Draw Simple Figures

Draw quick figures in pencil and felt pen

Posted by Jake Spicer

About

This is a great sketching activity while you're waiting for the bus or sitting in a cafe. People are likely to move as you're drawing them, so find a balance between sketching them as you see them and noting down important visual information to you can quickly complete the sketches from memory.

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You Will Need (5 things)

  • Pencils
  • Eraser
  • Pencil Sharpener
  • Sketchbook
  • Felt Tip Pen

Steps (5 steps, 10 minutes)

  1. 1

    To quickly note the positions on people standing in a crowd jot down simple shapes for their heads, torsos and pelvis, with a quick dash for the bottom of their feet and the left and right limits of their bodies.

  2. 2

    Elaborate on their figures, blocking in limbs in simple shapes, avoiding detail. Even if they move, try to remember their positions, or adapt your drawing accordingly.

  3. 3

    Lightly erase your underdrawing and using that as a framework, draw the outlines of the clothes, simple features and limbs. See everything as a jigsaw of shapes, draw what you see in front of you, not what you expect to see.

  4. 4

    Use a pale felt tips to roughly block in shapes of clothing and skin. Keep your marks quick and confident to stop the ink blotting.

  5. 5

    Use a darker tone of felt tip to add simple shadow shapes, and use a black pen to clarify the outlines of the figures. Add shadows underneath the figures to put them in context with their environment.