Figure Drawing

Figure drawing is so fun to do with all ages.  The greatest challenge for me is to not ruin the amazing way they already draw the figure.  Im talking about arms coming out of the head, and the circle hands.  Here are some tips to teach figure drawing;

• Teach proportions (facial and body) but explain that not one of us is exactly like the other, and that they are important for "realistic" drawings
• Have them look at their own proportions and see if they are correct
• Talk about the shapes of the face
• Draw a face together
• Do gesture drawings where the students take turns being the model
• Make a stick figure flip book
• Use a grid to draw a portrait
• Trace a real portrait to practice
• Draw different expressions
• Draw the gesture drawings with crayola washable markers and paint it with water to make it bleed and look like the figure is moving
• Do a reductive drawing of a hand or part of the figure
• Draw the figure using the shadows on the face (the eyes, under the nose, the top or bottom lip, and under the chin
• Let the students draw their own hands
• Make stencils of the students faces
• Draw hairstyles
• Draw someone they admire...or hate
• Design clothing for their figures
• Draw 10 peoples eyes
• Ok there are a ton of ways to teach the figure I usually start out with the whole and move to the parts, that way you are not erasing the eyes you spent three hours on when you realize your head needs to move to the side.

For more images of student work go to my gallery