How to Draw the Human Body: 19 Free Tutorials for Beginners

Practice drawing accurate proportions and features for the torso, head, and limbs for people and characters using traditional and digital techniques

You could say that we're all experts at identifying the human form: from the moment a baby’s eyes learn to focus on shapes, the first things they can distinguish are the faces and silhouettes. Yet, when it comes to drawing the human anatomy, it takes a lot of technique and practice to create realistic proportions and poses.

Whether you want to learn how to accurately draw people or create relatable human characters, these free illustration tutorials will help you improve your skills in drawing faces, eyes, arms, and bodies.

Online tutorials to draw the human body and poses

1. How to draw a female figure in Photoshop

While many features of human anatomy are the same for both male and female figures, there are differences: for example, female bodies generally have broader hips and narrower shoulders, while for the typical male body it is the opposite.

In this Photoshop tutorial, illustrator and visual artist Georgi Georgiev (@goshun) teaches you how to sketch out and refine a digital illustration of a female character, step by step—from defining accurate body proportions to experimenting with poses.

2. Learn the basic concepts of drawing the female anatomy in Procreate

If Procreate is your tool of choice, Brazilian illustrator Natália Dias (@nataliadsw) will show you how to draw a female body from basic shapes in this tutorial.

She'll teach you how to simplify the silhouette into circles and curved lines, check the proportions, and modify incorrect lines with the liquify tool.

3. Tips to draw different body types: slim, curvy, or muscular

For both female and male figures, whether you want to draw slim, plus-sized, or muscular builds, it all starts with understanding how to break your design down into simple shapes, and then define your proportions.

In this Procreate tutorial, character designer Magdalina Dianova (@magdalina_dianova) teaches you how to illustrate different human body types for character design, while also sharing general anatomy drawing tips.

4. Easy tricks to draw realistic limbs using pencil

American artist Shane Wolf (@shane_wolf) has been studying anatomical structure and depicting the human figure in movement for over a decade. As he explains in his tutorial, understanding how to capture the curvature and movement of the human body is key to creating limbs that look natural, rather than creating “the stiff and blocky ones that are so common in figure drawing.”

Using the arm as an example, he teaches you techniques to draw realistic arms, sharing advice to render the muscles, bones, and joints of the limb by drawing curved lines and applying shading.

The same drawing techniques can also be applied to other body parts—including the legs, the neck, and the torso.

5. Quick tips to draw dynamic, natural poses

One of the challenges novice illustrators face is that it's so easy to get lost in the details of a figure. But sometimes, it’s important to take a step back and take a look at the overall structure. For example, it’s great to have a fantastically detailed leg, but if the positioning or pose doesn’t look natural, the overall composition won’t work.

In this tutorial to draw dynamic figure poses, illustrator and comic artist José Luis Ágreda (@agreda) shares five quick tips to take your drawings to the next level.

6. Gesture drawing exercises for poses that communicate personality

Poses are also a very important part of establishing body language and capturing emotions. We can learn a lot about a character from their pose: for example, are they standing tall or are they slouched? And what does this tell you about them?

In this tutorial, New York-based illustrator and educator Marcos Chin (@marcoschinart) teaches you how to draw expressive poses for body language. Marcus uses Procreate as his tool of choice, but you can apply the advice across all drawing styles.

7. How to draw human figures to scale

Learning to draw the human body in relation to its surroundings is almost as important as depicting it by itself—especially if you're interested in areas like architectural illustration, urban sketching, or conceptual art. In these disciplines, you'll need to know how to accurately depict characters interacting with settings and buildings.

In this tutorial, Brazilian architect and engineer Marcelo Marttins (@marcelomarttins) will teach you how to draw human figures to scale, and include them in a natural or landscaped environment without affecting the proportions.

Online portrait drawing tutorials to illustrate heads and facial features

8. Overcome the fear of the blank page: 3 simple tips to start your portrait drawing

When you first start drawing a portrait, the blank page can be intimidating—trying to work out how to accurately capture features and expressions from scratch can feel like a huge task. As with everything in life, it’s all about practice.

Illustrator and sketchbook artist Gabriela Niko (@gabrielaniko) loves the challenge of drawing the human face, creating sketches that are full of life, personality, and character. And to help you get started, she shares three easy tips to start a portrait drawing in this tutorial. These techniques will make it easier for you to get over that first hurdle of beginning your drawing.

9. How to draw accurate facial proportions

The human face contains an incredible amount of information. Just by looking at a few features, we can estimate the age, character, and background of an individual. This means that creating an anatomically accurate portrait drawing requires specific techniques, starting with a solid foundation.

