Realistic Human Figure Drawing
A course by Diego Catalan AmiliviaPainter and Illustrator
A course by Diego Catalan Amilivia, Painter and Illustrator
Learn step by step how to illustrate the human body proportionally by analyzing its structure
Every good artist's ability to draw the human figure is based on the study of its anatomy and the analysis of its form. When you are able to draw as your eyes see, you can go farther and allow yourself certain creative freedoms. Diego Catalán is passionate about everything human, both the physical and the psychological, and is an expert at capturing the essence of the body in great detail.
In his previous course, Realistic Portrait with Graphite Pencil, he showed how to use different techniques and tools to achieve a unique portrait. However, in this one, you will have the opportunity to analyze the surface and the bone and muscle structure of the body to learn how to successfully draw the human figure from scratch.
What will you learn in this online course?
35 lessons & 18 downloads
Influences
11 minutes, 30 seconds
What will we do in this course?
3 minutes, 10 seconds
The block-in of the drawing 1
20 minutes, 38 seconds
Shadow pattern introduction
16 minutes, 35 seconds
Refinement of the drawing: we finished head 1
16 minutes, 53 seconds
Refinement of the drawing: we finished the head 2
14 minutes, 45 seconds
What's included in this course?
Start by getting to know your teacher, Diego Catalán. Briefly review his extensive professional career and discover some of his fundamental influences in the development of his work as an artistic anatomy teacher, among them some essential books. Then, Diego gives you the first notions of what this figure drawing course consists of.
Once the materials to be used are presented, start by sketching the first lines of the drawing and continue with the development of some basic elements of form, perspective, proportion, balance, and gesturing. Also, analyze how light affects and enhances the volume of the body.
Then, go deeper into the different structures that make up the human body. Study the different anatomical blocks, their morphology, bone and muscle structure, and the way they affect the visible surface of the body.
To finish your creation, make some minor adjustments to your drawing and learn the best ways to preserve it. By the end of the course, you will be able to draw anybody from your easel in a technical and detailed way.
What is this course's project?
Make a drawing in which you progressively analyze each part of the body and compose a realistic figure that will allow you to face new artistic challenges in the future.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Illustrators, designers, and anyone with basic notions of drawing who wishes to achieve more professional results by acquiring a solid knowledge of human anatomy.
Requirements and materials
To take this course you will need basic drawing knowledge, a willingness to learn, and an interest in deepening the knowledge of the human body. If you have done Diego Catalán’s other course focused on realistic portrait drawing, it will be easier for you to follow along.
As for the materials, it is essential that you have pencils of different grades, paper, an eraser, a stick, and a mirror.
Reviews
- kayxx07PLUS30 days ago
Aún lo estoy llevando pero me parece y lo veo hasta ahora excelente, ya es el curso numero 10 creo y lo mejor de todo es que lo puedo volver a ver y terminar las veces que sea necesario. Lo recomiendo siempre y sus precios son muy buenos y las promisiones o regalos, un regalo de curso me dio mi hermano. gracias DOMESTICA
- 2 months ago
¡Excelente!
- 4 months ago
Curso bem didático
- 4 months ago
EXCELENTE EL CURSO!! LA EXPLICACION DEL PROFESOR ES EXCELENTE !! ES IMPOSIBLE NO APRENDER ! HE APRENDIDO DE ANATOMIA MEJOR QUE LA UNIVERSIDAD. HA SUPERADO TODA MI EXPECTATIVA. MUCHAS GRACIAS PROFE DIEGO!!
- 7 months ago
Gran curso, completísimo, un gran profesor, muy metódico y detallista, todo bien explicado, sin duda uno de los mejores cursos para entrar en el estudio del dibujo de la figura humana.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- Influences
- What will we do in this course?
- U2
We start the drawing
- Materials
- The block-in of the drawing 1
- The block-in of the drawing 2
- The block-in of the drawing 3
- Proportion and anatomical blocks
- Action, balance, gesture and 3D shape 1
- Action, balance, gesture and 3D shape 2
- We draw the interior of our silhouette 1
- We draw the interior of our silhouette 2
- We draw the interior of our silhouette 3
- The light
- Shadow pattern introduction
- U3
The anatomical refinement
- The thorax and pelvis: bone and muscle analysis
- The refinement of the drawing: we finished the torso 1
- The refinement of the drawing: we finished the torso 2
- The refinement of the drawing: we finished torso 3
- The skull and neck: bone and muscle analysis 1
- The skull and neck: muscle and bone analysis 2
- Refinement of the drawing: we finished head 1
- Refinement of the drawing: we finished the head 2
- Refinement of the drawing: we finished the head 3
- Arm, forearm and hand: bone and muscle analysis 1
- Arm, forearm and hand: bone and muscle analysis 2
- Refinement of the drawing: we finish arm, forearm and hand 1
- Refinement of the drawing: we finish arm, forearm and hand 2
- Refinement of the drawing: we finish arm, forearm and hand 3
- Thigh, Leg, Foot: Bone and Muscle Analysis 1
- Thigh, Leg, Foot: Bone and Muscle Analysis 2
- We refine the drawing of leg 1
- We refine the drawing of leg 2
- U4
Final adjustments and preservation of the drawing
- Final touches
- Conservation and farewell
- FP
Final project
- Realistic Human Figure Drawing
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
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Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
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FAQs
You will learn to analyze and draw the human figure from life observation, understand bone and muscle anatomy, apply construction, shading, and modeling techniques, and enhance realistic representation using technical resources and anatomical references.
This course is designed for people with basic drawing skills who want to deepen their knowledge of anatomy and the human figure. It’s intermediate level, so prior artistic drawing experience is recommended.
You’ll need pencils of various hardness (H and B), charcoal, blending stumps, kneaded eraser, Bristol or suitable drawing paper, a sharpener blade, pencil extender, artist’s tape, mat board, and fixative to preserve your work.
Studying anatomy helps you understand the structure of bones and muscles, making it easier to accurately depict volumes, movement, and proportions, resulting in more realistic and expressive drawings.
You’ll learn shading techniques using graphite and charcoal, blending with stumps, texturing, creating smooth transitions, emphasizing shadows, and applying reflected light to add volume and depth.
Yes, the course combines life drawing with photo references, teaching methods to analyze proportions, angles, and negative space for faithful human figure representation.
Yes, the course offers a structured process from initial construction to final modeling, with step-by-step exercises to build human figures and apply anatomical knowledge in drawing.