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ISBN Hardcover: 978-91-639-0657-2

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This book was successfully funded through Kickstarter in October 2015.

 CONTENTS
O N E F U N D A M E N TA L S 1

T WO F I G U R E D R A W I N G 7
TOM BANCROFT • BLEEDMAN
WARREN LOUW • REIQ • STEVE RUDE

T H R E E C H A R A C T E R D E S I G N 49
DAVE BARDIN • RANDY BISHOP
CHARLIE BOWATER • LOISH
LOOPYDAVE • RAUL TREVINO

F O U R P E R S P E C T I V E 10 3
CHAMBA • JAZZA • GERARDO SANDOVAL

F I V E B A C K G R O U N D S 127
LORENZO ETHERINGTON

SI X COMPOSITION 14 5
JAZZA

SE VEN T E X T I N T O A R T 151
GENZOMAN • KIM JUNG GI • OTTO SCHMIDT

EIGHT M E E T T H E A R T I S T S 16 3
For Lisa, Sally, and Sigsten
 THANK YOU
THANKS TO: THANKS TO ALL THE ARTISTS:
Mohmmad Almutairi Tom Bancroft
David Bardsley Dave Bardin 
Issabella Brandywine Randy Bishop 
Ian Brookings Bleedman 
Jonathan Cham Charlie Bowater 
Jenn Dahlen Chamba
Will DeSain Lorenzo Etherington
Ayesha Drew Genzoman
Erik Franzon Kim Jung Gi 
Chris Greene Jazza
Ashley Hill Loish 
JUNE Loopydave
JV Warren Louw
Damon Kasberg REIQ 
Yves Macasalabang Steve Rude  
Anthony O'Reilly Gerardo Sandoval 
Maria Rago Otto Schmidt 
Kim Schumacher Raul Trevino
Vivek Singh Sidhu
Anastasia Tircuit Thank you all for your efforts in getting this
Josh Tzue project off the ground. It couldn’t have happened
Branislav Velikic without your support and your help in spreading
Jimmy Vetayases the word. It was a pleasure to work with you all!

A big thank you to all the Kickstarter backers. AND A MASSIVE THANK YOU TO:
This project would not have been possible Tom Bancroft and Lorenzo Etherington for your
without all your support, input, and patience. advice, time, and support during the past two
years!
EXTRA SPECIAL THANKS TO:
Christopher Lok
Anna-Lucia Stone
INTRODUCTION

T
hank you for purchasing Illustrator’s Guidebook! The
pagesthat follow were created to give you an insight into
theminds of some of the most popular comic book
artists,and animators in the world today. They will show you
illustrators,
their unique methods for creating stunning images and how to
go about achieving your own objectives in art and design. They
have done their best to condense their long years of training and
professional experiences into this one volume.

The biggest problem with most “how-to-draw” books today is

that there is only one contributing artist. You are only given one
opinion on how to draw something. In the Illustrator’s Guidebook,
you’ll get to compare the methods and insights of 18 top industry
artists from companies like Disney, Marvel, Dreamworks, and more.
You’ll learn how they approach concepts like figure drawing,
perspective, character design, composition, plus loads more.
 21 DR AW
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

F
eel free to read the book from start to finish in its entirety or just randomly
browse its pages to check out some amazing artwork. Alternatively, you can
look up the specific artistic areas you are interested in exploring in the contents
section. If you’re interested in learning more about a particular artist, you can skip
directly to his/her pages or biography. Please also visit our website www.21-draw.com
or our YouTube channel where we will be uploading videos that supplement the
book’s contents.

It’s important to note that there was a real effort to keep the artists’ own words and
actions as close as possible to what they submitted. This is important as it allows you,
the reader, to get an understanding of the exact process each artist goes through
when completing an image from start to finish. Some artists use roughs, proportion
lines, and other guides when drawing, and others start with clean lines and adjust as
they go. In most cases, the artists followed the briefs exactly, but in some instances,
they provided additions or minimizations that were even better than the original
briefs. When this occurred, the artist’s version was chosen over the original brief.

All of the above facts make this book unique in comparison to other “how-to-draw”
books. But this book is unique in another way. In October 2015, almost three thousand
people, from 25 different countries, came together on the crowdfunding website
Kickstarter and pledged funds to get this book printed. It was the second book that
was created by 21 Draw. The first book was also a highly successful crowdfunded
campaign on IndieGogo back in May 2014. 21 Draw salutes you and thanks each and
every one of you who helped make this book happen! Please enjoy it!

21 DR AW
 ONE
FUNDAMENTALS

1
 CR E AT ED F OR A R T I S T S B Y A R T I S T S

T
his book is intended for anyone interested in learning about illustration, from
the novice to the professional who wants to study a specific skill or style. A
unique benefit of this book is our wide array of artists providing you a broad
range of knowledge and techniques. Some of the illustrators in this book are self-
taught, while others have professional training, and quite a few are art instructors
themselves. What they share is a love of drawing, a devotion to the ongoing study of
art, and agreement on the importance of practice to achieve results and success.

Many of our artists have shared that they began

drawing or doodling at an early age. Maybe you, too,
have been drawing for a long time. No matter the level
you are starting from, let’s prepare to follow along with
the tutorials by warming up with simple line exercises.
You can draw these using either paper or tablet; please
use what is available and comfortable to you.

