Okay, it is true that an object's dimension will appear largest when viewed full on. This is a basic rule of perspective.
But I want you to keep in mind my central point: this method of analysis, given our source material, is flawed. It does not establish the relative length of Bob's arms versus Patty's with enough precision for us to make a judgment.
I am not arguing that the comparison shows the arms are the same length or that Bob's are longer. I am only saying that the comparison does not establish that Patty's arms are longer.
You maintain that the image of Bob is essentially a full on view, and thus represents Bob's arm at its longest apparent length. This isn't the case, as the top left box of my example shows.
[URL]http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/imagehosting/thum_2341149a60aa64282b.jpg[/URL]
The top two images show a full on side view of a walking figure. As expected, the position of the arm doesn't make much difference in its apparent length.
Note the contrast between these images and the image of Bob. He is hunched forward with his back slightly to the camera. Also, Bob has clothes on...we shouldn't trivialize this point. It is hard enough to get the joints right on nude figures. Clothing and/or costumes can conceal the exact position and orientation of the joints.
The bottom two images show what happens when a figure extends its arm forward as Patty is doing. The apparent length of the arm increases, primarily because we visually place the pivot point of the shoulder higher than we do in the full on view.
Now, your image of Bob has him turned away from the camera slightly with the arm coming back. The front shoulder is not extended as it is with Patty. Thus, we would expect, all other things being equal, that the Patty figure would have a longer apparent arm length.
[URL]http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/imagehosting/thum_2341149a610a43eed7.jpg[/URL]
[URL]http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/imagehosting/thum_2341149a610f1ba4c8.jpg[/URL]
Of course, all other things are not equal in these two images. We do not know the position of the mime in the costume we are hypothesizing, we can't be sure that our choice of shoulder pivot is comparable. We can't be sure whether or not Bob's elbow has a cant that is being obscured by his shirt sleeve.
So, absent other evidence, I believe we cannot conclude anything about the relative arm lengths.
