How to Draw Basic Human Figures

Last Updated: November 9, 2019

The human figure has inspired artists to pick up their pencils for thousands of years. Drawing the human form allows you to gain a deeper understanding of the curves and lines that make up male and female bodies. The human form, like any figure, is easy to draw when you break it down into its most basic shapes: ovals, circles, and rectangles. Once you master the basics, you can hone your skills by drawing figures whenever you get a chance.

Steps

1
Plan your drawing. Draw some vertical and horizontal lines to plan your drawing. Planning is not so important for the proportion of the drawing. Measure the figure by seeing how many times the head fits in the body height. The average adult human is eight heads tall. But for shorter people maybe 7 or if they are on the taller end maybe 9, but usually no higher than 9.
2
Draw some basic shapes to represent the parts of the body by using a pencil. Circles, rectangles, ovals and triangles can be used.For the varieties of human figures, you can also use different kinds and sizes of circles and ovals, etc. For example, to draw a fat man, you can use a big oval for his body part.To draw a short girl, you can use small and short ovals, rectangles and circles.According to your imagination and creativity, you can alter or use different kinds of shapes to make your drawings funny or strange.

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3
Sketch the outlines lightly using a pencil. This step is important as you need to try to draw your figure in a realistic and lively way.
4
Draw the details of the drawing i.e. clothes, accessories. You can use a pen to finalize your drawing. You can put your desired clothes and colors.

Community Q&A

Question

Is it the same pattern for drawing every human body?

Community Answer

No. For females it should have more curves. For males it should be more squared. If you're doing fuller figures, it's the same thing for males and females, just fuller.
Question

My person always ends up looking thin. What do I do?

Community Answer

You might want to draw references of people of a variety of genders/ethnicities, because then you'll start to notice all the minor differences. Don't just go for people that you personally view as attractive, go for people you wouldn't normally consider drawing.
Question

How do I draw the front base of the girl human being on paper?

Community Answer

Start with an hourglass shape. From there, draw the base of the head, the arms and the legs and add details.