Try to make your strokes as even and straight as

possible. Work on vertical and horizontal lines as well
as diagonal. Then try some dots, and practice making
them in a specific shape as well as making them as
consistently spaced as you can. Another great warm-up
is drawing spirals. It can be a challenge to keep the line
consistently spaced and steady as you spiral toward the
center. Then reverse and spiral out from a center point.
You can experiment with various pens, pencils, and
brushes to discover more about line quality and weight.

Drawing these simple shapes can be deceivingly

difficult — it’s not easy to make a straight line with an
even pressure. There is a saying that the most difficult
thing to draw is a circle, and that it is impossible to draw
a perfect circle by hand.

Why start with lines and shapes? Lines and circles make
up the basic structure of anything you want to draw.
By mastering the surprisingly difficult task of drawing
simple lines and shapes, you also develop dexterity
and hand-eye coordination. Both of these skills are very
important to an artist, no matter the style or medium
they use. Once you feel good about drawing simple
shapes and lines, you can challenge yourself further by
practicing them more quickly.

2 21-DRAW
CREATING VOLUME

Once you have an understanding of drawing simple shapes, you can

start adding light and shadow to create a sense of volume. Illustrators
develop their own unique style and process for creating the illusion of
dimension in their artwork. At the right are examples of shading from
several of our artists. Some shading is achieved with line work, other
shadows are made using gradients or painting in a darker colour.

The key is to know where your light is coming from and then to
create a consistent and accurate rendering of the shadows.
Highlights can be lighter colours added over a darker colour,
or they may simply be the absence of colour or shadow in
an area. Artists often use visual references for this step;
you can use live models or photo references. Many of the
tutorials in this book include examples on how to add
dimension to your illustrations, along with tips on creating
shadows and highlights.

GOING DEEPER INTO DRAWING

We drew the warm-up line work based on exercises featured in The

Fundamentals of Drawing by Barrington Barber. Barber’s book is full
of detailed lessons on how to improve your drawing skills, and we
recommend it as a reference for further study.

Another technique to improve hand-eye coordination is drawing without

lifting your pencil or looking at the paper; this method is called blind contour
drawing. Your drawings can start out a bit odd looking, but the practice can
greatly improve your ability to draw with your hand what your eyes truly see. This
process can also improve the speed and quality of your drawing, because you learn
to trust your hand to directly interpret what your eyes see without the need to check
your work as often. Blind contour drawing can also be used as a warm-up to get
your mind and hand working together. This method and many other practices are
in The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards. Edwards’s book is
considered the world’s most widely used drawing instruction book.

Learning from other artists and a lot of practice will help you to draw what is in front
of you but also anything you can dream up. One of the most impressive qualities
professional illustrators have goes beyond their ability to render realistic figures and
forms. Illustrators use their imaginations to create characters and worlds for others
to enjoy. The artists in this book all have world-renowned drawing talent, many
have studied life drawing and human anatomy for years, but they also have worked
to develop their imaginations. Don’t forget to seek creative inspiration as well as
practicing skills. Our artists share what inspires them in their bios (see p. 163).

FUNDAMENTALS 3
 TRADITIONAL, DIGITAL, OR BOTH?

In this section, we focus on the specific tools illustrators

in this book recommend and use in their tutorials. Many of our
artists work in both traditional and digital mediums, while some are
100% ink to paper and others are devoted users of digital. We believe
the diversity in their style and technique offers you expanded insight
into the tools used by professional illustrators today.

Our artists share tool preferences in their bios (see p. 163), so you
have a peek into an artist’s toolbox while using his/her tutorial.
Note that many of the principles work for either traditional or
digital mediums. For example, when learning from an artist that
uses a soft graphite pencil, you can use the exact pencil, or you can
try a similar digital pencil setting that emulates the traditional tool.

Even the most die-hard traditionalist can’t go completely off the

grid; before going to press a high resolution scan of an
illustration is needed. The file needs to be a minimum of
300 DPI (dots per inch), and should not be enlarged from
the original scan size. Enlarging a rasterized image adds
pixels, creating a visibly pixelated look at the edges of line
work and contrasting colours.

TRADITIONAL DRAWING TOOLS

These time-tested tools have some strong advantages compared

to digital: you can take them anywhere, most are water resistant, no
need to pull them out of your bag at the airport, and they are not as
expensive to replace if you lose them. Some favourites used by our
artists:

PENCILS: Prismacolor pencils, Col-Erase also by Prismacolor, and

graphite art pencils 2B–6B, HB. The numbers and letters are
for two different rating systems which make a difference
in the marks made (see blue pencils at right). H is for how
hard the writing core is; the higher the number, the harder the
writing core and the lighter the mark. B is for blackness; the higher the
number, the darker the mark.

PENS: Pentel Pocketbrush, Kuretaki brush, Tombow, Pentel Stylo, Sharpie,

and coloured pens like Copic Markers. Many art pens are available
with two sides for creating both thick or thin lines and are sold
individually as well as in sets.

