Drawing Exercises: Using Stick Figures in Figure Drawing | Milan Glozić | Skillshare

Playback Speed


  • 0.5x
  • 1x (Normal)
  • 1.25x
  • 1.5x
  • 2x

Drawing Exercises: Using Stick Figures in Figure Drawing

teacher avatar Milan Glozić, Painter, illustrator, Designer

Watch this class and thousands more

Get unlimited access to every class
Taught by industry leaders & working professionals
Topics include illustration, design, photography, and more

Watch this class and thousands more

Get unlimited access to every class
Taught by industry leaders & working professionals
Topics include illustration, design, photography, and more

Lessons in This Class

8 Lessons (41m)
    • 1. Introduction

      1:42
    • 2. Basic stick figure

      10:13
    • 3. Simplify, get better

      7:56
    • 4. Stick figures in motion

      8:49
    • 5. Body language - part 1

      3:30
    • 6. Body language - part 2

      3:40
    • 7. Class project

      2:40
    • 8. Class overview

      2:23
  • --
  • Beginner level
  • Intermediate level
  • Advanced level
  • All levels

Community Generated

The level is determined by a majority opinion of students who have reviewed this class. The teacher's recommendation is shown until at least 5 student responses are collected.

1,894

Students

5

Projects

About This Class

Whether I make drawings for clients, or for personal projects I always try to make my work efficient and the final result a great looking drawing. How do I do it? With lots and lots of practice.

Usually I start working with basic stick figures, creating thumbnail drawing to see what is working and what is not. In this class, you'll go behind-the-scenes as I share my process of drawing. I’ll provide you with helpful tips for better understanding of shapes, lines and how to use stick figures in your drawing. All for one purpose – to get better at your craft of line making.  

With help from this class you should be able to create a strong foundation for your drawing process and from there make art that your friends and family would love to see on their walls.

Here are some of the steps that you’ll go through in this class:

  • Gather up your drawing materials. Set up your workplace and start working.
  • Make simple exercises to master your lines
  • Learn new things or recapitalise your knowledge about stick figures and how to use them in your drawing
  • Experiment with proportions of different types of human body.
  • See how to use simplify shapes and put stick figures in motion.
  • Use simple lines to create a basic shape of a human body.
  • Enjoy drawing. :)

Start making drawings with confidence of a professional draughtsman.

For the class project students will create drawings based on the video lessons, four exercises in total.

Each exercise is a continuation of the previous one starting with the first one where students are introduced with the basics of stick figure drawing.  

This class is aimed at beginner to intermediate level students with just the basic knowledge of drawing but anyone who likes to brush up on their knowledge of drawing can watch this class. Who knows, even those advanced students might learn something interesting, see another approach to drawing, try something different.

Meet Your Teacher

Teacher Profile Image

Milan Glozić

Painter, illustrator, Designer

Teacher

Milan was born in Pozarevac, Serbia in 1979. From an very early age he got interested in drawing comics, painting nature and inventing games that he could than play with his brother and sister. He graduated on University of Fine and Applied Arts in Belgrade in 2003.

He works predominantly in the medium of traditional painting, but his art includes digital illustrations and book covers. He has had solo and group shows in Belgrade at Progress Gallery, National Gallery in Pozarevac, "In the face labyrinth" exhibition in Amsterdam at Arps and Co Gallery and many more. Also, he is a Top level designer at 99Design platform where he made various book cover and illustrations for publishers and clients across the world.

and here you can read reviews and testimo... See full profile

Class Ratings

Expectations Met?
    Exceeded!
  • 0%
  • Yes
  • 0%
  • Somewhat
  • 0%
  • Not really
  • 0%

Why Join Skillshare?

Take award-winning Skillshare Original Classes

Each class has short lessons, hands-on projects

Your membership supports Skillshare teachers

Learn From Anywhere

Take classes on the go with the Skillshare app. Stream or download to watch on the plane, the subway, or wherever you learn best.

