Figure Drawing

Suitable for:
Ages: High school | Adult
Skill levels: Intermediate | You must pass the Drawing 101 exam. Book yourself in on the website to take that test.

In these lessons we learn and practice the basic skills of figure drawing.

Monet: Garden in Bloom at Sainte-Addresse, 1866
We learn to capture the expression of a movement in a few simple marks.

The human body is one of the most complex objects we can draw due to it's ingenious construction. We make the subject accessible by using powerful and simple techniques:

  • stick figures
  • gesture drawing
  • mass
  • contour
  • scribble
  • tone
  • 3d shapes
  • figures in perspective

By developing our drawing skills we improve all our artistic activites, including painting.

Monet: Garden in Bloom at Sainte-Addresse, 1866
Stick figures help us see the balance and underlying structure of the body.

When you can score a passing grade in my "Drawing 101": test, you are ready to take on Drawing 103: Portraits. For some people this might take months, while others might get there in hours. Either way, you will have a clear map of your abilities and be confident about taking on the more challenging levels of drawing, and enjoying it!

Recommended books:


How to Sketch Shapes