shoulder slope against the high collar. The neck is largely hidden in this design, so make the transition work with the clothing instead of forcing in an exposed neck.

Pen drawing the shoulder slope beside the head on the block.
Account for the high collar when placing the shoulders.

Finish the hands, trousers, and feet

Separate the clothing layers and hands

With the outer silhouette established, draw the internal boundaries that will distinguish the coat, vest, arms, and hands. Use the centerline to keep the opening organized.

Wood block with the head and main body outline beside the jacket reference.
Add internal clothing lines after the large outline is established.

Follow the collar from behind the neck as it turns down into the front. At the underarm, the jacket folds outward, allowing the layer beneath it to show. Draw those as separate edges.

Pen marking the turned collar beside the neck on wood.
Follow the collar from behind the neck into the front opening.
Pen drawing the inner edge of the jacket on the figure.
Keep the turned jacket edge separate from the clothing beneath it.

Follow the slight angle of the arm on the right of this front view, then locate the hand from it. The bottom of the hand is near the coat hem. Emphasize that boundary enough that the hand will not be mistaken for waste beside the coat.

Pen marking the angled arm and hand area on the block.
Place the hand from the arm direction and the hem level.
Pen emphasizing the lower hand boundary near the coat hem.
Make the hand boundary clear enough to recognize during shaping.

Draw the trouser legs, cuffs, and shoe area

Mark the trouser crotch below the pelvis reference. The legs spread slightly in this stance. Follow the straight trouser shape toward the narrower cuffs; the pocket side can look fuller because of the inserted hand without requiring a thicker underlying leg.

Pen marking the trouser division below the pelvis reference.
The trouser crotch seam can sit below the anatomical landmark.
Pen drawing the outer trouser edge toward the bottom of the block.
Allow for pocket volume while keeping the two underlying legs consistent.

The trousers are rolled at the bottom and expose a little ankle above the shoes. In this layout, reserve the bottom 1 cm for the shoe area. Keep the ankle narrower than the trouser leg and distinguish the cuff, exposed ankle, and shoe rather than merging them into one outline.

Wood block with trouser cuffs and the bottom shoe area marked.
Keep the narrower ankle visible between the rolled cuff and shoe.
Wood block showing both legs, cuffs, and shoes beneath the coat.
Check the leg spacing and shoe area together.

Use the bottom view to place the feet

Turn the block and draw the feet on the bottom face. For this stance, the toes turn outward. The footprint makes that direction visible in a way that the front drawing alone cannot.

Bottom end of the wooden block with two shoe outlines.
The bottom view adds the foot direction that a front outline cannot show.
Pen marking the angle of a shoe on the bottom face of the block.
Use the outward toe angle for this stance.

Match each footprint to its leg in the front view. Check the heel, toe, and available depth together. Do not copy the apparent shape of a shoe in a photograph as though it were a flat cutout.

Pen pointing to the lower front drawing after the bottom view is added.
Match each shoe's front position to its footprint below.

Resolve a pose that is wider than the block

Return to the arm that needs more space. The simplest design-stage choices are a wider block or an adjusted arm position. A small added piece of wood is another possible approach when you plan the joining surface and grain direction before shaping.

Hand indicating the arm edge on the completed figure layout.
Resolve the missing arm space while the design can still be changed.

A glued addition needs a well-fitting joint and the adhesive maker's preparation, clamping, and curing instructions. Do not assume that a tiny contact area will be dependable merely because it has glue on it. Decide how the arm will be supported before cutting away the surrounding material.

Redraw the figure at 11 cm

Now use the same reference to draw a shorter version. Compare the completed taller layout, about 15 cm high, with an 11 × 5 × 3 cm block. The aim is to retain the character while making the body more compact.

Tall wood block with a completed clothed figure drawing.
Use the finished taller layout as a comparison for the shorter version.
Shorter gridded wooden block held beside the same figure reference.
The second block is 11 cm tall, 5 cm wide, and 3 cm deep.

Keep the head as the visual anchor and compress the body area below it. In this comparison, the span marked as four-and-a-half grid sections in the taller layout becomes three in the shorter one. The bottom 1 cm remains the shoe area. These grid divisions describe the two layouts; do not read them as the total head count.

Tall and short wood blocks held side by side with horizontal divisions.
Shorten the body area while keeping the head as the visual anchor.

Set the shoulder and head widths again, keeping the side allowance within the 5 cm block. Draw the head, its facial thirds, and the ears. Then repeat the side-parted hair and nose from the reference.

Head and ear guides being drawn on the shorter block.
Repeat the head layout with the same reference features.
Pen indicating the side-parted hair and nose on the short block.
Keep the hairstyle and nose recognizable as the body proportions change.

Find the pelvis reference again within the shortened body. Use it to position the coat hem and sleeves, then extend the sleeve level to locate the pocket. Bring the pocket hand slightly inward to suit the more compact proportions.

Pen drawing the lower coat and sleeve guides on the short block.
Find the pelvis reference again, then locate the hem and sleeves.
Pen marking the hand and pocket area on the shorter figure layout.
Move the pocket hand inward to suit the more compact body.

