Figure Drawing

Inspiration & Exploration

Drawing the human body is one of the most challenging — and rewarding — skills an artist can develop. Start by looking at figure drawings that inspire you: check out Proko on YouTube, whose free videos break down human anatomy in a fun, clear way. Visit the UMFA in SLC or the Springville Museum of Art to study how classical and contemporary artists render the body. Browse r/learnart and r/SketchDaily for daily inspiration. Spend a few sessions just looking: study how people sit, stand, and move in public spaces. Sketch simple stick figures and oval "gesture" shapes — don't try to be realistic yet. You're ready for the next step when you can draw a full stick-figure gesture for five different poses that clearly show weight and balance.

Tools & Techniques

Now learn the core tools of figure drawing. All you need to start is a sketchbook and pencils (HB and 2B are ideal). Learn about gesture drawing — capturing the energy and movement of a pose in 30–60 seconds — using the free website Line of Action (line-of-action.com), which gives you timed figure references for free. Watch Proko's "Figure Drawing Fundamentals" series on YouTube for a structured introduction to proportion, the bean shape for the torso, and how to simplify the body into 3D forms. Learn the "7.5 heads tall" proportion rule for an idealized figure. You're ready for the next step when you can draw a full figure with roughly correct proportions using the simplified bean-and-stick method.

First Creations

Now draw from real life! Use Line of Action (free) or SenshiStock on DeviantArt for pose references. Set a timer for 30-second, 1-minute, and 5-minute poses and fill entire pages — quantity matters more than perfection at this stage. Try drawing at a coffee shop or park, sketching people as they naturally sit and move. The UMFA offers occasional open drawing sessions in SLC — check their events calendar. Focus on getting the overall gesture right before adding details like hands or faces. You're ready for the next step when you've completed at least 50 timed gesture sketches and your figures read as human — they have recognizable weight and a clear center of gravity.

Style Development

Now develop your personal figure drawing style. Look at how different artists handle anatomy — compare the bold, loose lines of Kim Jung Gi with the delicate rendering of contemporary illustrators on Instagram. Experiment with different media: try fine-liner pen for clean confident marks, or use charcoal for dramatic shading. Start paying attention to anatomy: watch Proko's free anatomy videos on the torso, arms, and legs. Try drawing the same pose three times — once realistic, once stylized, once exaggerated — to explore how style changes the figure. You're ready for the next step when you can draw the same figure in two distinct styles and explain what choices make each one feel different.

Refine Your Craft

This is the refinement phase — push every aspect of your figure drawing to the next level. Focus on the areas that challenge you most: hands, foreshortening, or facial placement. Practice foreshortening (a body part coming toward the viewer) by drawing feet-first poses. Study how light and shadow define the body's forms — look up "form shadow vs cast shadow" tutorials. Attend a live figure drawing session: the UMFA and local SLC art groups host open sessions where you draw from a live model. Draw from imagination, not just reference, to test what you've actually learned. You're ready for the next step when you can draw a fully rendered figure from imagination that reads as anatomically believable, with clear lighting and weight.

Portfolio Piece

Time to create your showcase piece. Choose a pose and composition that excites you — it could be a single dramatic figure or a small scene with multiple people. Use your strongest medium and take your time: rough sketch, refined line work, then shading and detail. This piece should represent your current best. Photograph or scan it cleanly and share it on Instagram using #figuredrawing and #SLCart, or post to r/learnart for community feedback. Consider submitting to a local SLC open art show or student exhibit. Write a short artist's statement about what you were trying to capture. You're ready for the next step when your finished portfolio piece is posted publicly and you've received and responded to at least one critique.