How To: Draw a man

If you can't find the man of your dreams or maybe you're looking for a new buddy, you can always stop looking and just draw him. After completing the basics your can style him and create whatever mood and features you like.

Drawing the male body is a challenge for anyone just starting out, but with a few basics, you can create a figure with masculine charm and character.

You Will Need

* A graphite pencil
* Paper
* Eraser

Step 1: Define proportion

Draw a vertical line, and then a horizontal line crossing its midpoint. The intersection marks the man's center, located just above the space between the legs.

Step 2: Rough in head and torso

Rough-in the head and torso with basic shapes. Draw an oval head, a large triangle for the chest, and a smaller triangle for the hips.

Male shoulders are broader, the hip space is smaller, and the hands and feet are larger than those of females.

Step 3: Add arms, legs, hands and feet

Draw cylinders for arms and legs, placing circles at joints and connecting limb sections with straight lines. Add circles for hands and triangles for feet.

Step 4: Refine contour and erase guidelines

Refine the figure's contour, keeping in mind the male body tends to be muscular and angular. Erase unwanted guidelines.

Step 5: Add features

Add ears, nose, mouth and eyes and sketch in hair, emphasizing desired personal characteristics.

Step 6: Add clothing

Draw clothing over your figure, paying attention to folds at points where the body bends and to the curves of the body.

Clothing styles provide clues to the figure's age, status, and profession.
How To Draw a Man: Add shading
Step 7: Add shading

Add shading to shadowed areas, building form and texture. Even if you aren't the perfect man, or don't even know one, you can at least draw him.
In 2009, at 8 feet 1 inch, 27-year-old Sultan Kosen of Turkey was crowned the world's tallest man.