Transcripts

1. Introduction: Hello and welcome to another joy exercise class and your teacher for today. We'll be talking about stick figures, how to use them in every day situation and how to improve on that So you don't have toe. Make those little circles and sticky lines that present hands, legs and torso. But how you can improve on that and make them better looking and bake. Finally, your project or wherever you're working on, feel better. So if you're even explaining to your child some lessons from school and you want to use figure, you can learn how toe get better at making stick figure drawings and improving, making that in tow. Believable showman Figure dry or if you're in a meeting and we want to draw something for colleagues to make a point you can also do that will be beneficial. So this is class basically for beginner level students, but also they have exercises for students who are a little more committed dressed so they can't brush up on their skills and see how you can go another way of doing this. So if you find this interesting and more free to join in the class and see him in the next year, 2. Basic stick figure: thank you for joining the class on. Welcome to its first section here. Will we talk about a material that you will need? Toe? Follow me along this class, walk you through a short demo or for drawing I'll stick figure and how you can improve it. Finally, we'll take a look at some examples and see how I use this triggers in an actual drawing that I later used for some projects. So let's start materials that you will need includes some pencils, course or Marcus whenever you feel that you will need in your work, and that you'll give you the fastest way to make these drinks. And secondly, you'll need a notebook notebook similar. This your seeds a four paper and large enough toe make drawings and make marks, because that is what I highly recommend you. In other words, you'll get most of your classes. You take notes, and by just writing down the most important stuff, you will better memorize it and use it. You're later of journey in this artistic, and there were the Children might I think so. I like a soldier. Here's one of my sketchbooks that I use for drawings and toe improve on my work. And in this first path like you see, that is why it's important to have this kind of books that you can have all in one place. In other words, if you don't, you might end up with the mess off all sorts of papers that defying around you didn't cannot find the exacting that you are looking for. So in this first, but have this anatomy, bone muscle structure and what I like to go on, I have these books. Notebooks is toe put them, and when ever taken something else, I can do it on the other side. So first part is about drawing and just trying. And this part here is when I'm going through other people's classes, going to some observational in taking notes. So it's a combination off drawing and and short notes that I came across when I was looking through other people because no matter how good off bad you think you are, it is always important to keep learning, even if you know something. See how other people do it and try toe implement in your work and ministry people making stick figures. Normally what I see they create something like this that will be head. I hope seeing that threat may be just Maybe I'll use this marker so you can see better. So what people do make this kind of figure with? I've have this for the flex and arms. Now that is Oh, cool, nice and dandy. But if we want to get better at this and use this actress stick figures for a natural drawing of stuff like that, the trusting maybe concluded this is still divided. I have, Yes, you can see that you had it. Murder four parts and then even it. So now we have 12345678 Roughly same same parts of this longer line. That will be the height of the figure. Human figure is 7.5 or eight had stole. So that is why this eight part. So you could have at least the notion how how big the head would be. So after that, we make that would be something like this or so around fourth will. And also then what you need. And not just for the shoulders to go from one spot, but what you can do is to make this kind of, ah, cross line and mark these two small dots here. The's thoughts on the circles represent places where you start your hands. Now that we have rib cage places where with shoulders. Now we can use hands for this example. I'm going toe put this figure in steady motion. So just start and later in the later sections of this class will talk about how to put it in emotion. But for now, we'll talk about just the main stuff that we're going to need. This circle or lips here is for a place where we're going to start drawing Lex. This will be for our kneecaps and remaining. He's for our feet. And of course, these will be for hence now, This may look crude for in the beginning, but that's where we probably start what I maybe should have done. Maybe I should did it closer. I have something that we have a mess right now so I can repeat the process. So I have had Danica shoulders on the death. Have a rib cage after cage. We have a place where we can have legs. Hands are like here. This is a place for our elbow and the other one. So our hands are like this long They go about here, the head, that way, the bone. And finally, yeah. So this is basically are improved state trigger. Okay, when you can open your notebooks and make this first drawing eventually make some notes now that we've gone from that. But take a look at some examples that I did for my previous projects. And as you can see, I have three characters for coming. Look, they're like some kind of workers there in the different postures and