Drawing in the Digital Age: An Observational Method for Artists and Animators

Chapter 8

Using Special Techniques for Drawing Human Bodies

Art demands constant observation.

—Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890), Dutch painter

Drawing human figures is probably the most challenging task in learning to draw. The complicated movable structures of the human body create hundreds of distinct poses. Considering different viewing angles, body sizes, and costumes, a human figure presents us with an unlimited number of dynamic images.

Although most of us love drawing people starting from the day we first learn to draw, mastering the real skill of drawing human characters remains a difficult task.

To be good at drawing human figures, you really have to understand and be familiar with the detailed parts of the human body. Usually, a class ...