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Step by Step How to Draw a Male Body

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Last month we talked about how to draw different expressions and emotions. In this tutorial I will exist showing you useful guidelines you tin follow to draw common body types for both males and females. Nosotros will be using simple shapes to describe the trunk blazon out over it, such as rectangles, triangles and irregular quadrilaterals. Nosotros will start out with 6 female body types and then follow that upward with six male body types.


Step ane: Body Base: Tiptop and Shoulder Width

Before we begin cartoon out the body types, we will start by creating a base that we'll flesh out with the torso types in the following steps.

Start by drawing a head, a simple oval with slight indents around the jaw area to define it a chip more than. The great thing in illustrator is that y'all tin add anchor points, and so if you add two that are roughly at the top border of the jawline, you'll just demand to push them slightly inward to define the jaw indent.

Now indistinguishable this head eight times and and then place them in a straight line underneath the original head shape you lot drew. Lookit! You lot just figured out the top of your character with that. Generally the size of the human head can fit eight times (head excluded) in the homo torso, sometimes seven is the better number, simply anxiety are excluded in that case. The terminal one (where the anxiety would be) is the more annoying one. Say the character is jumping and has her/his feet point downwards, you lot'd use the entire head to define the length, but, if she/he'due south standing, anxiety flat on the ground, cut the head in half to define the peak.

To requite yous more than a straight line to work with, duplicate the 2nd head at the pinnacle (neck expanse) twice and identify them on either side of the 2nd head. This volition define the shoulder width, only to make information technology a flake easier as to effigy out where they should start, lower the two duplicates down and then that the top edge of them aligns with the middle of that second head (describe a line to cut it in two if needed). This didn't only help define the top and width of the shoulders, merely the head shapes we're using has just created the shoulder curve that connects the artillery for you.

To finish it off, we're going to shape out a triangle to ascertain the ribcage. Using the shoulder width line we just created, draw 2 diagonal lines connecting back with one another past the heart of the fifth caput. We've got a keen reference for the ribcage.


Step two: Body Base: Artillery, Legs and Hands

Using the diagonal lines of the ribcage triangle, yous can figure out an approximate arm length with information technology. So, draw a line over one of either diagonal ribcage lines then tweak them and so they bow outwards and connect the top point with the shoulder curve, repeat that on the other side and once that complete, you now accept the arm lengths (hands aren't included).

Fancy function is, yous use that exact line to define the thighs. Then, duplicate the arm line again and attach your thighs. To judge where they should start, cutting the quaternary head in half and use the center line to attach the peak points of the thigh lines to it. Duplicate those lines and attach them to the bottom points of the thigh lines. Since they bow outwards, they won't be very useful as lower leg references, we'd need straighter lines. But, the bowed lines will help us judge how long the straight line should exist, so describe a directly line from the top point to bottom that is the same length every bit the bowed lines and then delete the bowed ones!

Tips on hands and feet: A hand is roughly the same length as your face and that is nearly applicative on the feet too. A hand is more often than not the same size equally your foot without the toes. So if you describe a straight line through one of the heads that is the aforementioned height and then attach them to the arm lines, yous'll accept a good base for the hands. Since the feet are presented flat on the ground in this base, they were included in the lower leg lines. With that done, nosotros can start shaping out torso types!


Step three: Slim Figure Female

I'll exist ignoring the legs and arms, focusing on the upper trunk only since those sort of speak for themselves. Since this body type essentially has the least flesh, we want to use abrupt edged shapes to help ascertain it as the basic show more than prominently. Nosotros'll use 2 thin horizontally placed rectangles to assist united states draw the hips and ribcage/chest area and and then a wider and longer rectangle set vertically betwixt the ii horizontal ones (meet screenshot). Once you lot've drawn this out, we're going to fit it into our body base. You desire the lower edge of the lesser rectangle to touch the crotch line, and the pinnacle edge of the top rectangle to cut through the centre of the shoulder area. At present you have an judge pinnacle for the breasts and hip width and the rectangle in the middle will serve as reference to shape out the tum.