there some of their are exaggerated. Some of the features aren't exactly, but I would like to start usedto think about figure and make these thumbnail drawings and see what kind of movement, though I want. So it's always good to have. You can even maybe shaded see how the figure entire figure Brooks and and she maybe doesn't work so that it's also important. Then, after you're done with that, you can go into caricatures or into any kind of drawing the tour preparing. This is the second example, and you can see clearly just the development joint that my figures have these circles on there shoulders, kneecaps on their feet and that helps me toe, Then push toe some other design. Whatever I wanted. Toe illustrate. That is way like to start, make simple drawings and paper, see what works goes in tow line work, then translate that into a drawing with more detail, more finished, look, and then finalize it in for sure on. Finally, they have 1/3 example. What I've started is here. It's drawing for an art NYT. You can see here the finished illustration in for ship, and this is how it started. So after finished that drawing in stick figure it kind of weight. I even added some the elements, like belly stuff, even trying, even trying some other poses. I decided to go with this one and maybe even at this third figure, but I wasn't sure. So I was going all over the place was just brainstorming with years and see what fits and what doesn't fit. So when we have that stick figure drawing with all these circles that I mentioned earlier, then you can think about emotions about how toe go for the best, and when you're happy and satisfied you can more go in tow, More detailed drawings you can flush out destroying on paper. Or you can push that work in four shop or any other medium that you refer. What the color is oil wash and stuff like that. So it all starts here when you have figure with these proportions. You have all these circles that represent Maine joints and a hat also rib cage, and that is the perfect place to start. 3. Simplify, get better: Now that we've seen the basic drawing or basic creation, off stick figure and how to make better, let's take a look at another drawing and see how you can use that stick figure in actual work. So right here we have a drawing I made using stick figures and I'll show you in reverse process. How you all at least one way how you can go about it. So very It's very important toe. Keep shapes that you were working on a simple and try to get an overall drawing and not go in tow any details until the very end. So, like, you see here, I made some already some straight lines that will help me guide going me in this way. And actually this is drawing that I made watching Channel that is called New Master's Academy. And they have wonderful bunch off drawing video states with poses and models that can help you, and I'll provide you that, uh, link into another participle for class we'll have here so kind of round shape that will be the base over head. You can mark make marks that will help you to get all the other parts where you can see where the eyes are Ware's nose and stuff like that. But now don't go like I said too much into details. So you have, Like I said, stick figure didn't cross cross line that will mark well. The elbows or shoulders will be make so coolers patterns that was still like that. Contrite that to imagine the spine or where that be, then have pelvis Cage Commission daughter. In a previous lesson, I drew this kind of shape for a rib cage. But if you're more accurate, you can do it like this actual shape. But that will be sometimes maybe going toe, much details. Can you wait? You can see death as well. Make lines from this is 40. Well, both and they have. And here from this place, you can start drawing our legs. Kneecaps, those. Let's imagine this leg probably going here. That a straight line. Okay, the feet and this see it's going get messy that his wife, sometimes like I said, we need to simplify, gets and better a better idea. So I'll just raise these so you can have a better look shapes way have send the shapes like these hands circular pressed and some cylinders here that are the legs and very loose. It's just for the beginning and get that feel or where certain stuff and and always tried to look thes finds and the where day meets and how they react to each other. Finally, we were talking about stick figures in relation to Start so something like Is your head straight line or neck? Four shoulders rip cage. Another smaller for the palace. Other hands. Lex. This and there have it. So if you are starting to make drive like this, you should take a look at your reference and see how you can simplify it. You had to see which shapes where and how they're situated on that figure. How could you see smaller Shinko sips chimp simple shapes. You don't have to always look at hands or fingers or the eyes just bigger shapes that are within that larger shape and start making drawing like this just to put you in the right place. So take a look at your reference and see how you can simplify it into smaller shapes and then progress more. One. On this stage, you can have that shapes and then refine it for your assignment. Take a look at some resources for this class. Have a pdf that will guide you or take a look or some resources that you can find on the Internet. Make your friends bullets for yourself of that and create a drawing in these three steps. Composer in the Project Gallery You don't start with this Finished. I just did it for you to see. Example. Yes, with this one. Treat brother shapes and then take it toe refinement. 