Learn To Draw People | Figure Drawing Fundamentals

Learn figure drawing fundamentals from a basic gesture sketch to a fully rendered drawing.

Created byAdam Miconi

Last updated 11/2017

English

What you'll learn

Properly sharpen charcoal pencils.
Learn the importance of a gesture sketch.
Build structural lines.
Compare angles for proper proportions.
Enhance line sensitivity.
Learn to map shadows.
Understand values and rendering.

Course content

1 section • 8 lectures • 5h 1m total length

Introduction3:18
Master center lines, proportions, and construction lines to map a figure, then restore life with rhythm, shading, and three-value to five-value systems in a Facebook group community.
Drawing Supplies Overview20:04
Explore essential and optional drawing supplies for figure drawing, including paper types and newsprint, charcoal and pencils, erasers, blending tools, and sharpening gear.
How To Sharpen Charcoal Pencils27:05
Learn to sharpen charcoal pencils with hand tools and sandpaper, creating long tapers for better line control. Compare mechanical and traditional pencils to maintain a steady drawing flow.
Gesture Drawing19:51
Practice quick one-minute gesture drawings to capture mass forms, rhythm, mood, and proportions, then progress to linear gestures and construction lines using charcoal on newsprint.
Structure and Proportions45:39
Practice a quick gesture to establish proportions and structure for the figure. Learn to measure angles, use construction lines and center lines, and refine foreshortened limbs to capture accurate anatomy.
Line Sensitivity and Mapping Shadows43:58
Explore line sensitivity and mapping shadows to control edges, reveal form, and build volume through light-dark value relationships.
Value and Rendering2:11:53
Master value and rendering techniques to build form and volume in figure drawing, using a five value scale, layering, and careful edge control to render convincing light and shadow.
Finishing9:30
Advance figure drawing by refining gesture, proportions, and angles; break the form into cylinders and muscles, build shading with a three-ring, three-value system, and finalize with shadow-driven details.

Requirements

You should have charcoal pencils and a large pad of paper.
Drawing Supplies Overview gives a larger understanding of supplies needed.

Description

Figure Drawing Fundamentals – Learn to draw video

Part of my fine art tutorial series using the parent title Illustrators Academy, this is Figure Drawing Fundamentals, a course where you will learn the basics of drawing the human figure in charcoal.

This course will teach you the fundamentals of drawing the human form with vine charcoal and compressed charcoal pencils. You will learn how to start with a basic 1-minute gesture sketch, build up the proportions and structure, map the shadows, and ultimately render the human figure.

Course contains nude figures.

The Figure Drawing Fundamentals course is one of the most crucial subjects to learn to draw when delving into art. Most artists find they have to draw humans in many illustrations, but also being able to accurately represent the figure and build up this very complex form will allow you to draw any subject with the same principles.

We start with something very basic, then build it into something very complex. Throughout the duration of this course, I will teach you the secrets in figure drawing fundamentals that allows you to break down the figure into simple forms and lines you can understand and build it back up to the complex human figure all done in charcoal.

Drawing the human figure can be simplified into a repeatable process with predictable outcomes. If you’ve ever wanted to learn to draw, or if you already draw well but want to learn to draw the human form, this is the course for you. This course covers everything you need to know to build up the figure from concept to completion.

What you get with Figure Drawing Fundamentals

Nearly 5 Hours of Video Instruction
- Drawing Supplies Overview
- How To Sharpen Charcoal Pencils
- Lesson 1: Introduction
- Lesson 2: Gesture Drawing
- Lesson 3: Structure and Proportions
- Lesson 4: Line Sensitivity and Mapping Shadows
- Lesson 5: Value and Rendering
- Lesson 6: Finishing
See Nearly Every Pencil Mark
Accompanying eBook
Instructor Feedback Upon Request
Learn Gesture Sketches in Vine Charcoal
Constructing The Figure in Compressed Charcoal
Line Sensitivity & Mapping Shadows
Rendering
And more.

Who this course is for:

Anyone who wants to learn to draw the human figure.
Anyone who wants to learn to draw with charcoal.