How to Draw a Female Body

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If you want to take your drawing to the next level, make the body outlines for your female figures proportionally correct. Instead of freehand drawing the body, create a simple grid of lines and make horizontal lines that are spaced accurately between the shoulder, chest, waist, hips, and knees. Then, make small circles at the joints and draw a line to form the outline of the body. Once you've sketched a female body, you can add facial features, draw clothing, or color in the figure.

Part 1
Part 1 of 3:

Starting with the Head

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  1. Lightly press your pencil on the paper so you can go back later and adjust the shape of the head. For now, the circle will be a basic guide so you can get the proportions of the female on paper. [1]

    Tip: If you have trouble drawing a circle , use a compass or trace a small round object.

  2. Lay a ruler in the middle of the circle and lightly draw a straight line through the head. Keep drawing the line until it's about as long as you think the drawing will be. [2]
    • You can further extend this line or erase the end of it once you add the horizontal guidelines.
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  3. Sketch a straight line through the middle of the circle so you'll know where to place facial features. Then, make a small point below the circle on the vertical line. Draw a line from the sides of the circle down to this point to create a curved chin. [3]
    • Make the distance between the bottom circle and the chin about 1/3 to 1/4 of the length of the circle.
  4. To make a basic grid for your female body proportions, turn your ruler so it's perpendicular to the vertical line you drew. Place it at the chin and lightly draw a straight line. Measure the distance from the top of the head to the chin. Then, leave this much space below the chin and draw another horizontal line. [4]
    • Do this until you have 7 horizontal lines.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 3:

Sketching the Body Outline

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  1. Since female body figures are about 7 1/2 heads high, make another horizontal line a 1/2 head distance below the lowest line on your paper. This line indicates where the female's feet are.
    • Now you can go back and mark where key parts of the body fall in relation to one another. For example, you'll make a waistline, hipline, and line for the knees.
  2. The line for the shoulders should be about 1/3 of a head below the chin, and the chest line will be where the second original gridline you drew was. Draw this line in darker to show where the midpoint of the breasts are on the chest. [5]
    • It might help to label each of the lines you're drawing for reference. For example, write "shoulder line."
  3. Slide the ruler halfway between the second and third guidelines from the top. Draw a horizontal line to show the waistline. Then, move the ruler down so it's halfway between the third and fourth guidelines from the top. Sketch a horizontal line to show where the hips go. [6]

    Did You Know? The widest point of a female's body is the pelvis, unlike a male's widest point, which is the shoulders. A woman also has a narrower rib cage.

  4. Place the ruler between the fifth and sixth guidelines from the top and draw a horizontal line. This is where you'll eventually draw the knees. [7]
    • If you'd like to label the very bottom line, you could mark "feet" on the line that's halfway below the seventh guideline from the top.
  5. Sketch the top line of the rectangle so it's 1/4 of a head below the first guideline. Make another horizontal line over the second horizontal guideline for the bottom of the rectangle. Then, draw a line that curves away from the body and up to the end of the top rectangle line. Repeat this on the other end of the rectangle. [8]
    • Draw your rectangle so it extends 1/2 of a head's width at both ends.
  6. Sketch the oval halfway below the second guideline and halfway below the third guideline. You can make the oval extend as far as you like near the ends, depending on how wide you want the female's hips to be. [9]

    Tip: For narrow hips, draw the shape more like a circle than an oval so the ends don't extend out very far.

  7. Lightly make a smaller oval in between the chest and lower torso shapes. Draw the oval so the center touches the chest line and the top of the lower oval. [10]
    • The top of the lower oval is the waistline.
  8. Press firmly near the end of the shoulder line and sketch down along the chest's curve towards the waist. Keep drawing the line to connect with the edge of the bottom torso rectangle and repeat this for the opposite side of the body. Then, go back to the shoulder line and draw a small line that curves up to meet the head. [11]
    • Remember to draw the opposite line for the neck as well.
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Part 3
Part 3 of 3:

Adding Limbs and Final Touches

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  1. Draw a faint circle at each top corner of the chest shape. Make them extend from the shape so the line of the rectangle passes through the circle. Then, draw a faint circle on each side of the body so they're level with the waistline. Make these circles about 1/2 the size of the shoulder circles. [12]

    Tip: Drawing circles for the shoulders and elbows will help you create a bulging shape for the joints.