4 21-DRAW
PAPER: Our artists were not as specific on paper preferences, but here are some
basics on art paper options. Hot pressed is the paper of choice for pen and ink
drawing, while cold pressed has more surface texture and is typically best for
graphite and charcoal. Several artists — even those using digital — like to pack
a sketchpad to practice anytime and anywhere they get the chance. Moleskine
sketchbooks are a great choice and come in many different sizes.

DRAWING DIGITALLY

Nothing beats the power of Command+Z (the undo key on a Mac), or the ability
to work in layers and save your artwork in stages. Digital is also one step ahead of
traditional because there is no need for the high resolution scanning step. Embracing
digital design can be an environmental choice in that it saves paper. A streamlined
production process, speed, and convenience were reasons our artists gave for
choosing digital.

HARDWARE: Wacom tablets are the top choice of illustrators in this book. Wacom’s
line of creative pen tablets includes a range of choices; www.Wacom.com.

SOFTWARE: Quite a few of the artists use Manga Studio Pro to draw and ink, then
move their art into Photoshop for adding colour and texture. Another feature of
digital is the ability to customize and save your brushes. Some of the artists share
their brush settings in their tutorials and on their websites. Paintstorm Studio and
Corel Painter were also recommended.

WHERE TO START

Even though you can pick this book up and start with any section, if you are new to
illustration, the first tutorial on figure drawing by Tom Bancroft is an excellent place
to start. Tom has more than 25 years of experience in the animation industry, much
of which was for Walt Disney Feature animation. He includes some excellent personal
advice on tools of the trade, then leads you through the use of basic shapes to create
figures. Now let’s get drawing!

FUNDAMENTALS 5
 T WO
FIGURE DRAWING
TOM BANCROFT • BLEEDMAN
WARREN LOUW • REIQ • STEVE RUDE

7
 DE S IGN A N A NIM AT ION- S T Y L E M A L E HER O
WITH TOM BANCROFT

M
ale Heroes (or superheroes for those themselves excuses for failure. “Oh, that didn’t
of us that love American comic turn out very good because I was drawing on
books) can be incredibly challenging cheap paper.” We’ve all been there and said
to draw. No matter how simplified your something like that.
design (or cartoony), you need to have a good
understanding of human anatomy and how All that said, I do want to mention a couple of
to caricature it. For this tutorial, I can’t take the tools that just might make things a bit easier.
space to give an anatomy lesson (it’s too large The following tips are one-part tools and one-
of a subject and there are many more qualified part process.
than I to explain it). But please know on the
upfront that anatomy study and life-drawing Also at Disney, I was first introduced to the
experience will only make your Male Hero erasable coloured pencils called Col-Erase
drawing more successful. pencils by Primsacolor. Many of the animators
would animate their first pass, rough animation
I can’t answer every question in only a couple
with the Col-Erase pencil (usually a blue or a
of pages, but I do want to make some key
red, but it really didn’t matter) and then do the
points and address a few important issues
final, tie-down pass (drawing over the coloured
that I think will help you to take your character
pencil line) with a soft graphite pencil (usually
designs to the next level.
a 2B to 6B). This is a tool set and process that I
still use today for character design. The reason
being, I don’t have to continually redraw
TOOL TALK drawings (first rough pass, then a final pass),
and I get the feel of “sculpting the drawing,”
When I was at Disney, my mentor was Mark because I refine and improve it as I go over the
Henn, supervising animator, and whenever rough version.
I would ask the “what
pencil do you use”
question, he would say:
“It’s not about the pencil,
it’s about the drawing
that comes out of it.”
I’ve never forgotten that
point. Most of us starting
out in art think that the
pencil, pen, and paper we
use have a lot to do with
the results. Honestly, it
has very little to do with
the results you get. Those
that place too much
value or attention on the
tools are usually giving

8 21-DRAW
SIMPLIFIED ANATOMY

Anatomy can be a challenge with Heroic Males. Most of these simplified shapes — circles,
It can bog down your character design process tubes, and blocks — are nothing new to most
and make your drawings stiff and bland. But of us that have read a few art instruction books.
the feeling of mass is important to make a Hero A basic tenant of art instruction is to simplify
feel super, so it can’t be left out. My suggestion the body into traditional tubes, blocks, and
is to streamline the anatomy by concentrating circles. What I want to do here is to take this
on the simple shapes that make up the body. same thought process a step further.

FIGURE DRAWING 9
 THE LIGHT BULB CORE

The traditional simplified figure has a chest

circle and a triangular pelvis shape that work
as two separate pieces. I don’t think this a
great way to look at the shapes, since our
bodies don’t work that way. I like to look at
the torso as one shape — one very flexible
shape — that can be twisted and bent. Enter
the light bulb torso shape. Draw an oval that is
combined with a cube, then draw a tube shape that is
rounded off at the bottom. That’s your light bulb.

This shape can be used to create the

main flow and twists that your Hero
character will take. Adding the tubes
for the legs, arms, and neck just
creates more flow throughout the
pose. Here’s an example of how
flexible the light bulb shape
can be.

10 21-DRAW
Add your circular head, leg and arm tubes, and the
wedge-shaped feet to your light bulb. Make sure you
have a definite line of action going through your poses.

