HomeDrawing a Forearm in Perspective: Taper and Foreshortening Free original lessons
Drawing a Forearm in Perspective: Taper and Foreshortening
Learn to construct a foreshortened forearm with clear taper from wrist to elbow, using simple guides and checkable proportions.
Free lesson
Four exercises
Worked answers
Object Drawing Lessons
A forearm in perspective is not a tube of constant width. It narrows toward the wrist, and when it points toward or away from you, that taper compresses. This lesson shows a repeatable construction: establish the elbow and wrist as two ellipses, connect them with taper guide lines, then refine the silhouette. You will practice three poses and check your work with measurable ratios rather than guesswork.
Practice materials: Printable downloads are not available for this lesson yet. Use the instructions and four exercises below.
Set the two end shapes first
Begin with the elbow end and the wrist end as ellipses, not circles. The ellipse's long axis runs across the limb; its short axis runs along the limb. When the forearm points at the viewer, the wrist ellipse appears larger relative to the elbow ellipse because it is closer. When the forearm angles away, the elbow ellipse dominates.
Place the two ellipses so their centers sit on a single construction line. That line is the forearm's central axis in perspective. Its length is the apparent length, which shortens as the limb tilts toward or away from the viewing direction.
- Draw a light central axis line between the intended elbow and wrist positions.
- Draw an ellipse at each end, centered on the axis, with the long axis perpendicular to it.
- Mark the widest point of each ellipse; these are the taper anchor points.
Connect with taper guide lines
Taper is the gradual narrowing from elbow to wrist. Connect the widest points of the elbow ellipse to the widest points of the wrist ellipse with two gently curved lines. These are your taper guides. They should converge toward the wrist, never run parallel unless the pose is nearly side-on and the taper is visually minimal.
Check convergence by measuring the width at the elbow ellipse and at the wrist ellipse in the same units, such as millimeters on your paper. A typical hypothetical ratio for a relaxed forearm is about 1.4 to 1, elbow width to wrist width. Treat that number as an example, not a rule; measure your own reference or model.
- Draw the upper taper guide from the elbow's widest point toward the wrist's widest point.
- Draw the lower taper guide the same way.
- Confirm the two guides converge rather than cross or diverge.
Compress for foreshortening
Foreshortening shortens the apparent length along the axis while the end ellipses stay visible. If the wrist points toward you, the wrist ellipse grows and the axis shortens. If the elbow points toward you, the elbow ellipse grows. Keep the taper guides attached to the ellipse widest points so the silhouette stays coherent.
A simple check: compare apparent axis length to elbow width. In a strongly foreshortened pose, the axis may be only two to three elbow widths long. In a neutral side-on pose, it may be four to five. These are hypothetical example ranges; measure your own drawing to confirm consistency.
- Decide which end is closer and enlarge that ellipse slightly.
- Shorten the central axis to match the tilt.
- Reattach the taper guides to the new widest points and smooth the silhouette.
Refine silhouette and check
Once the guides are stable, refine the outer contour with a single confident line per side. Avoid adding muscle bumps unless they serve the silhouette; this lesson excludes anatomy labeling. Check that the wrist end is narrower than the elbow end in the drawing, and that the taper is gradual rather than stepped.
Use a simple arithmetic check: measure elbow width E and wrist width W in millimeters. Compute E divided by W. If your drawing claims a taper, that ratio should be greater than 1. Record the ratio beside the drawing so you can compare poses.
- Measure E and W on your drawing.
- Compute E divided by W and note it.
- Compare the ratio across your three poses; the foreshortened pose should still show taper, though the absolute widths change.
Worked example
A student draws a forearm angled slightly toward the viewer. The elbow ellipse measures 28 mm across its widest point and the wrist ellipse measures 20 mm. The central axis is 90 mm long. Check the taper ratio and state whether the drawing shows credible taper.
Worked answer
E divided by W equals 28 divided by 20, which is 1.4. The wrist is narrower than the elbow, so the drawing shows credible taper at the example ratio. The axis length of 90 mm is about 3.2 elbow widths, consistent with a moderately foreshortened pose under the hypothetical example range.
