Buzz
Drawing a person may seem daunting at first, but it’s actually quite simple if you know how to approach it systematically. The easiest method to draw a person is using the stick figure and ball-and-socket technique. With this method, the artist sketches a few connected ovals to represent the different parts of the human body and the overall posture. Though it may seem basic, many professional artists use this technique to create their masterpieces. It’s flexible and relatively easy to learn.
Steps
Drawing a person in a scene
Sketching the scene. Don’t focus too much on the background, but make sure it aligns with the clothing and style of the people you’re drawing.
Sketch the stick figure layout and posture of the characters (or individuals in the picture). Remember that these shapes don’t have any flesh, almost like a skeleton. Don’t forget to add ovals where there are joints.
Sketch the body shape and use that as a foundation to draw the torso.
Sketch the facial details, clothing, footwear, gestures, etc. Don’t forget to reflect the weather in the scene! Keep the drawing simple but not too basic. Pay attention to the differences between male and female characters. Females have narrower hips but a larger upper body and waist, while males typically have more angular features, whereas females are rounder. Women also tend to have smaller necks.
- Avoid drawing figures at eye level, as that can look unnatural; try adjusting the head and/or posture of the characters a bit.
Refine the sketch with finer lines. Redraw the straight lines to make them smoother and more lifelike. You definitely don’t want to draw people with blocky figures! Remember to include creases or small lines around the joints to add depth to the drawing.
Draw the main lines based on the sketch. You can use a marker, ballpoint pen, or simply darken the lines with a pencil.
Erase the sketch lines completely.
Color the drawing. Sign your name at the bottom if desired. Add shadows and scenery to make it look realistic. Remember to sign in the lower right corner of the drawing, not anywhere else!
Drawing a person in action
Sketch the stick figure layout to shape the character’s pose (you can use different colors for different characters to avoid confusion).
Sketch the body shape to draw the torso.
Outline the details of the face, clothing, and features, etc.
Refine the sketch with a finer drawing tool.
Draw the main lines based on the sketch
Erase the sketch lines.
Color the drawing.
Drawing a specific person (Male)
Start by drawing the upper body. For the head, sketch a circle, then draw a narrow curved line at the bottom to form an upside-down egg shape.
- Tilt the head slightly, as drawings at eye level tend to appear unnatural.
Next, draw the neck. Typically, you only need to draw two short lines, spaced about the width of the distance between the ears.
Draw a horizontal line perpendicular to the neck, and make sure it’s very faint. This line serves as a guide for the collarbone, usually about two or three times the width of the head.
Sketch two smaller circles just slightly smaller than the head. These are placed at the ends of the collarbone line and represent the shoulders.
Draw two elongated ovals, slightly longer than the head’s length, connected beneath the shoulders. These will form the upper arms.
Sketch the upper body starting from the point where the arms meet the shoulders. You can create an upside-down trapezoid to outline the chest, with two vertical lines extending downward to shape the abdomen. Below that, draw an inverted triangle to represent the pelvis.
Draw a very small circle above, about half the length of the head from the inverted triangle. This marks the location of the navel. To ensure the character has a proportionate figure, adjust the oval shapes for the upper arms so that they extend to the navel’s position. You can draw a horizontal line to check the alignment if necessary.
Sketch two larger circles than the shoulder circles. These will intersect with the inverted triangle to form the hip joints.
Draw two long ovals (the same length as the upper body) below the hip joints to create the thighs.
Draw two smaller ovals intersecting the thighs to form the knees.
Add two more ovals below the knees to create the lower legs.
Sketch two triangles below the lower legs. These will represent the feet.
Return to the arms and draw two ovals beneath them to create the forearms.
Draw the hands by adding two small circles at the end of the forearms.
Draw the outline around the sketch, adding details such as the body, clothes, and accessories.
Complete the drawing.
Advice
- Don't rush; instead, practice regularly. As the saying goes, 'Constant effort brings results!'
- Make it a habit to sketch with light strokes. This will make it easier to erase your lines, and your hand will tire less while drawing. Once you're satisfied with the sketch, feel free to go back and darken the lines whenever you like.
- Don't start with the body. Focus on shaping and sizing the head first. By doing so, you'll be able to better proportion the other parts of the body. If you begin with the body, determining the correct head size will be much harder.
- Long, bold strokes are harder to control compared to short, light ones. Therefore, use soft strokes to gradually build the lines you desire.
- Start with a pencil. If you make a mistake, simply erase it and redraw.
- Make sure you're seated comfortably with good lighting. If you're uncomfortable, your focus will suffer, and the results will not meet your expectations.
- Visit a library or bookstore and browse through art books. The internet is also an excellent source where you can check out professional artworks from artists worldwide.
- Seek inspiration from friends, family, or even online sources. Try to find inspiration from everything and everyone around you if you're unsure of what to draw.
- Keep trying. It's okay to erase and try again – you're just fixing your mistakes, which is completely normal.
- Remember, no one can create a masterpiece or draw a perfect person in five seconds. Even a renowned artist like Da Vinci had to be patient and persistent!
- Consider having someone else draw for you and learn from their technique.
- Think about how you'll depict your characters.
- If you're unsure of how to start, use simple shapes like circles, ovals, etc., to make the sketching process easier.
Warning
- Don't be discouraged if your drawing doesn't look perfect yet. Not everyone is born with the talent to draw, but with practice, you will definitely improve.
- Some people may find drawings of nude or revealing characters distasteful. However, as an artist, you have the freedom to create whatever you wish, though it's important to carefully consider who you're drawing and where you're displaying your work.
- Don't pressure yourself to draw each line perfectly. Just draw and allow yourself to make mistakes; that's one of the best ways to learn!
- At times, you may feel frustrated. During such moments, take a break and then come back to your drawing later.
What You'll Need
- Pencil or pen
- Erase
- Drawing paper
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Coloring tools like crayons or colored pencils (optional)