FIGURE DRAWING 11
 ENTER VARIATIONS character. Now try more variations: stretch
shapes, shorten shapes, and thicken shapes
Now that we have our simplified anatomy throughout the body. The variations are
shapes, let’s have some fun with them. Take endless, and you will quickly find that you can
that same light bulb shape core and make it make many different body type versions for
wider, make the head smaller, the arms longer a Hero character. Some can look like runners,
and thicker, and the legs thick but short. Just some may look super strong, and others may
applying these shape variations gives you a be swimmers. Match the superpower with the
completely different (and more heroic-looking) body type variation for best results.

Next we do the same thing with the faces (see Once you know your simple head shapes —
illustration A). Start with the circular cranium and how they relate to one another — you can
shape, but now add different jaw shapes: more easily draw your character from any angle
U-shaped, V-shaped, wide, and narrow — the and expression (see illustration B).
variations are endless. Then try the same with
the length of the nose, the size of the eyes, the Also don’t forget about shape variation in
placement of the mouth and ears. Start normal the costume design. Once you have a body
but keep pushing your facial shape element and face shape you are happy with, try some
variations to see how unique you can make different costume designs. I’m not a great
your Hero’s face. costume designer, but I can make variations

12 21-DRAW
 A

FIGURE DRAWING 13
 that will be unique by applying the same throughout the body leading the viewer to feel
variation decisions. Wider shapes, thinner that something dynamic is about to happen!
shapes, shapes that are wide but taper, circular Same with the legs and arms and don’t forget
shapes, lines, and angles. Cape or no cape? to give the head a tilt too. You’ll begin to see
Tight boots or loose? Gloves or no gloves? Each that you also create a better feeling of flow
decision will lead to a new variation. throughout your pose. It’s a win-win!

Now you can create your own fun Heroic Male

characters that have strong poses, lots of flow,
APPLIED DYNAMICS and a unique look. Enjoy the journey!

One last tip has less to do with

character design than on posing
your new character. Dynamics
is a term I use to describe a
process of strengthening poses
for your character. The basic
concept is this: Straights are solid,
but can be stiff and boring — while
Angles are dynamic and create
a feeling of action. When posing
your character, try and think of each
element at an angle, rather than
vertical or horizontal. Especially the
torso — this is an element many of us
fail to make the most of when creating
a dynamic pose. The torso should
(whenever possible for an action pose)
be at an angle so you create a thrust

14 21-DRAW
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER: MY PROCESS

When I discussed the tools I like to use, on page 8, I

mentioned a process I like to use when sketching out
character designs and creating poses. Below is my
step-by-step example of taking a Heroic Male
character drawing from beginning to end.

STEP 1: Using the side of my light blue Col-Erase coloured

pencil, much like you would use a charcoal stick in life
drawing, I like to sketch out the rough pose and shapes of
the initial pose.

STEP 2: Next using the light blue pencil upright, I add

in details to the figure. This is where I apply design
principles to the face and costume to make shapes
that are unique and interesting.

STEP 3: Using my 2B or 3B graphite pencil, I create

a more final line drawing over the light blue sketch.
Even if I’m working loosely (as I am here), this part of
the process is similar to inking because I am making
deliberate decisions with every line I put down.
Make sure you don’t lose the flow of the drawing by 3
straightening too many lines; this can stiffen up the
drawing.

FIGURE DRAWING 15
 STEP 4: Scan the more finished graphite
drawing (with the light blue under drawing)
and once in Photoshop, you can go to the
channels window and select the blue or red
(depending on the colour of pencil used)
and drop out the coloured under drawing
completely. What you are left with is just the
tighter graphite line. Then by using Image–
Adjust–Levels, I darken that line work and
whiten the remaining grays to get a nice, crisp
image. At this stage, the image is usually clean
enough to show to a client.

STEP 5: It is important to stop and take a

look at your line drawing at this point. Is there
anything that can be adjusted in Photoshop
that would make it stronger? In the case of this
drawing, I decide to make the head smaller,
lengthen and enlarge the foreground left leg,
and move his left forearm over to get a better
silhouette between the hand and shoulder.

STEP 6: Lastly, I add colour on another layer

in Photoshop and have a pretty quick final
concept piece. This is a very practical way of
working that I find keeps me in the creative
spirit longer.

16 21-DRAW
6

FIGURE DRAWING 17
 CR E AT E A C A R T OON- S T Y L E FEM A L E
WITH BLEEDMAN

G
etting started is always the hardest part, so pretend you’re drawing
a balloon — because balloons are fun! STEP 1: Like most tutorials I
have learned from, I suggest drawing the head first then the spine.

STEP 2: From there I just let loose and begin scribbling the figure. While 1
drawing loosely as if my hand has a mind of its own, I focus my mind on the
fundamentals — the anatomy. Try not to think about details like her clothes,
hair, face, etc. Just focus on getting the proportions right. Always start with
the basic drawing fundamentals. I know, it’s kinda boring drawing the
basics. ”SIGH!” Let’s get to the fun part already!