Four practice exercises
Exercise 1
Neutral pose: draw a forearm side-on with elbow width 30 mm and wrist width 21 mm. The axis is 120 mm. Compute E divided by W and state whether taper is present.
Show answer and check
E divided by W equals 30 divided by 21, about 1.43. Taper is present because the wrist is narrower and the ratio exceeds 1.
Why: The side-on pose keeps the axis long relative to width. The measured ratio confirms convergence toward the wrist.
Check: Measure E and W in millimeters on your drawing, divide E by W, and confirm the result is greater than 1 and close to your planned ratio.
Exercise 2
Foreshortened toward viewer: the wrist ellipse is 26 mm, the elbow ellipse is 22 mm, and the axis is 60 mm. Compute E divided by W. Does the drawing still show taper?
Show answer and check
E divided by W equals 22 divided by 26, about 0.85. This does not show taper; the wrist is wider than the elbow. To show taper, the wrist must remain narrower, so adjust the wrist width downward or the elbow width upward while keeping the near-end enlargement plausible.
Why: Foreshortening enlarges the near end, but taper requires the wrist end to stay narrower in the drawing. The ratio exposes the conflict.
Check: Re-measure both ellipses after adjustment and confirm E divided by W is greater than 1.
Exercise 3
Angled away: elbow ellipse 32 mm, wrist ellipse 20 mm, axis 100 mm. Compute E divided by W and the axis in elbow widths. Are these values consistent with a moderately foreshortened pose under the hypothetical example range of two to five elbow widths?
Show answer and check
E divided by W equals 32 divided by 20, which is 1.6. The axis is 100 divided by 32, about 3.1 elbow widths. Both values are consistent with a moderately foreshortened pose under the stated example range.
Why: The ratio confirms taper, and the axis-to-width value falls inside the example range.
Check: Measure E, W, and axis length in millimeters, compute both values, and compare with the example range.
Exercise 4
A drawing shows elbow width 24 mm, wrist width 24 mm, and axis 80 mm. Identify the taper problem and propose one numerical fix that keeps the axis unchanged.
Show answer and check
The widths are equal, so E divided by W equals 1 and no taper is shown. One fix is to reduce the wrist width to 18 mm, giving E divided by W of 24 divided by 18, about 1.33, while keeping the axis at 80 mm.
Why: Taper requires the wrist end to be narrower. Changing only the wrist width preserves the axis and creates convergence.
Check: After the fix, measure E and W and confirm E divided by W is greater than 1 and the taper guides converge.
Common mistakes
- Drawing the forearm as a constant-width tube. Measure elbow and wrist widths and force the taper guides to converge toward the wrist.
- Making the wrist ellipse a circle. Flatten the ellipse along the limb axis; the long axis runs across the limb.
- Shortening the axis without resizing the near ellipse. Enlarge the closer end ellipse when foreshortening, then reattach the taper guides.
- Letting taper guides cross or diverge. Re-mark the widest points on each ellipse and redraw both guides to converge.
Self-check rubric
- Two end ellipses are present, centered on one axis, with long axes across the limb.
- Taper guides connect the widest points and converge toward the wrist.
- The closer end ellipse is appropriately larger in foreshortened poses.
- The silhouette is smooth and the wrist end is narrower than the elbow end.
- A measured ratio E divided by W is recorded and is greater than 1.
- Alternative valid solutions are accepted if the taper converges and the measured ratio supports the claimed pose.
Questions and answers
How much should the wrist narrow compared with the elbow?
A hypothetical example ratio is about 1.4 to 1 elbow width to wrist width. Measure your own reference and use a consistent unit such as millimeters.
Does foreshortening remove the taper?
No. The absolute widths change, but the wrist end remains narrower than the elbow end in the drawing. Check with the ratio E divided by W.
Which ellipse should be larger when the forearm points at me?
The wrist ellipse, because it is closer. Enlarge it slightly and shorten the central axis.
Can I use straight taper guides?
Yes, if the silhouette reads correctly. Curved guides often suit a relaxed forearm, but straight guides are acceptable when they converge and match your measured widths.