4. Stick figures in motion: now that we've seen how it can go about creating a stick figure drawing and then using shapes toe go further and finalize drying off a figure in single like motionless position. Let's talk about action on how we can put the stick figures into motion and create figures that are actually moving or any sort of devotees. So it's important. Always like, say, don't take a look at references. Take look at life and learn from that. So maybe it's a good idea to have a sketchbook, always with you can put it, park it jacket and catch. People see how they behave, how their act to it. Bus may be waiting for a friend, but it's in a great exercise, and it will help you get that. On the other hand, you can take a look at some videos from YouTube, maybe look at some books and I can always recommend a bridge and his books, boat figures, motions so you can see all of these things come together and make certain better off motion . That's one book that I would always recommend. I fates a good place to start. Other examples may include some famous illustrators like Tracy linebacker Norman Drug quote . So take a look at those examples and see how they used to create trying on human figure emotions. Very fun, serious, depending what they tried to achieve and reason while placing three store any other. Because truth time became standard for the industry and their work is very recognizable, and it's very good. And if you want to learn and it's better to learn from the best and see how they achieved protected, I felt like finally here for the drive. I prepared a couple of drawings and I used stick figures cool. Create these poses, and I think it's the Egypt will just show you how I put it. So in a circle court ahead another line for neck these circles for the Struthers. And when it comes to putting figure in motion, you should think about for shortening. Think about what comes first. What should be bigger, what the smaller rib cage finally like any other. So maybe this is big, but okay for this kind drawing, it might be interesting also to take a look at some comics comic books and see how they put figures in action because comics like in this case have a lot off good action poses that you can use toe exercise and get better, actually, in drying, recognizing shape. And it's good to use maybe this kind of references, because then you can. You have a simple drawing, usually in comics, and that's what all you have to think about. So they have head space that before. All right, rib cage. Another drawing on. Like I said, like we talked earlier. That's just about perspective, See, and for shorten. This is what shorter? Because that hand is going towards us and legs are smaller as they're going into the distance and feel so okay like you see here, these should be at least parallel palace shoulders and the kneecaps. So it's kept that might think about also this feet. If we take vertical line very to dent back to this. So if it stands here, then that's good. I should be here. How big stuff that is closer to us. Bigger stuff that further away, Smaller way have standing position some more tranquil, for he posed more relaxed hat again for shortening. We don't see everything here and the best way and best thing about stick figures is speed, so you don't based time. Going to details that sells is a good exercise is do not go in tow details. I cannot stress enough. I think that's important, because that way you don't lose yourself into those little things. And that's I think, the most important thing when you started that don't go into details. Maybe we beat a couple of times. I'm sorry doing it, but I think that's very important. Broad, big shapes. And then you go. Your bulls finished up, and here's the last example for this part. Have figured in motion. So again, head, neck, shoulders. Okay, here, right cage more field. You can do it as well any way you like. But don't they said, Don't overdo it. And don't waste too much time. Make a couple of drunks we're connected and see how it works and doesn't work. Actually threaded. So this is It's basically a little boat you're emotionally in this short time, uh, hope assume in the next video. And for this part, of course, make this kind of a drawing in motion from reference life from your friends family that may pose for you and posts, which in the project gallery, and that's take a look. It work in the next year 5. Body language - part 1: how and welcome toe the part of this class, and I'll talk about what the language and exercising poses. So I've prepared a couple off examples and see how they are important for your stick figures, although you don't have to go in tow drawing all the details face. What gesture is there and you see all the different examples of how people behave or act when there in different types of emotions and what poses they used terrorism or not voluntarily celebrating victory? Anything like that told Benson personality. But you can always incorporate that dry, maybe clear presentation off fear or disgust something that you don't like and see how you can use that new drawings toe. Convey your message. Happiness that's like that. See how you can use that in a dry importing is like always say, observe, observe, observe. When you see something, then you can start drawing. Go from simple until more detailed piers on the scene for one of toys that are very much like and you see the expression of the figures. How day behave what what poses that they take. It's always when you're looking more not. Don't just look it, but try. If you see something interesting, maybe take a sketchbook. Pause the movie if you're watching it at home and tried to drop and last two examples from the animated movie so it can see also reaction. Some faces can use it and postures and poses that these characters