How to Draw a Person

how to draw person

Looking for a tutorial on how to draw a person easily? Then you are in the right place. 

Knowing how to draw a person is fundamental to understanding how to create other character figures. So, use this article to learn how to draw a person easily. 

It is okay if you find it difficult to draw a person. Other artists found it taxing too.

So, we have put together a guide that teaches you how to draw a person step by step.

How to draw a person step by step

how to draw a person easily
  1. Divide the height into eight sections
  2. Outline the torso, head, and limbs
  3. Outline the torso
  4. Add joints and muscles
  5. Add shadows and more detail
  6. Build up shadows and details

You can complete the whole guide with a pencil and paper or use computer software like Adobe Illustrator.

Step 1: Divide the height into eight sections

Draw a vertical line positioned at the center of your image, with 2 inches from the margin. This line will be the axis point for the height (from the top of the head to the sole of the feet) and will help the body to be well proportioned. 

Draw eight evenly spaced straight lines across the axis line. We draw eight lines because artists have found out that with HH (Head’s Height), they can get a person’s exact dimensions. 

Also, an average human’s height is divided into eight equal parts of a HH, from the skull (top) to the bottom of the jaw. 

For the correct height, the hairstyle doesn’t matter. What is important for that you start the measurement from under the hairline, where the skull lies. 

Step 2: Outline the torso, head, and limbs

  • Outline the head. Make it oval at the center of segment one and two of the eight lined sections you created earlier in step one above. 
  • Block two, the shoulder and neck slopes halfway a head’s height. 
  • From the middle axis, measure a whole head’s height and mark the point. This point marks the place the shoulder will be. 
  • The width of the male figure’s shoulders is approximately two HH, or less sometimes. A female’s shoulder is one-half of the HH, but it can be broader or slimmer.
  • The elbow and waist should be three head heights from the tip of the head. Measure and mark the point. 

The measurement of the hips of a man is one and half HH. A woman’s hips are up to two HH, although this is not so with everyone.

  • For the feet, create a mark on the eighth line. The width of the foot should be about half a HH. 

Step 3: Outline the torso

Define the body parts beginning with the shoulders outline. The outline starts from the upper line and runs down one and a half head height. 

The jugular cavity and collarbones are placed in the middle, slightly under the neck. It is the same height as the shoulder.

For the hips, outline the breadth.

Fix in the knees and legs. 

Step 4: Add joints and muscles

Add some features to your human figure using a partly dark pencil. 

  The legs start from the thighs, and the thighs begin from the hips. Then it ends at the knee joint. 

Draw the shin, knees, and feet.

At this level, ensure the legs and arms are not too thick or too thin 

Once you’re through with joints and the body, sketch the features of its face. Ensure you do this before other sections of the body. 

Outline the muscles such that they look more real. 

Step 5: Add shadows and more detail

Shadows give your human figure depth and substance by a method known as ‘hatching.’

Hatching means the use of straight lines that are thin and placed together. These lines can be diagonal, horizontal, or vertical. When you place the lines closer together, the darker it would be. You can make it even darker by using a cross-hatching method. 

Step 6: Build up shadows and details

If you want to add more distinction to shadows, use an eraser to clean the hatching. This helps you create fainter dark areas, while cross-hatching creates the darkest areas.

Conclusion

We hope this article helps you learn how to draw a person. Pay attention to every detail in the section on how to draw a person step by step, and you will be on your way to being an expert and learn to draw a person without stress.


If you’re interested in drawing then check our article How to Draw a Dragon.

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