STEP 3: YES! YES! WOOHOO! This is what you want, right? This
is the best part of the whole figure drawing process. Designing
the character. Here we can finally let our imagination go crazy. OH!
OH! Let’s make her a goth! Let’s give her earrings and skulls — things a
goth wears! Oh, don’t forget the boots! When I design my characters,
I always google for reference. Oh Internet, what would I do without you?
I’m pretty sure my life would lose all meaning.
2

3
TIP: WORKING IN PHOTOSHOP LAYERS
I always create a new layer for each step of the
sketch process. I also advise that you duplicate
these layers as a back-up. Just in case you want to
go back and start over.

18 21-DRAW
STEP 4: Now that we’ve completed the best part of the drawing process,
here comes the tedious part — line art. I create a new layer, lower the
opacity of the previous sketch layer, and trace over the sketch using my
special inking brush.

TIP: WORKING WITH PHOTOSHOP BRUSHES

There are thousands of free brushes available
online, but not all brushes will match your own
personal preferences. You need to find your own
brush, one that you are comfortable using. Take
time to experiment with different brushes so you
can find and save your own custom brush palette. 4

STEP 5: After the line art is complete, I create

a new layer underneath and label it as my
“render layer” — I use this layer for all the
shades and shadows.

STEP 6: After the line art and rendering

are complete, I “merge” the layers and
proceed to make the final touches. I review my work
and make any needed fixes and edits. Sometimes
these adjustments are very subtle. Can you see the
difference between the two illustrations below?

IMPORTANT: Before I merge layers, I make a 5

duplicate set of the layers just in case I need to go
back.

Can you
spot the
difference?

FIGURE DRAWING 19
 STEP 7: Finally I convert it to grayscale and make adjustments to the levels, brightness,
and contrast. Now we are done — yah! Wait! Where’s the earring? The skull? The things goths
usually wear? Oops.

STEP 8: Take a break, go exercise:

one, two, one, two . . .

HERE’S A LITTLE RECAP:

STEP 1: Balloon
STEP 2: Sketch
STEP 3: Design
STEP 4: Line art
STEP 5: Render
STEP 6: Finishing
touches
STEP 7: Adjustments
STEP 8: Take a break! Exercise!

TIP: FAVOURITE PHOTOSHOP SHORTCUTS

What are my two most favourite short-cut commands
in Photoshop? Using the ALT key in the brush tool.
Clicking ALT while your are using the brush switches
you to eyedropper tool. Very useful for rendering.
This next one will save your life — I mean work —
CTRL+S which is the save command.

20 21-DRAW
HEAD TUTORIAL

I start out with a sphere and Once I’m satisfied with the
add a lower jaw, then add the Then I proceed to sketch out head, I leave the eyes out on
guidelines for the eye and nose. the design of the face. a different layer.

NOTE: By creating a layer specifically

for the eyes, I can make adjustments to
spacing and size. The design of the eyes
can suggest a character’s personality
traits, expression, and mood, as well as
their style.

FIGURE DRAWING 21
 DR AW ING T HE IDE A L FEM A L E
WITH WARREN LOUW

L
earning to draw the figure takes a lot of practice, dedication, and can take many
years to master. The best way to go about it is by breaking down the figure
into simple shapes that are easy to understand. This is only one approach to
understanding the human form. Once you become comfortable enough with creating
shapes, you can move on to study the flow of gestures, balancing weight, action,
and then the anatomy of the skeleton and muscles. Artists have various methods of
approach so it’s best to review these different approaches and then find what works
best for you. When I do my own artwork, I no longer need to use all of these steps.
After years of practice I know this structure in my mind, but to start, this is where you
want to begin: building on simple shapes.

STEP 1: Starting with the upper torso area is a good

midpoint to begin drawing a basic body shape, but for
other poses, you might find it works better to start with
other areas of the body first. 1

STEP 2: Next I add the head. You can see that the size of
the circle I use for the side view is larger than the front
view since the side of the head is wider. For the front of
the head, you can start with an oval but keep in mind
the jaw line. I then draw the shoulder joints and add the
upper arms. Note: The upper arms are more narrow when
viewed from the front and back than from the sides.
2

STEP 3: I draw the vertical center line for the body and
then horizontal lines for the eyes. You can add these
guide lines earlier in the process if you like. Then I start
with the breasts. Make sure they are not just round
circles, they are weighted slightly outward from each
other and from the front. From the side, keep in mind
that the breasts rest on the slope of the chest and
point forward. I then add a circular axis to the bottom
of the upper torso (to help with the upper and lower
transitions) and then add the bottom torso. Make sure
that from the side the slope of the back is not more
angled than I have it here. Many artists make this
transition far too angled, so be aware of this. 3

22 21-DRAW
To show the lower torso division with the legs, I add
ovals which form a V-shape from the front. For the
forearms I add circles for the elbow and wrist joints.
You’ll start to notice the relationship between straight
and curve lines throughout the figure. The inner
forearm line is straight and there will be some of the
elbow definition coming through. The outer elbow
curves in and then straightens toward the wrist.

STEP 4: Pay attention to the straight and curved

lines of the legs. The outside leg curves in and the
inner thigh curves very slightly inward. The knee area
definitely needs to be studied a bit further since it 4
does appear to look as though the outside of the knee
runs flush with the upper leg, yet it has its own subtle
curves. The hand, too, needs to be studied carefully,
but here I’ve added just the base of the hand. Please
keep in mind where the thumb muscle will be drawn
(see the front view), and where the thumb muscle will
not be seen (see the side view) as the thumb will be
tucked just behind the top of the hand and behind the
index finger.