You can duplicate the trunk base of operations with the rectangles into a layer and so lower the opacity on it so you can describe out a rough of the torso on top of it. This would be a rough that will so help you when you draw on superlative of it once more to create your last version of the body blazon.

In that location are several things that can help when drawing on top of the rectangles and body base of operations. Yous want to make the hips pointy/abrupt edged and the line that connects hip to thigh should curve in before bowing out with the thigh, this will assistance define the sharp edged hips a little better. In the slim torso type the ribcage normally is very present besides, if you want to have it further, you can go as far equally cartoon iii small lines right below the breasts to have the bones showing through the flesh. Much like the hips, the shoulders would exist abrupt edged, aforementioned goes for elbows and knees. Otherwise, it's rare to run into a slim person with voluptuous breasts, and then following that, you want to make sure the outer line of the breasts is within the chest outline.


Step 4: Athletic Figure Female

This trunk type in the female series is i of those rare ones where we re-use the triangular shape created in the base to define the ribcage. When you await at athletic women, you'll detect that their hips are very narrow compared to the shoulder width, this is due to muscles building up and showing more prominently in the shoulders and arms. Basically, that bend you normally will find starts around the waist and hip surface area, starts higher in this case. Information technology starts correct below the ribcage and instead of curving inwards to define the waist, the line is straighter. So while usually information technology'south a good plan to describe rounded/curved/shine lines on a female effigy, with the athletic body blazon we want to use sharper edges (as we did with the slim figure) but as well straight lines.


Step 5: Toned Effigy Female

For this effigy we're going to use irregular quadrilaterals (see screenshot). Start by drawing the top one, making the lesser border line shorter than the top and then indistinguishable it, mirror it vertically and place the duplicate underneath the beginning. Selecting both of these, nosotros'll identify them on top of the skeleton, making sure the top line of the top irregular quadrilateral aligns with the shoulders. At present we want to draw the body on top of this, following the shape these ii shapes give us. Some things to go on in mind while doing this is that in the toned body type, the shoulder width is usually the same as the hips and while the waist is of course less wide, at that place shouldn't be a flagrant indent. Unlike the previous two body types, the outer line of the breasts touches the ribcage/breast outline rather than existence fatigued within. And what as well makes it unlike is that here we don't desire to draw any sharp edges or very straight lines, as normally toned figures have smooth muscles.

Earlier you duplicate your reference and draw the clean version on top of information technology, at that place'south another thing we can do to define this body blazon more than clearly. Permit the waist to be longer than the other trunk types, so select the entire figure and and so stretch it upwards (this should work perfectly since yous shouldn't stretch information technology so much that it'll disproportion the body). Otherwise you tin can too detach the upper body lines from the lower body and and then add together more than length manually in the waist itself by drawing longer lines.


Step half dozen: Pear Figure Female

Pears are pretty easy to draw, but if y'all have issues shaping it out right, don't hesitate to use a stock image to help you out. This figure is a lot of fun considering it's so obviously unlike from the others. Once you've drawn the pear and placed it on top of the skeleton (the top of the pear should marshal with the shoulder/collarbone height) you'll detect that the top of the pear is manner thinner than the original ribcage we drew. That's fine, it'southward why nosotros're using these shapes to help guide us through it. Every bit you sketch out this body type, y'all don't desire to make the chest area every bit thin as the top of the pear nor do you want to make it as wide as the original skeleton ribcage width, instead, aim for the middle signal between the skeleton ribcage and the outline of the tiptop of the pear. But, you want to follow the outline of the lesser role of the pear merely as information technology is. In this torso type the hip width is wider than the shoulders and like the toned figure, the chest outline touches the chest lines.

The other different thing about this body blazon compared to the previous is that we desire to define a tummy past drawing curved lines within the waist lines. One time y'all've got an approximate sketch of the body type, duplicate and clean information technology up! If needed, like the toned body type, y'all can allow more length in the waist.


