How to Draw Basic Anatomy, by Shanspirational on YouTube. 17 min.
- Video length
- 17 min
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Draw a light oval for the head. Keep the pencil loose so you can erase and adjust it later.
Mark the body height. A common guide is about seven to eight head lengths tall for an adult figure.
Sketch a vertical line down the middle of the body. This is your line of balance for the spine and hips.
Block the torso as a simple box or rounded rectangle. Split it into chest and pelvis sections.
Add the shoulders as a horizontal line, then draw simple tubes for the upper arms and forearms.
Draw the hips as a wider box, then add tapering tubes for the thighs and calves.
Place the joints as small circles at the shoulders, elbows, hips and knees. Check that the limbs match in length.
Round out the shapes into softer body outlines, then erase the guide lines you no longer need.
Add simple hands and feet as blocks or mittens first. Refine the fingers and toes only after the pose looks right.
Tips and common mistakes
Start every figure with light pencil strokes so mistakes are easy to erase.
Check proportions against the head length before adding details.
Draw the whole body before working on the face, so the pose stays natural.
Use reference photos of real people to check joint positions and balance.
Questions
Do I need to learn real muscles to draw anatomy?
Not as a beginner. Simple shapes and correct proportions get you a believable figure first. Muscle detail can come later.
How long should a figure take to sketch?
A rough shape-based figure can take 10 to 15 minutes. Spend more time only when you refine the outline and details.
What if my figure looks stiff?
Check your line of balance and shift the hips and shoulders in opposite directions. A slight tilt makes a pose look natural.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