STEP 5: For the lower leg, once again these curves

move inward. Point A shows where the outer curve
begins and is higher than the inner curve at B. B starts
after the inner leg runs down and slightly inward to the
knee at C. Then I simply add a circular ankle joint before
adding the feet. For the fingers of the hand, you can see
C A
the lines and shapes added lightly at this stage, then I
B
divide the fingers into the knuckles and joints.

FIGURE DRAWING 23
 STEP 6: These are the shapes I work with for the
structure of the feet. They will not be as prominent in
final line work, but the ankle joint circles define the ankle
shapes on either side of the feet.

C A
STEP 7: Finally I add the toes. At the front, I start by
B
adding ovals for the ends of the big toes and circles for
the smaller ones. I then work in the rest of the toe shapes,
making sure that at their base, the toes are slightly
parted in a rounded V-shape. This is more pronounced in
the big toe and the smallest toe at the end. Once again,
the foot is going to take a whole study in itself for how 6
the toes are angled themselves. And there we have it —
we have completed the figure!

STEP 8: Eventually after you are comfortable with

practicing this a thousand times, I urge you to learn
about the muscle anatomy. There is a little example of
the muscle structure in this final step. Understanding the
way the muscles look will help the quality of your figure A
C
drawings, especially when it comes to shading the forms
B
and defining the skin on the body. If you can afford it, I
highly recommend buying a muscle anatomy statue of
the female form. The statue is not cheap but it will be a
useful and valuable tool to show you how the muscles
wrap around the body and connect. 7

24 21-DRAW
C A

FIGURE DRAWING 25
 THE IDEAL FEMALE FORM THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND ABOUT
COMPOSITION:
According to the Internet, the ideal female
• The neck is one forth of a head length.
height is 5'6" (170cm) up to as tall as 6' (183cm).
In my chart to the right, I also measured the • Breasts start one and a half heads down and
proportions in terms of how many lengths of cover three quarters of a head in length. Each
the head make up the figure. I’m using seven breast is as wide as the face.
head lengths here, but you can use eight if you
want a taller look. But be careful not to make • Elbows are next to the rib cage and fit in the
the head too small in relation to the body. area between the upper and lower torso.
Using head lengths proportionally will help you From the side, the elbow is next to the most
measure the other parts of the body, keeping inner point of the curve of the back.
the correct ratios between the parts so that • Hips start three head lengths down. Take
they are not too long or too short. It’s about the time to study this area so you understand
relative composition of the figure. how the hips fit in relation to the stomach
muscles.
These proportions are not set in stone and once
you learn the basic fundamentals, you can start • The middle of the figure is at the crotch.
to adjust to your personal needs or a specific
character description. When you keep your • The length of the arms ends at the tips of the
body proportions based on these concepts, fingers, which reach about halfway down the
your figure drawings will be believable. length of the upper leg (starting from the
hips, not the crotch).
After you practice drawing using these • The bottom of the knee is one head length
proportions, it will become more natural. You’ll from the end of the fingers.
also feel more confident in this process instead
of needing to think it through in this much • The height of the feet from the bottom are
detail. Remember that you are likely to forget one third of a head length.
some of the steps along the way, but you can
go back and brush up on the process. In certain
areas of figure drawing, I even have to remind
myself.

26 21-DRAW
FIGURE DRAWING 27
 HEAD STUDY: SIDE PROFILE shape of the tip. But in this case, I’m not making
it a feature of the upper slope of the nose. The
Drawing the side profile of a head may seem angle of the nostril line before it curves into the
like the easiest of the views to draw, but it does Alar groove is generally parallel to the angle
have a few challenges — we already have ideas of the mouth. C: the Philtrum can have a slight
of what the profile looks like and these can curve outward or it can be a vertical line. It can
interfere with our understanding the reality of also be shorter or longer in length depending
this view. If you do not learn how all the parts on what you’re after. D: the upper lip is
of the head fit together, you can easily make rounded depending on how full it is. I normally
mistakes in the proportions. This can leave you add the mouth line only after I’ve completed
with a head that is not wide enough, or with the profile, but you can add it at this point if
features too close together, and you’ll wonder you want. E: the bottom lip line starts with the
why your drawing looks off. Before I did proper actual lip and can be more rounded if you wish
studies, I thought the distance between the before it becomes the underside of the bottom
eye and the ear and the ear and the back of the lip. F: as soon as you start drawing the chin, it’s
head was much less than it actually is. a very rounded circular shape before it runs
into the jaw line.
STEP 1: Start out with a basic circle.
STEP 5: I always begin the eye with the upper
STEP 2: Divide the circle horizontally and eyelash line, then the bottom lashes, the iris,
vertically for easy composition and then start and then the upper lid. Learning the curve of
adding the front of the face guide lines to the the eyebrow will take real-life studies because
bottom left quarter. Show the bottom jaw line there are variations. Notice how A: the bottom
moving slightly into the quarter itself. Then add lip aligns with the forehead. B: the chin is lined
another circle half the size of the main circle in up with the start of the eyebrow. C: how the
the center. This is the flatter side of the head corner of the mouth is inline with the front of
and represents the temporalis muscle. the eye. Then the nose is the most extended
and the top lip the second most extended. D:
STEP 3: Add an oval in the bottom right of the eyebrow ends at the temporal circle.
the small temporal circle against the midline
at a slightly diagonal angle for the ear. The STEP 6: There seem to be two general hairlines;
ear is not vertically placed. The top of the the dotted line is a variation or a blend of both
ear is horizontally in line with the start of options. Because the skull is not actually round,
the eyebrow. The bottom of the ear is in line I slightly push out the right and left top of the
horizontally with the bottom of the nose. Add forehead. Then I push in the lower back of the
the cheekbone line starting from the middle of head.
the ear and curve it into the chin just before the
chin starts to curve upward. Then I begin the STEP 7: For the hair, I make sure to keep in
side profile of the nose. I suggest doing a few mind the rounded angles of the head. I also add
real-life studies of different variations. the details on the ear. It’s not difficult to make
the ears look good if you study how they are
STEP 4: With these varying curves, it’s best to formed. Many artists neglect the ear, resulting
become aware of which are further outward or in great faces with terrible ears.
inward in relation to one another (refer to step
5). A: how curved or straight you place this line STEP 8: I take the sketch layer, then change the
is up to you. B: it’s important to be aware of the layer opacity to 10% and create the clean line
ball of the nose, since that can influence the art on a separate layer.