make 100% certain emotion. Like Cassie and each of these, motion has a typical, maybe too difficult pose that represent emotion, That's it. And finally, what you can also use highly commended in Sister. See how old Masters are painters in the past. Used poses, toe show motion and create there. Artworks. This is just one example where simple one. But there's a world of inspiration that you can find in these paintings. So go to museums. That's always what I like to do. The sketchbook would you and go there and make little drawing sketches that you can later use and learned along the way. And no, if they seen that lets I take a look at drawing. I have too simple and simple drawings that represent all the staff there talked about an example that you so 6. Body language - part 2: what we have said moment. That is what we have. Toe dress, character, that downward motion. It goes, don't no doubt everything he's faced going down. And if we have not lifting feeling, drawing happiness, well, that's good sunshine. Then you have upward position. Lines are straight, good angles, going upwards, going straight forward. And that is also it presented in devotion. And we hear, Hear you here. A couple of shapes can also be good for those because ships, besides stick figures, can really expert set in motion. So we have angles, angular shape. They can represent action. Circular shapes. Present something for something that is familiar, something that is not frightening, something that is joyful, joyful or simple and right thing with shapes can present security stuff that just don't feel secure. And I didn't write this happy shape. So that said and done, we have here also drawings trying figure that this fe sleeping or looking on the other side off this kind of wall. You can see she has that uncertain stance, actually doesn't know what this behind here, so she is like taking very little slow steps to see what's end behind it and what is your going to be assignment for this part of the class is to imagine and make drawing that's going to be on this site So you can, based on what we talked and what I showed you in previous videos. Make a drawing that will B figure in one certain emotionally draw figure that represents something ended is going to be on this side of, well, waiting for this character here. I'll try this drawing on on the pdf that is going toe company this glass so you can take it from there, and it will be our last exercise for this class. In the next video, we'll talk about deep the entire project and give you a reminder what all you can do to get by throw and how toe finish your Simon's so sale in a second. 7. Class project: welcome to this action of the class. So I will talk about a class project like you seen Brett previous videos. We had a couple off exercises, which I recommend you to do. Go Jeroen after you're finished and you can post him try to calorie and I'll try to be as I can work just for those things. First, drawing posted quicker of its parts standing position, then using references or by posing friends, make a stick figure drawing. Push further into something basic shapes and make finished drying. Based on that, after death, make another sets. Drawings notebook. You have it in place off figure, most like said purpose of this class for beginners. Committed students toe Feel more, Let's say pre and I don't feel so stressed and making this drink. You can use it projects Children like that, stick figures and then drawing based on that and finally destroy Make your own stick figure drawing and then develop it to have figure that this certain emotional state on the other side of this wall trying expecting this finger here. So I hope you like this glass. US. Hope also list once more against think the last part of a class in the next video and go over the entire class. And if you like to see more but my classes, you can take a look at my profile and see other classes about drawing or take another place , watch girl or the painting and hills training so say in the next year. 8. Class overview: I would like to congratulate you for finishing this course, and we'll go over some of the most important facts in this view. First, get up your material, use a notebook, maybe even a smaller one, always with you. And in this bigger one make or your drawing, we're going your stick figures. Remember, human proportional human body is like 7/2 8 hats. Type figure, and it varies, and it's a little bit different for Children. But for a phone main human adult body that this sound half, tow it. It's after that. Think about think about joints. Think about muscles that go around those stick figures and exercise. But you're work in what's 1/2 an hour day two. So you can think about that drawing and do it whenever you have free time to spare time. So it's always a good exercise, and it will get better. So so you're drawing and proof. So start your drawing with simple stick figure standing, and then go from there when you're feeling secure and feels certain that you can do, then put your stick figures in motion always, especially in the beginning. Look references and see how people stand on how they express their said moments. Carry your notebooks with you. Maybe you can use the bigger one home, but also carry smaller one. We just make these drinks, and after that you can look at people's expressions, emotions and tried to capture Those is off. I hope this class was beneficial for you under to enjoy it and Ceiling Project gallery, or in the other classes that I mentioned earlier that you can watch on my profile. Finally, if you like this glass, think a minute of your time on the review or like it will be very much appreciated. So have a great time and see some.