Head Perspective & Angle Mastery: 9 Standard Views of Planarized Plaster Cast – Step-by-Step Tutorial

Tutorial Overview

This classic China Academy of Art sketch teaching plan (December 2020 draft) is the gold standard template for head structure and perspective training. It simplifies the complex human head into a planarized plaster cast, systematically presenting 9 standard views (front, three-quarter, profile, low angle, high angle, etc.) to demonstrate:

Precise changes in outer contours and internal structure lines
Perspective scaling laws (near larger, far smaller)
Simplification and summarization of light-shadow planes
Dynamic shifting of the crosshair centerline

This tutorial transforms the teaching plan into a reproducible, practice-oriented, and assessable professional training system, suitable for:

Art academy prep / college entrance exam students
Illustrators / game concept artists
Digital sculptors (ZBrush / Blender)
Self-taught sketch enthusiasts

Core Teaching Philosophy

“Planarize first, volumize later; structure before detail.”

Planarization: Treat the head as a geometric solid assembled from flat planes, ignoring rounded transitions.
Crosshair Centerline: Every view uses a red-black cross to mark the brow-to-nose-base midline and ear-tragus-to-chin midline, helping judge viewpoint deviation.
Nine-Square Perspective Frame: Each head is embedded in a uniformly proportioned rectangular grid, making it easy for students to align, measure, and copy.

Full Breakdown of 9 Views

No.	View Name	Key Features	Training Focus
1	Low-Angle Front	Chin protrudes, nostrils visible, forehead compressed	Practice chin protrusion and nostril perspective
2	Low-Angle Right 3/4	Right chin more prominent, left ear shrinks	Master asymmetric compression
3	Low-Angle Profile	Only one side visible, nose tip upturned	Reinforce profile silhouette memory
4	Eye-Level Front	Perfectly symmetrical, crosshair centered	Golden standard for calibrating proportions
5	Eye-Level Right 3/4	Right side occupies 2/3, left ear shrinks	Most common portrait angle
6	Eye-Level Profile	Ear centered, forehead-nose-chin in three equal parts	Practice three courts, five eyes in profile
7	High-Angle Front	Forehead expands, nostrils hidden, chin compressed	Practice forehead expansion and chin compression
8	High-Angle Right 3/4	Right forehead larger, right ear shifts down	Master dual perspective compression
9	High-Angle Profile	Top of head elliptical, ear shifts down, neck elongated	Reinforce top-down perspective and neck extension

Universal Construction Line Template

Every head sketch follows these 7 core structure lines (marked in red):

Brow-to-nose-base midline (vertical, judges left-right shift)
Ear-tragus connecting line (horizontal, judges up-down tilt)
Hairline` (forehead top boundary)
Zygomatic arch high-point line
Ala of nose outer line
Mouth slit line (corner-to-corner)
Chin lowest point

Mnemonic: “Brow-nose-ear-zygoma-wing-mouth-chin — seven lines rule all.”

Step-by-Step Training Method

Phase 1: Copy Single View (30 min per view)

Goal: Master replication of planarized structure

Tools: HB pencil, red pen, ruler

Steps:

Trace frame: Use ruler to copy the rectangular nine-square grid
Draw crosshair: Mark brow-to-nose-base & ear-tragus lines in red
Sketch structure: Connect in order 1–7 with light lines
Fill planes: Use diagonal hatching to indicate light-shadow facets
Verify proportions: Measure with pencil (“eye width = nose-base width = ear height”)

Phase 2: Rotational Memory (No Reference)

Goal: Internalize structural change patterns across 9 views

Exercise:

Randomly select 1 copied view
Close reference, draw adjacent view from memory (e.g., eye-level front → low-angle front)
Self-check crosshair shift with red pen

Phase 3: Live Sketching (Plaster Cast)

Goal: Transition from planar to volumetric

Position a Roman Youth plaster cast
Project red laser crosshair onto the cast
Sketch each view following the teaching plan
Erase red lines at the end, retain volume

Digital Art Extension

Software	Application Tips
Clip Studio Paint	Import nine-square template → lock layer → red structure layer
Blender	Use Head Plane reference model → 9 preset camera angles
Procreate	Create “Head 9 Views” canvas template (4000×4000px)

Common Mistakes & Fixes

Mistake	Cause	Fix
Forehead too small in low angle	Ignoring near-larger-far-smaller	Enlarge forehead to 1.5× eye-level size
Ear too far forward in profile	Misaligned ear-tragus-to-chin line	Ear tragus should be 1/3 behind facial midline
Chin disappears in high angle	Over-compression	Retain chin tip, compress height only
Crosshair crooked	Random midline	Must be defined by two points (brow + nose base)

30-Day Training Plan

Week	Goal	Daily Task
Week 1	Master eye-level 3 views	Copy 1 view daily (front, 3/4, profile)
Week 2	Conquer low-angle 3 views	1 view daily, focus on nostril perspective
Week 3	Conquer high-angle 3 views	1 view daily, practice forehead expansion
Week 4	Integrated sketching	Random view daily, sketch plaster cast

Assessment Standard: Crosshair error < 2mm across all 9 views, complete structure lines, clear light-shadow planes.

Downloadable Resources

【PDF】9-View Structure Template (Printable)
【PSD】Layered Red-Line Template (Clip Studio / Photoshop)
【BLEND】3D Planarized Head Reference Model
【Video】30-Minute Follow-Along Tutorial (No Speed-Up)

Conclusion

This 9-view planarized plaster cast teaching plan is the complete bridge from structure to perspective, from copying to live sketching. Master it, and you will have:

Confidence to draw heads from any angle
A structural skeleton for character design
The scoring key for college entrance sketch exams

Start your first copy now! Share your work with #Head9ViewsTraining — we’ll feature the best in our community.

Original: China Academy of Art Affiliated High School 2020 Sketch Curriculum | Tutorial by [Your Art Institution] – Professional Sketch Training Since 2025

Post Views: 24