28 21-DRAW
FIGURE DRAWING 29
 HEAD STUDY: FRONT VIEW more rounded from the front compared to the
side, it’s still not totally round and is pushed
I have experienced a lot of trouble over the slightly outward from the corners as shown by
years making the front view of the face look the arrows. You can then add the neck which
good with ease. I have often made the face flares out and starts from just inside the width
too large for the head, eyes too big or too of the jaw.
wide, forehead too small, eyebrows too high
and arched . . . and so on. There are many STEP 5: Start adding the facial features by
proportional fundamentals that can help, so starting with the eyebrows (I encourage
make sure to learn them to set your foundation.
 separate eyebrow studies!). Then add the
nostrils below. Next add the mouth in line with
STEP 1: Since the head from the front is more the curves of the sides of the jaw.
narrow, let’s start with a smaller circle to
represent the top of the head. STEP 6: The V-shape starting at A: is the line
that will help you line up the ends of the
STEP 2: Now divide the head down the center. eyebrows with the corners of the eyes, the sides
The circle is smaller from the front, but the of the nostrils, and the top of the upper lip.
features still need to line up horizontally in B: is the space between the eyes and the ears.
relation to the side angle which is wider, so Be sure to add this space; I used to compress
just drop the horizontal dividing line below this area too much and couldn’t figure out why
the center. A: this horizontal dividing line is the things looked wrong. C: is the inner corner
brow line. From there add another line running of the eye toward the iris that is in line with
across the bottom of the circle. B: this line is the corner of the mouth, and D: the sides of
the bottom of the nose. Then take that bottom the nose that are in line with the start of the
length of the divided circle (A to B) and add that eyebrow. E: intersects the hairline and when
below the circle. C: this becomes the line for you add the hairline, make sure to curve your
the bottom of the chin. line slightly to match the roundness of the
head. F: notice how the bottom of the eye is in
STEP 3: Take the height from the horizontal line with the start of that inner circular fold of
line for the nose and the brow line, and repeat the ear.
this distance above the brow line placing
a horizontal line to make A: the top of the STEP 7: Hair is an entirely separate study in
hairline. The hairline intersects with the line of itself, but in this case I’ve simply tied her hair
the circle. From these two intersecting points, up into a loose bun. I’m just keeping in mind
run a line down that curves slightly inward to the shape of the head and how the hair will be
connect with the horizontal line at the bottom weighted and how it falls to the sides. I keep
of the nose creating B: the jaw line. The slight the hair loose and sketchy looking because I
inner curve between the hairline and the brow already have a certain understanding about
line forms the temporal section. how to clean it all up. If you want to tighten up
the lines of the hair so you understand it better,
STEP 4: Now you can add the ears between the then do so before taking it further.
brow and nose line. From the middle of the ear,
run the cheekbone line by curving it about half STEP 8: I just lighten the sketch layer to 10%
way into the bottom of the side of the jaw. This opacity and then create another layer to draw
line is just to indicate the sides of the bottom in the clean lines. If I need to make any further
of the face. Even though the top of the head is adjustments, I’ll do so at this step too.

30 21-DRAW
FIGURE DRAWING 31
 FLOW 

If you want the poses of your figures to look natural and believable,
I suggest studying the dominant line of action or flow of the poses.
This can be done in various ways. You want
to work simply at this because it is not about
the details or accuracy of anatomy. 

The example at right is basically a more

advanced stick figure that focuses just on
the flow of the lines for the torso and limbs.
Doing a bunch of these based off of photo
reference will help you start to develop a
natural eye for when you get to doing your
own poses.


