1. Gesture Drawing
The Human Figure in Motion

2. Figure Drawing
Depicting the Body In Motion = GESTURE DRAWING

3. Drawing Accurate Figures
Requires Knowledge of:
•Canon of Proportion
•Musculature
•Skeletal Structure

4. Neck = ½ head from chin
to clavicle
Torso = 3 heads
(3.5 from back)
Thigh to Knee = 2 heads
Calf to Ankle = 2 heads
For capturing movement, you
should be most concerned with
the following:
Hogarth’s Canon

5. Key Anatomy for Gestures:
Trapezius
Sterno-mastoid
Clavicle
Sternum
Pectorals
Upper Abdominals
Lower Abdominals
Deltoid Biceps &Triceps

6. Key Anatomy for Gestures:
Trapezius

7. Skeletal
Structure:
Use Sophisticated Stick
Men as Bone-Structure
Shorthand.
Use Canon to judge
measurements of torso
and limbs.
Use knowledge of
anatomy for muscle
shapes
Use observation for
bringing it all together.

8. 1. Start with the Head
The head is the unit of measurement for the rest
of your figure.

9. Simplified Head Shape

10. 2. Neck = ½ head
Front view is measured from the chin to the collar
bone.
Back view is measured from cervical vertebrae at
the base of the skull to top vertebrae of the back.

11. 3. Curve of the spine defines
the TORSO.
S-Curve.
Front view is measured from clavicle to the
ligament running under the belly.
Back view is measured from top of the back
vertebrae to the bottom of the butt cheeks.

12. An imaginary line between arm sockets represents
angle of shoulders.
An imaginary line between hip bones (where pelvic
bones protrude) represents the angle of the hips.
4. Find the Angle of the
Shoulders and Hips.

13. Upper Arm: Shoulder to elbow = 1 ½ heads.
Lower Arm: Elbow to wrist = 1 to 1 ½ heads.
5. Draw Segmented Arms
Hand = 1 head.

14. Thigh: Hip to knee = 2 heads.
Calf: Knee to ankle = 2 heads.
6. Draw Segmented Legs
Foot = 1 head.

15. 7. Add flesh to the “bones” of
stick figures:
Use canon and muscle
diagrams.
Adjust according to
observation.