This will be a beginner’s technical guide on how you can draw realistic human figures with ease. Feel free to follow along with me and draw what I am drawing step-by-step so you can make the most of your read.

As you may already know, there are millions of human figures in this world. Every figure is different and unique in its own way. Human figures also depend on age, race, and gender. A child isn’t the same size as an adult, and as we get older, our human bodies may grow to reflect our age. So for this beginner’s guide to drawing realistic human figures, I’m going to be drawing an average adult and referring mainly to proportions, which will help your work look as realistic as you hope for it to be.

This page contains affiliate links, meaning I earn a commission if you use those links. Please read my Disclosure for more details.

To start, you will need a mechanical pencil, a piece of paper or a sketchbook, a kneaded eraser, and a ruler. And let’s practice:

  • Realistic proportions for human figures
  • Drawing a male figure realistically
  • Drawing a female figure realistically

Proportions to master drawing realistic human figures

In a previous article, Draw from Imagination: The concept of muscle memory, I shared with you how I study my subjects and store simplified pieces of information about them so I can draw them later from my imagination at ease. Note that I obtained the following proportions using the same method and you should too.

Drawing Realistic Male Figures

On average, the masculine head is going to fit 8 to 9 times the height of the body and almost 2 or 3 times the width, depending on the size you choose your male figure to be. (I will go for 9 times the height and 2.5 times the width for a heroic look to my male figure.)

source
Source

So grab your sketchbook, and your ruler, and let’s start drawing.

1-Trace the height and width of where your male human figure will go.

Once you manage to establish the width and height of your figure, we’re going to draw the rest of it using simple basic shapes. Some proportion measurements that might come in handy in this step are:

  • Shoulders shall start at the first third of the second segment
  • The bottom line of the second segment is where the nipples should go
  • The bottom line of the third segment is the naval and the elbows
  • The bottom line of the fourth segment is represented by the crotch area and ends on the third of the 5th section
  • The arms and hands should end at the last third of the fifth segment
  • Since we are drawing a male figure, make sure you make your proportions more muscular. 
  • At the very middle of the sixth section start the knees, and they end at the bottom of it.
  • The feet shall start at the last third of the 7th section.

Now you start defining the overall contour of what a male human figure looks like.

Drawing Realistic Female Figures

Following the same method while keeping in mind that a female head is about 7.5 to 8 times the height of the body and 2.5 times the width depending on the size you choose your figure to be.

Similarly, trace the frame where your female figure will go.

Note that for a female body:

  • Nipples exist in a lower position than a male. So, just under the second section while the bottom line of the breast will be in the first third of the third section
  • The arms shouldn’t be as muscular as we drew them in the male figure.
  • In the middle part, marked by the bottom line of the third section along with the elbow line, note that the feminine waist is one head wide and the naval is situated slightly under the third section.
  • The fourth section here is representing the hips which shall be slightly wider than the male hips. The bottom line of the same section marks the crotch area.
  • Mark the wrists and the bottom line of the crotch at the first third of the fifth section.
  • The feminine upper legs are slightly curving inwards.
  • The sixth section is where the thighs/ upper legs curve inwards again while the bottom line is marked by the bottom of the knees.
  • The last two segments are where the lower legs and feet should

Shape a realistic female figure by adding details and using references.

Conclusion

Share with me your drawn figures and feel free to leave your questions in the comment section down below. Enjoy creating <3