The example below shows the natural flow

curves of the poses that mostly have an
S-shape curve to them. Becoming aware
of this curve will help your poses from
looking too stiff and upright. Then you start
to realize that every part of the anatomy
is being affected by the way the body
naturally counterbalances itself in a pose.
This will take a lot of
practice. I suggest
filling hundreds of
pages just learning
the way bodies flow.
Then you can start
to figure out the
pattern.

32 21-DRAW
CONTRAPPOSTO

This is the Italian word that means counterpose. This term describes a pose
where most of the weight is on one leg. The body naturally compensates
for the shift in weight and balances itself in a way that the shoulders and
hips tilt in opposition to each other. Because of the way the body tilts, these
poses always have a slight S-shape curve to them (see the blue dotted line
in the drawing here). Using this pose was
known to bring more life to sculptures
and artwork back in ancient times and
prevented the artwork from looking stiff
and rigid like symmetrical poses do. A well-
known example is the statue of David by
Michelangelo.

A: The shoulder line tilts so that the torso is

stretched out more on the one side and
squashes inward on the other side into
the hips. Remember that adjusting this
will affect the positioning of the arms.

B: The tilt of the hips is in opposition to

the shoulders, leaving the left leg bent
slightly. The hips on that side drop,
giving it less space to be upright like the
other leg is. The leg in the most vertical
position always takes the most weight in
any pose.

C: The leg positions are determined by the

tilt of the hips. Note that the knee of the
leg connected to the lower side of the
hips will be lower than the other knee.

D: Depending on the pose, the feet

generally face outward, but there are
poses where the feet face inward. With
observation and practice, you’ll become
familiar with how the feet manage the
weight of the body. Notice that the red
dotted line is centered from the top
of her head and then again at the foot
bearing most of the weight of the pose;
this is to balance the body.

FIGURE DRAWING 33
 HOW TO STUDY THE FIGURE FROM Start with two to three studies where you try
A PHOTOGRAPHIC REFERENCE to copy the model as closely as you can. Don’t
rush this step. Then test yourself by redrawing
I used to draw pages of a wide range of poses. once from memory. You want to bring through
These figure studies looked great, and I felt as much as possible about the body’s flow,
really confident. Sadly, when I tried drawing shape, and form. Don’t worry if your results are
from memory the results were poor. I felt not great for now; that’s to be expected. After
frustrated and disappointed in myself. I couldn’t you have drawn from memory, bring out your
figure out why my studies weren’t showing photo reference and copy it again, but this
the results I wanted. I thought there must be time at a slightly quicker pace. You may notice
something wrong with me. Later I realized that you are more aware of details you missed
the issue: I was drawing plenty of studies of before. Your mind is asking questions that you
different poses, but I wasn’t properly learning are starting to have the answers to.
any of them. Instead I made a brief study of
each pose then moved on to the next. The key is As you progress, try to reduce the number of
repetition! Training for anything requires a lot of strokes you make. Draw your lines loose but
repetition and art is no different. make every stroke count. By quickening the
pace, your details will not be as accurate but
The following is how I draw studies on flow, that’s not the point. You want to develop a
shape, and form using repetition. This involves feel for the flow of the figure. Depending on
how you feel during the process because skill level, you will be able to draw the same
there is a back and forth between drawing the pose from photo reference and memory after
studies, then a review of your progress. In my 10–30 repetitions. Try to increase your pace and
six examples at right, the drawings with dark reduce your strokes even further. Look closely at
bikinis are drawn using the photo reference my first attempt from memory — the line work
below; the unshaded bikinis are drawn from looks a bit hairy because I used a lot of strokes.
memory. I chose this model because she has On my third attempt there are fewer strokes
curvy proportions, which I enjoy drawing. and I build the form more efficiently. Repeat
this process at least 10 times. I’ve repeated this
process 20–30 times, and it can be draining so
be sure to take breaks. At right are four examples
of drawing styles to try during these studies:

A: Include a little body construction line work

to help understand the figure and pose.

B: Draw as fast as you can while maintaining

control of your strokes. This prevents you
from over thinking (which is often an issue)
and instead pushes you to draw what you
feel instead of what you think.

C: Focus on the straight and curved lines of

the body. I refer to the photo and decide
which is a straight or a curved line to
simplify the structure. Notice (with limbs
especially) when there is a curved line,
parallel to it is a straight line. This pattern

34 21-DRAW
 can be found all over the body and requires where you are, and you must accept that and
study to recognize how it works. Disney move forward. Art should be enjoyed no matter
artists are great examples of illustrators the skill level and made for fun and the love of it
who use this in their work. — not for the status or success it can bring you.
When creating artwork is only about becoming
D: Simplify the lines — here I’m focused on the better, you can easily lose yourself in a cycle of
flow of each part of the figure, keeping in never feeling good enough. Then no matter
mind the form. This style is easy to do and how talented and successful you become, you
will help your drawings look more natural. realize you could always be better. 

Comparing yourself to other artists is very

FINAL WORDS common and can cause frustration and
depression. The only person you should
In closing, I want to say something on a personal compare yourself to is yourself, and then only
level: Go easy on yourself! There is no need to to judge how far you’ve come. I recommend
beat yourself up learning this process. You are you accept and embrace who you are today.

FIGURE DRAWING 35
 END OF SAMPLE

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