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How to Draw Realistic People - Proportions, Hands, Feet & Other Tricky Features

Practice drawing people in various poses, learn pencil techniques, and focus on difficult human features such as hands, eyes, noses, mouths, ears, and hair. #CREATIVE
Elizabeth (BFA, MAE)
Average rating:
4.8
Number of reviews:
(420)
Popular
Class

What's included

1 live meeting
55 mins in-class hours per week

Class Experience

Do you like drawing people but have trouble making your legs and arms look the right size? Do you struggle with features like hands, eyes, noses, mouths, ears, or hair? Join us for step-by-step directions, techniques, and pro tips!

⭐New to Outschool? Message me before you enroll!!!⭐

⭐ Get $10 off your first class with coupon code BFAMANEW10 until Jun 21, 2025. Enter the coupon code at checkout. ⭐


Each week, we will learn about a different figure drawing technique or practice drawing a human feature in detail using a new, provided reference photo. Through practice and instruction, students will improve drawing the whole human figure, learn to focus on shading and textures, and practice various pencil techniques.

This class designed for students who like drawing people and have a desire to learn some basic techniques. While beginners are welcome, this class is better suited for early intermediate-level students who have had a little practice trying to draw from observation.

Students will follow along with me as I demonstrate step-by-step how to draw a new pose or detailed feature each week with reference photos to guide our sketches. Learners are encouraged to ask questions, socialize, and share their work as we draw together. Students are welcome to add their own creative flair, costume, and background to each drawing.

As we rotate through topics, the reference photos will be different each time. At the beginning of class, students will vote to select from 2-3 different reference photos. Students are encouraged to give suggestions and request reference photos and topics (kinds of hair, body poses, eye expressions, etc.) We'll alternate between full figures and detailed feature drawings; our reference photos will include a variety of poses, cultures, activities, ethnicities, body types, and ages. There will be many timed speed drawings (1-5 minutes) as well as a long-pose drawing (10-15 minutes) at the end of each class.

Schedule of Topics:
Week of 11/11: Oval/shape-style figure drawing - measuring
Week of 11/18: Gesture drawing 
Week of 11/25: Mouths
Week of 12/2: Human proportions - Side View
Week of 12/9: Ears
Week of 12/16: Human proportions - Seated figure
Week of 12/23: Hair
Week of 12/30: Human proportions - Portraits & Faces
Week of 1/6: Gesture drawing 
Week of 1/13: Feet
Week of 1/20: Skeleton-style figure drawing 
Week of 1/27: Eyes
Week of 2/3: Human proportions - Front View
Week of 2/10: Noses
Week of 2/17: Hands
This topic list will repeat.
Learning Goals
Students will improve their sense of proportion, practice paying attention to details, and learn a variety of drawing techniques.
learning goal

Other Details

Parental Guidance
We will be using photographs of people as references. These photos will show a variety of body types and respect for all models is expected. There will be no nudity, however some figures may be clothed in leotards, gym shorts, or similar. Please feel free to address concerns with me beforehand, and I will take your student's needs into consideration.
Supply List
Drawing materials to bring to ALL classes:
Paper
Pencil
Eraser
Optional: Colored pencil, markers, crayons, etc.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined March, 2022
4.8
420reviews
Popular
Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
Virginia Teaching Certificate in Music/Theater/Arts
Master's Degree in Education from Virginia Commonwealth University
I teach classes on a variety of arts-related subjects: 
  * piano, sight-reading, song-writing; 
  * realistic drawing techniques;
  * comic book creations & anime drawing styles;
  * digital arts, Photoshop, graphic design.

Look at the bottom of my profile to find my other classes. 
    → https://outschool.com/teachers/Elizabeth-Essex ←

I hold a Bachelors in Fine Art from Virginia Tech and a Masters in Art Education from Virginia Commonwealth University and am a former public school art teacher. I love teaching drawing, painting, sculpture and Photoshop to learners of all ages. I've been teaching for 20+ years and running my own piano studio for 10+ years. There's a special place in my heart for creative works and the artists that make them, especially fantasy stories and narrative artworks, comics and graphic novels.

Reviews

Live Group Class
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$17

weekly
1x per week
55 min

Completed by 62 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 9-14
2-7 learners per class

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