Introduction to Drawing People Realistically - Standard Proportions

Drawing people can be one of the most challenging and fun art activities to do. It can be frustrating to try your best to draw a person and it doesn't turn out quite how you want. We see people all the time and know what they look like, but that isn't enough to be able to draw a person accurately. This class is designed to help you improve your own people drawing skills by better understanding what a person looks like and effectively applying that understanding to your drawing.

No experience is needed. The techniques taught are beneficial for beginner and experienced artists alike. 
Be sure to have art supplies ready for this interactive lesson.

In this one-time class, we will start by discussing the general breakdown of a person's body from head to toe. Together, we will draw guidelines to effectively draw correct proportions and placements of key structures of a human figure. We will draw a man from our imagination using these guidelines to place the head, shoulders, waist, elbows, hands, knees, and feet. Once these key structures are in the correct places, it is easier to connect them with the supporting features of the torso, arms, and legs. Then we'll add details such as facial features, clothing, and shading. We'll end class by exploring how we can apply our new understanding of the human figure to more accurately draw a person from a photo. We'll see how using a reference can help make drawings seem even more realistic by adding details that are unique to each individual person.

I will be on camera during the entire class and additionally will be displaying a camera showing my drawing as I demonstrate my process along with the students. I will be using a dark drawing tool (pen, marker, or charcoal) because it shows up the best on camera. Students can use any material but I recommend a pencil that is easy to erase. I also recommend several sheets of paper that can be drawing paper or printer paper.