Step vii: Guitar/Hourglass Figure Female person

And then here we want to use a guitar as a shape to assist u.s.a. out with this body blazon! This is too oft referred to as an hourglass figure. You can besides apply the number eight if y'all have trouble cartoon a guitar, but if I chose non to use the number viii as the reference it's because the guitar has the perfect curve to assistance us describe the waist line. And then, once you lot've drawn the guitar, or the number 8 with some space in between the top and bottom circle (to allow for a waist), onto the skeleton these are the things you'll want to keep in mind as yous shape out the body type. Unlike the pear and toned figure, the guitar has a short waist, but the lines we'll draw to define it, is very curved (inwards), information technology'south okay to exaggerate it. By cartoon a shorter waist, yous'll detect that the breasts and lesser of the trunk type will appear fuller. Unlike the pear, the guitar effigy'due south shoulders and hips are at the exact same width and the chest outline surpasses the chest outline. Since this is a curvy figure, we want to make sure all lines are smooth and rounded, avoiding too much muscle definition, and nosotros want to hint to a stomach too like we did with the pear figure.


Pace eight: Voluptuous Figure Female person

To create this trunk type, we'll use the irregular quadrilaterals we made for the toned body type and the guitar for the guitar body type. The guitar shape will help usa describe the voluptuous shape of the torso blazon, whereas the irregular quadrilaterals will help usa with the waist outline. Once you lot've placed both shapes onto the skeleton (see screenshot), start by shaping the figure out. Like the guitar figure, the shoulders and hips are the same width, the breasts outline surpasses that of the chest outline and the bottom is very rounded and smooth. Then, unlike the guitar figure, the waist is longer and we want to intermission the instant connectedness from waist to bottom by allowing another curve to prove (top edge line of the bottom irregular quadrilateral), which volition aid define the love handles, voluptuous bottom and rounded tummy.

To finish it off, make sure to draw lines to define the tummy, allowing them to exist close to the waist/hip/thigh outlines. And that'due south it for the ladies, let's check out the dudes.


Step 9: Slim Effigy Male

While almost of the musculus and breadbasket definition in the female figures use to the male figures, the triangular shape comes back in every male person body blazon and even though we'll soften up some lines and curves with several figures, we want to make certain the lines are directly/sharp. Information technology'southward why we'll utilise rectangles an squares to assist us shape out these body types along with the triangle.

For the slim figure we will re-apply the triangular shape we made for the skeleton and on top of that nosotros'll apply some rectangles an squares to help us farther. The elevation of the triangle should marshal with the shoulders, and the bottom point should align with the crotch. Now for the square placement. Depict a square that is as wide as the peak line of the triangle (concur downwards shift+alt so it becomes a perfect square and doesn't deform). Duplicate this square and place it correct underneath the summit i and and so proceed in drawing a rectangle that is equally broad equally the squares simply only one-half the size in the squares elevation. Once that done, delete the middle foursquare, select the top square and bottom rectangle and place them onto your skeleton by aligning the pinnacle line of the square with the top line of the triangle.

The square is what volition help you ascertain the width of the chest and the rectangle will assist you with the hip width. The triangle and then comes in where it concerns the ribcage and waist. As we did with the slim female figure, we desire to make sure all edges in this body type are sharp and pointy. To aid differentiate the ribcage from the waist, yous can draw a modest indent that defines the bottom border of the ribcage. The triangle lines will help y'all with the width of the ribcage and the waist, but make sure to bend them back outwards to connect the lines back with the hips that you drew with aid from the rectangle.

Since this is a slim effigy, we can accentuate certain areas, such as the sternum which would be located at the bottom line of the square. You can draw an upside down V to create the sternum. And to accentuate the connexion from lower tummy to crotch, you can employ the triangle lines to help you describe the V shape that area creates. If yous want to accept information technology further, you can depict iii small lines right below the breast (below the lesser line of the foursquare) to show the ribs.


