Fashion walk
A true side view of a walking figure, with the stride line and the body counter-lean reading as one arc.
In profile the stride is decided by where the hips sit between the two feet, and in a catwalk walk they pass under the body rather than ahead of it. The torso leans back very slightly against the forward leg, the chest stays open and the head holds level, all of which turn a plain walk into a controlled presentation of the clothes.
The silhouette is the strongest thing to study here: a near-vertical body over two legs that intersect, with the trailing foot either just leaving the floor or about to touch. Front and back edges of the figure are close together, so every change of thickness, from ribcage to waist to hip, becomes visible.
For artists the profile view is unforgiving about proportion. Check that the forward knee sits ahead of the ribs and that the down arm crosses in front of the body rather than hanging outside it. A frequent mistake is drawing the trailing leg as a straight extension of the spine; the back thigh actually leaves the pelvis at a distinctly different angle.
Drawing notes
- Stack the ear, shoulder, hip and ankle near a single vertical before adding the stride offset.
- Draw the back thigh leaving the pelvis at its own angle instead of extending the spine.
- Keep the head level while the torso counter-leans over the support leg.
Pose prompt
The description used to generate this study. Copy it into your own workflow, or hand it to the studio with your photo.
Adult woman walking in profile, full body.
Working notes
- A true side view of a walking figure, with the stride line and the body counter-lean reading as one arc.
- If the arms swing too far, add arms relaxed at the sides to keep the editorial stillness.
Put this pose on your own reference
Take this study to the studio and generate a new image in the same pose, or browse the rest of the fashion studies first.