Complete the remaining lines in this order:

  1. The coat opening.
  2. The vest's lower edge.
  3. The shoulder and arm angles.
  4. The outside coat edges.
  5. The boundaries between each arm and the body.
  6. The outer trouser-leg lines.
  7. The rolled cuffs.
  8. The feet and hands.
Completed figure outline on the shorter wooden block.
Check the coat, vest, arms, trouser edges, cuffs, feet, and hands.

Compare both versions. The head and body proportions differ, but the same relationships still locate the clothing. Try another pose on paper, then on a block, to practice finding useful landmarks instead of copying one outline from memory.

Two wooden blocks with the same clothed figure drawn at different heights.
Compare the two designs: their proportions change, while the main landmarks remain connected.

Transfer matching views with a grid

Use a grid when you want to copy the prepared views closely. Work with corresponding front, side, and back views of the same figure, using reference material you have permission to use. The grid transfers the design you have chosen; it does not decide the figure's proportions for you.

Check the scale and all three dimensions

Scale the views together, keeping the same total figure height and level baseline. Read width from the front view and depth from the side view. Do not enlarge the side view separately until it fills the block; that can make the two views describe different-sized figures.

For example, a design enlarged to 5 cm at its widest front point might measure about 13 cm tall. If the side view is also 5 cm at its deepest point at that same scale, the figure occupies an approximately 13 × 5 × 5 cm envelope. Choose the blank with room for that whole shape and any shaping allowance you need. Those dimensions belong to this example, not to the 11 cm practice figure.

Copy intersections one cell at a time

A grid gives you a manageable method of wood carving pattern transfer. It does not have to be a nine-square grid: use nine cells, twelve, or more if a finer division makes the lines easier to follow.

  1. Place a grid over the reference view. Draw the same number of rows and columns over the corresponding area on the block.
  2. Keep the overall proportions the same when you want a faithful transfer. Different-sized grids can preserve a drawing; stretching their width and height by different amounts changes it.
  3. Find where an outline crosses a cell edge. If it meets that edge two-fifths of the way along, mark two-fifths along the matching edge on the block.
  4. Find the next crossing. If it is one-third along the lower edge, mark that fraction on the matching lower edge. Connect the points with the same straight or curved shape as the reference.
  5. Work through the cells, then check the complete silhouette. Repeat for the side and back views.
Illustration of two matching three-column, four-row grids transferring a curved line at two-fifths and one-third of the cell edges.
Illustration: copy the same fractions in matching cells, then connect the points. View full-size image.

Carry important heights around the block: the top of the head, chin, shoulders, pelvis, knees, and feet. Use those shared levels to register the views. The side outline supplies depth; it should agree with the front view about where each part begins and ends.

A finer grid reduces how much you have to judge inside each cell, but it does not correct an inconsistent reference. If the views disagree, resolve the drawing before transferring more detail.

Check the design before cutting

Turn the block through every planned view and check the whole figure before treating any line as a cutting boundary:

  • Proportions: the head, shoulders, torso, and limbs belong to the same style.
  • Pose: shoulders, elbows, wrists, and knees connect sensibly beneath the clothing.
  • Views: front, side, and bottom agree about heights, depth, and foot placement.
  • Material: the nose, chin, hair, arms, and shoes fit within sound wood, with their support and grain considered.
  • Boundaries: hands, pockets, cuffs, and clothing layers are distinct enough to follow when shaping begins.

Clothing may hide the joint marks, but those marks still guide the direction of folds and the shape of a bent limb. Keep the original drawing available when shaping begins; the next example shows how to restore the guides that a cut removes.

Restore the guides after cutting the first view

Cutting away one outline often removes some of the drawing on the adjoining face. Before taking more wood away, restore the main levels on the new surface. This separate example uses a figure with a tall, asymmetric duck-shaped hat to show how the front and side drawings stay connected.

Rough blank with a front drawing of a figure wearing an asymmetric duck-shaped hat.

Choose a view that clearly establishes the main shape. In this example, the front is drawn and roughly cut first. That is one useful starting sequence, not a requirement to finish the front of every project before considering its depth.

The blank rotates between the front drawing and the side after the first outline cuts.

Extend the surviving horizontal guides around the blank. A ruler or flexible tape can help carry the head and body levels onto the adjacent faces. Keep each guide at the same intended height; do not let it drift upward or downward as it passes a corner.

The rotating blank shows horizontal guides continuing from the front onto adjacent faces.

Add a vertical reference line to the newly exposed face, then place the side profile in relation to it. Use that line to check position and depth. It does not mean that every part of a side profile must be centered or symmetrical.

Compare the hat in the front and side views before cutting near it. Its projection is intentionally off-center, so simply mirroring the opposite outline could remove material the design needs. Keep that offset visible in the revised drawing and leave extra wood where the unseen shape is uncertain.

Side-profile drawing connected to the front view by horizontal guide lines.

After another reduction, repeat the check: restore the lost guide, compare the neighboring views, and decide what remains surplus. A carefully controlled profile cut may establish an approximate shape on the opposite side of a simple design, but it does not remove the need to inspect that side or draw its different details.

Stop and correct the drawing if the head level no longer agrees across the faces, the body axis has drifted, or the hat has lost room in profile. A new line is easy to revise; a deep cut made from the wrong line is not.

If you would like a figure made from your own photo, explore our custom hand-carved figurines. Clothing, hairstyle, and pose can all be part of the design.

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