How Do I Learn To Draw The Human Figure?

Even with the advent of many interpretative, experimental and installation forms of art, figure drawing still has a very strong following. The New York Studio School, the Art Students League and the Royal Academy are just three examples of art schools where figure drawing has a very prominent place in the curriculum. Apart from enrolling in a school like these, you could simply take a starter course in life drawing. There are many that cater for beginners. Be sure to read the course description beforehand to be sure that it suits your level.

A good instructor will guide you through the process of drawing the figure. You may try some quick, gestural drawings that last a minute or two as well as longer drawings that last for half an hour or more. As you get practice in figurative drawing, you will gain confidence. The key lesson in drawing from the figure is that objects in space, whether they are the human body or a lamppole, obey the same visual laws.