How can I check whether the main shapes in my drawing are the right size relative to each other?

Pause before detailing and compare the big shapes as a group. Pick one clear shape as your anchor—for example, the main body of an object—and ask how large the other shapes look beside it. Is the next shape about half as wide, nearly as tall, or much smaller? You do not need a precise measurement; you are checking the relationship you see.

Then check position as well as size. A shape can be the right size but sit too high, too low, or too far to one side. Squint briefly or step back so details become less prominent. Look at the subject’s overall silhouette and the gaps between its main shapes. Those views can make a mismatch easier to notice.

If one relationship seems wrong, revise that shape while the drawing is still simple. Recheck the other shapes afterward, because changing one part can alter how the rest appear.

Suppose, as a hypothetical example, you are drawing a teapot with a rounded body, a lid, a spout, and a handle. Treat the body as the anchor. Compare the lid’s width to the body’s width; check whether the spout looks too thick or too long beside the body; then compare the handle’s opening with the body’s overall size. The goal is not to copy these particular proportions, but to make the relationships in your drawing match the teapot you are observing.

You could make a quick note before revising:

“Body: anchor. Lid: looks too wide compared with body. Spout: length seems close, but base looks too thick. Handle: opening looks too small.”

Now change only the shapes you flagged, keeping the rest simple. Compare again from a little farther away. If the lid still draws too much attention, reconsider its width or placement rather than adding a rim or decoration. Keep your notes about what you actually observe; the example is a way to organize a check, not a set of standard teapot proportions.

Check the negative shapes: the empty spaces around and between the main forms. For example, look at the opening inside a handle, the gap between a spout and a body, or the space above a lid. Compare each gap in your drawing with the corresponding gap in the subject. If the gap is noticeably narrower, wider, or differently shaped, one of the surrounding forms may need adjusting.

You can also compare the drawing’s overall width and height by eye, then look at the balance of the large parts within that silhouette. Try turning the page or viewing the drawing in a mirror if convenient; a changed view can make familiar shapes feel less familiar. These are checks, not proof: perspective, viewing angle, and an imprecise observation can affect what looks right. If you are unsure, return to the subject and compare the same relationship again.

Use this four-pass routine:

1. Simplify: Reduce the subject and drawing to a few large shapes. Ignore small features.
2. Anchor: Choose one shape and compare the others with it for apparent width, height, and placement.
3. Check spaces: Compare the gaps between shapes and the overall silhouette.
4. Adjust and recheck: Change the clearest mismatch, then compare the full group again before adding details.

It helps to name a specific relationship—“the lid is too wide beside the body”—instead of saying only “the drawing looks wrong.” If no single mismatch stands out, leave the shapes for a moment, look again, and check one relationship at a time. A useful check narrows down what to revise; it does not guarantee that your observation or drawing is exact.