Sitting pose reference

What makes a sitting pose read correctly

When someone sits, the thigh bones become nearly horizontal and the body loses about a third of its standing height. Beginners often keep the legs too long or let the figure hover, because they forget that the buttocks and thighs squash and spread against the seat.

Sitting poses are some of the most useful references for slice-of-life scenes, café shots and character portraits, because the figure can stay relaxed for a long time and the hands are free to hold props.

Types of sitting poses

• Upright on a chair: knees together, feet flat, back straight; formal and polite.
• Crossed legs: one thigh over the other; elegant and composed.
• Ankle on knee: wide and open; casual or confident.
• Side-saddle on the floor (yokozuwari): legs folded to one side, weight on one hip; soft and graceful.
• Hugging the knees: knees drawn up to the chest, arms around the shins; shy or thoughtful.
• Cross-legged on the floor: shins crossed, knees out; relaxed and grounded.
• W-sitting (onna-zuwari in Japanese): knees together in front, feet out to either side; a stock cute pose in anime art.
• Perched on an edge: only the front of the thighs on a ledge or table; alert, playful.

How to draw a sitting pose

Start with a line of action through the spine, upright, slouched or leaning, then draw the seat surface as a box in perspective and place the pelvis on it, so the figure has something to sit on. Draw the pelvis as a block tipped slightly back, then attach the thighs as cylinders that come toward the viewer; overlap the near knee in front of the thigh to show depth.

Measure the thigh against the shin: they are close to the same length, so a thigh that looks short is usually just foreshortened, not drawn wrong. Show the soft compression where the thighs meet the seat, and let clothing pull into folds across the lap and behind the knees.

How to pose and photograph a sitting pose

Shoot from the subject's eye level or a little above; a low camera points straight up the knees and makes them the biggest thing in frame. Angle the legs away from the lens rather than straight at it, and if the knees must face the camera, use a longer lens from farther back to reduce the distortion.

• Sit on the front half of the chair; it straightens the spine and lengthens the waist.
• Keep one foot slightly ahead of the other and point the toes to lengthen the leg line.
• Lean a little toward the camera from the hips, not by rounding the shoulders.
• Rest the hands on a knee, the seat edge or a prop instead of hiding them in the lap.