Step 10: Muscular Figure Male

For the muscular torso type we'll utilize the triangle again (every bit nosotros will in each male body type) and create two rectangles. You can use the rectangle fabricated for the slim figure in the previous step. Later on you've duplicated the rectangle, ready to use on the muscular trunk type, take hold of whatever corner and plough it and then that it'due south continuing at a vertical bending rather than a horizontal. Apply the bottom point of the triangle to ascertain where the bottom border line of the rectangle volition go, and center it on top of that. Once that consummate, duplicate the rectangle, turn it back at a horizontal bending and place it in the center of your vertical rectangle (creating a "+" sign).

The height part of the triangle is what will help you draw the chest and ribcage outline, and the horizontal rectangle is what will help you draw the square shaped tummy (the bottom line of that rectangle is where the hips would start). The vertical rectangle is the one that volition show where the abs will go.

Other things you lot want to take intendance of in this body type is to bend the shoulder surface area upwards right earlier they connect back with the arms. The 5 line shown at the bottom tummy to crotch area tin almost be continued to the hips. Information technology'll let the muscled tum to stand up out more. So to finish information technology off, you can depict some straight lines to define the chest, giving information technology a "chiseled" expect.


Step eleven: Athletic Figure Male person

The Athletic figure is exactly the same as the muscular one. So duplicate the muscular effigy and then delete the outline of the abs/6pack. To complete this figure, lessen the curve in the shoulder area to remove some muscle definition there. If you find the ribcage/chest to be also large, thin information technology out some past moving those lines slightly inwards!


Step 12: Toned Figure Male

Here we will start with the skeleton again, then, placing the triangle on it as nosotros did with every male figure nosotros're going to add a shape we actually used on a the toned female person figure in the earlier steps. Indistinguishable the lesser irregular quadrilateral and place it so that the bottom border aligns with the bottom point of the triangle. I find this figure the easiest ane since the triangle is the exact outline for the chest, ribcage and waist and the irregular quadrilateral is the verbal outline you want to follow to create the starting betoken of the hips that then connect to the top of the thighs.

Funnily enough, the V located at the lower tum/crotch expanse is very defined in this body blazon, simply, the abs aren't and you want to lessen definition in the chest are as well to make it appear smoother.


Footstep 13: Smooth Effigy Male

Duplicate the toned make figure. Then duplicate the rectangle we created for the slim figure and identify information technology then that the bottom line of the rectangle aligns with the starting point of the hips. The only thing you'll need to change here is the outline that defines the waist. Instead of it instantly connecting the the hips and moving down to shape out the thighs, we want to create a slight rounded curve bending outwards before rounding dorsum in to connect back with the hips. This will requite a voluptuous aspect to the stomach! Remove the V line created for the toned body effigy and instead of defining the chest with vertical lines, we're going to create horizontal ones that evidence where the bottom border of the chest is. Y'all can curve them slightly, just like we did for the tum, to prove that surface area is more voluptuous.


Step 14: Voluptuous Effigy Male

Here we can use the shine figure every bit a starting bespeak. Duplicate it and and so lets start with the shoulders. And then far, nosotros haven't really touched them, as well curving them upward to prove more than muscle. In this example we're going to remove the indent that defines the connection betwixt neck and shoulder and allow them to connect together in ane smoothen line. Side by side is the chest line, simply select the ones you fabricated for the smooth figure, and lower them just a bit to evidence there is more volume.

Then, to consummate this body type, nosotros want to shape out the tummy. You can draw an oval to assist yous, the top curve should tough the chest lines whereas the bottom bend should marshal approximately to the starting point of the thighs. Then, the outer lines should be slightly wider than hip and shoulder width every bit in the voluptuous male body blazon, the breadbasket is wider than hip and shoulder.


Conclusion

I hope this was helpful and can be useful for when you create your next vector. Now that you lot're able to draw a variety of trunk types, possibly try out more than dynamic shapes to create movement and activity in your drawings. Cheque out the tutorials virtually Line of Action and the Two Can technique to detect out more on this. Happy creating!

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Source: https://design.tutsplus.com/articles/how-to-draw-different-body-types-for-males-and-females--vector-7542