How to Draw People Using the Block-In Method

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You can learn how to draw people—how to draw realistic people—by using the envelope block-in method and gridding to measure and map the human form in your life drawing. Drawing people will be less daunting and your proportions of the human body will be more accurate if you use and practice the techniques in these two step-by-step demonstrations.

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In this free excerpt from The Artist’s Magazine, Robert T. Barrett reviews two drawing lessons: How to Draw a Person: Using a Simple Block-In (exercise one) and Techniques on How to Draw a Person: Using a Grid and Landmarks (exercise two). When you enter your email address, you’ll also receive an entire chapter on how to draw people from Barrett’s instructional book, Life Drawing: How to Portray the Figure with Accuracy and Expression.

“Learning the processes associated with traditional drawing not only helps the artist see the external world more efficiently and translate it more personally but also acts as a catalyst to stimulate the release of imagination into the realms of creativity,” says Barrett. “Structural knowledge and emotional content are not mutually exclusive. Learning to draw well takes effort but it is effort well expended and the process can be both engaging and a lot of fun as well.”

Keep scrolling for Barrett’s two demonstrations on how to draw people, and enter your email address below to download “How to Draw People” for free!

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Exercise I. Drawing People: Using a Simple Block-In Method

By Robert T. Barrett

Using an envelope block-in and gridding to measure and map the human form isn’t a new process. Though some examples of gridding may seem complicated or complex, this measuring process is, nonetheless, a useful tool in learning how to draw people.

I suggest using a simple form of gridding to plot points and angles when completing a traditional life drawing because it will help you establish the correct position and dimension of proportional relationships.

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1.Create an “Envelope” Around the Figure of the Person You’re Drawing

A first step in gridding the subject is placing an “envelope” around the outside edges of the figure (below). It’s helpful to use only straight lines during this process because landmarks will occur at intersections where the angle of each line changes direction.

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2. Plot the Inside Landmarks When Drawing People

After you establish the envelope and create the outside angles and proportions, look for inner landmarks (see below). These are often located at points where two angles intersect or at “hard places” where the skeleton is close to the surface.

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This model, in Seated Male Figure (Nupastel on paper, 30×22), had great anatomical definition, which made mapping his figure easier.

3. How to Finish Drawing a Person

This model for my life drawing class, in Seated Male Figure (Nupastel on paper, 30×22), had great anatomical definition, which made the drawing techniques of mapping his figure easier.

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Exercise II. Techniques on How to Draw a Person: Using a Grid and Landmarks

By Robert T. Barrett

Materials list for life drawing

Kneaded eraser
Nupastel stick
Paper towels
Sanding block
Sketch paper

After setting up an initial gesture drawing, use a grid to help establish relationships and proportions. This process in learning how to draw people includes using landmarks and either lines or angles. As you draw the human form, look for the strongest angles or lines on the outside of the model. Then try to duplicate those general angles as closely as possible with lines. Simultaneously, note the points where lines change direction in your life drawing.

It’s helpful to hold your charcoal or pastel up to the model to assess the exact angle of an outside surface, then transfer it directly to your drawing surface. Assess the length of the line as much as possible. Lines don’t actually exist in space but are a contrivance to help separate spaces and boundaries between objects and values.

	1. Start Drawing People with the Angles and Big Shapes As you begin drawing the human form, place large areas of value lightly on your paper (see below). Look for the big shapes and the overall silhouette of the figure. Pay particular attention to the angles of the shapes.
	2. Define the Angles and Shapes of the Person You’re Drawing After you’ve ghosted in the figure in Step 1, begin to define the specific angles and shapes in your life drawing (see below). At this point, look mainly at the outside contours and assess the relative distances between your points.
	3. Focus on the Inner Landmarks of the People in Your Drawing As you move from the outside angles and shapes to the inner ones in your drawing (below), carefully locate and place these landmarks relative to the outside ones. The form shadows on the inside of the figure are important to consider as you connect your inner landmarks to each other.
	4. Strengthen and Adjust Your Drawing Continue to strengthen and clarify your drawing (see below) as you define each shape and contour line. Look closely at the negative shapes or “windows” between the arms and the torso, for example, and make sure these are correct. As you work from larger units to smaller ones in your life drawing, add more detail.

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