In this tutorial to draw basic facial proportions, Spanish illustrator Carlos Rodríguez Casado (@carlosrodriguezcasado) teaches you how to sketch the basic elements needed for the face from the front and the side. You’ll learn how to use shapes and lines to build the structure for a realistic face.

10. Tips to draw facial proportions for anime characters

In the world of illustration, there are many different styles that need an understanding of the human form, one of which is anime. They may look simple on the surface, but every anime character has a unique, expressive look that you can create by following a few basic guidelines.

In this tutorial, artist Geoff Pascual (@geoff_pascual) teaches you a simple set of rules for how to draw facial proportions for anime characters.

11. How to draw a realistic eye in Procreate

They say “eyes are the window to the soul”, which means in portrait drawing, eyes can make all the difference. Strong, striking eyes can bring your portrait to life, but if they’re not right, it can lead to a portrait that feels lacking. That’s why, for freelance illustrator Paul Ryding (@paulryding), portrait drawing begins and ends with the eye.

In this tutorial, he will show you how to draw an eye in Procreate, sharing recommendations of his favorite pencils to enhance details.

12. Paint a detailed eye using watercolor

If watercolor is your medium of choice, check out this watercolor tutorial for painting eyes, step-by-step. Chilean artist and muralist Sol Barrios (@solbarrios) teaches you the order in which to paint the iris, pupil, and eyebrows to really capture your model's personality.

13. Draw realistic details like wrinkles, freckles, and blemishes

Wrinkles, scars, and marks on a face are like the letters printed on a page: they tell us the story of those who wear them.

In this quick drawing tutorial to create realistic facial details, Colombian artist José Rosero (@rosero) teaches you how to define these details (like wrinkles and freckles) to create more complex and visually interesting illustrations. All you’ll need is a pencil and paper!

14. How to draw facial expressions for character design

The face is one of the most expressive parts of the body, which is why understanding how to illustrate believable facial expressions can be the difference between creating a good character and a great one.

Laura Ewing (@le_lauraewing) is a storyboard artist and character designer whose job is to capture the essence of a story quickly and efficiently for films, documentaries, and publishing houses. In this tutorial, she shares a few basic tips for drawing facial expressions that your viewer will instantly be able to understand.

15. Draw an artistic face using the theatrical qualities of chiaroscuro

Chiaroscuro is a Baroque style that uses strong contrasts of light and shadow to produce dramatic effects—it was masterfully employed by the likes of Goya, Rembrandt, and Caravaggio.

To learn how to draw a face using the chiaroscuro technique, follow the tips of artist and illustrator Marco Mazzoni (@marcomazzoniart). He will first teach you to create the face's shape and then how to add imaginative details and build create contrasts using only pencil and paper.

16. How to Draw Dynamic Figures: Pen Drawing Tutorial by Dr. Draw

Dr. Draw, makes drawing dynamic and fun, teaching you to animate sketches with just a pen and paper. Learn to add movement and character through simple, engaging steps. Perfect for artists at any level, this tutorial is all about turning static sketches into lively masterpieces. Let's animate your artwork together!

17. Drawing Tutorial: How to paint a realistic eye by Alina Cuiedan

Discover the secrets to painting a realistic eye with our step-by-step drawing tutorial. Learn techniques for capturing lifelike details and adding depth and emotion to your artwork. Perfect for artists eager to enhance their portrait skills!

18. Drawing Tutorial: How to draw realistic lips by Alina Cuiedan

Unlock the secrets to drawing realistic lips with our step-by-step tutorial! Discover techniques to capture the texture, shape, and shine, making your portraits come to life. Perfect for artists aiming to enhance their skills in realistic drawing.

19. Drawing Tutorial: Portrait drawing: Basic proportions by Alina Cuiedan

Master the essentials of portrait drawing in our latest tutorial, focusing on basic proportions. Discover the secrets to capturing the human face with accuracy and expression. Perfect for beginners and those looking to refine their skills!

Article updated by @amyvsnelling_1.

More resources to improve your figure drawing skills

For top creativity tips and to discover new techniques, check out all of Domestika's online figure drawing courses, and read on for more...

- Discover 10 realistic portrait drawing courses online to create expressive portraits that capture your subject’s personality.

- Browse five anatomy books for artists, to help improve your figure drawing.

- In Tom Fox's online course, learn how to draw people from imagination, translating the human figure from your mind into lively scenes on a page.