How Did Artists Paint Perfectly Symmetrical Faces Without Mirrors?

Imagine drawing a face perfectly balanced without seeing it, that's what ancient artists did! They used something like a special ruler or straight edge to help them match the left and right sides of a person’s face. It’s like using two rulers to make sure your drawing looks even on both sides, just like how you might use a ruler in school to draw neat lines.

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Examples

An artist places a pencil along the edge of someone’s nose to make sure both sides match.
A painter draws a line down the middle of a face so everything lines up on both sides.
Using a ruler, an ancient artist ensures that one eye is exactly as far from the center as the other.

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Categories: Art · ancient art· symmetry in art· portrait painting· art techniques· classical art