  2. Press firmly to draw a rounded curve from the top of the shoulder circle and make it go down to the side of the elbow circle. Continue drawing the line so it bulges slightly for the forearm muscles before sketching the hand. Draw the hand so it's halfway below the fourth guideline from the top. [13]
    • You can draw a detailed hand with fingers or simply make the outline of a fist.
    • Remember to repeat this on the opposite side of the female's body.
  3. Sketch a circle for each knee halfway below the fifth guideline from the top. Make the circles the same size as the elbow circles. Then, draw a smooth line that connects from the bottom of the torso to the side of the circle. Keep curving your line back up to make the inner thigh and stop drawing the line just above the fourth guideline. [14]
    • Repeat this for the other side so the stopping points form the crotch just above the fourth guideline.
  4. Sketch from the knee down towards the ankles. Make the outer line of the lower leg curve away from the body before you make it taper down near the seventh guideline from the top. Then, draw a rounded triangle that extends halfway below that guideline to make space for the foot. [15]
    • Leave the feet as rounded basic shapes if you plan on drawing shoes or sandals over them. If not, sketch individual toes to include more detail.
  5. Use a small eraser to carefully remove the horizontal and vertical guidelines you drew. Erase any lines from drawing the joints or torso shapes before you sketch clothing or features on your female figure. [16]
    • Use the eraser on the end of a mechanical pencil if you want the most control when erasing in small spaces.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How to get better at drawing people?
    Renée Plevy
    Artist
    Renée Plevy is an Internationally Acclaimed Portrait Artist from New York/Palm Beach who has painted The Grand Dames of Palm Beach and various celebrities and community leaders. With over 50 years of experience, Renée specializes in painting realistically in oil and capturing the soul of the person. She has studied under internationally renowned portrait artists John Howard Sanden, David Leffel, Robert Beverly Hale, Clyde Smith, and Leonid Gervits. Renée is featured in over 68 shows and galleries including a one-woman museum show at the Paterson Museum. She has garnered numerous awards including “Artist of the Year” from The Bloomfield Art League and First Prize from the Boca Raton Museum Artist’s Guild. Renée has even painted a portrait of celebrity, Vanilla Ice. She also teaches at the Boca Raton Museum Art School - formerly at SVA in Manhattan.
    Renée Plevy
    Artist
    Expert Answer
    You need to do a lot of reading and sketching, but primarily, you need to find a good teacher who will help you to see what you're missing. We have a tendency not to actually see what's in front of us, but you have to develop an artist's eye. So you need to find a teacher who can teach you to see more when you're looking at a person.
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    Not Helpful 9 Helpful 27
  • Question
    I always draw without using sketch lines. Is that okay?
    Community Answer
    It's whatever is easier for you. Most people find it easy with guidelines (sketch lines), but it is completely up to you.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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  • Question
    Is she supposed to be naked in the drawing?
    Community Answer
    This is just the body shape. To complete the drawing, there would be clothes, hair, a face, etc.
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      Tips

      • You might find it easier to draw a female body using a reference photo or a small drawing mannequin.
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      • If you'd like to draw a manga-style female figure, adjust the proportions slightly. For example, give the body wider hips or a pear-shaped body.
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      Tips from our Readers

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • If you're drawing someone leaning against something, try taking a photograph of yourself leaning against a wall in the same way you want your figure to. Use this photo as a reference for your drawing to help guide you!
      • It takes practice to get good at drawing figures, so don't be discouraged if you aren't happy with your first few. If at first you don’t succeed, try try again!
      • Try to sketch lightly at first and make sure your lines aren't too dark, so you can easily erase any mistakes.
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      Things You'll Need

      • Pencil
      • Paper
      • Ruler
      • Eraser
      • Compass, optional

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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.21-draw.com/how-to-draw-a-body/
      2. ↑ https://www.21-draw.com/how-to-draw-a-body/
      3. ↑ https://www.21-draw.com/how-to-draw-a-body/
      4. ↑ https://www.21-draw.com/how-to-draw-a-body/
      5. ↑ http://www.learn-to-draw.com/figure-drawing/05-draw-female-proportions.shtml
      6. ↑ http://www.learn-to-draw.com/figure-drawing/06-compare-figure-drawing.shtml
      7. ↑ http://www.learn-to-draw.com/figure-drawing/05-draw-female-proportions.shtml
      8. ↑ https://youtu.be/05dAIyn2IiU?t=230
      9. ↑ https://youtu.be/05dAIyn2IiU?t=231
      1. ↑ https://youtu.be/05dAIyn2IiU?t=233
      2. ↑ http://www.learn-to-draw.com/figure-drawing/05-draw-female-proportions.shtml
      3. ↑ http://www.learn-to-draw.com/figure-drawing/05-draw-female-proportions.shtml
      4. ↑ https://youtu.be/05dAIyn2IiU?t=333
      5. ↑ https://youtu.be/05dAIyn2IiU?t=270
      6. ↑ https://youtu.be/05dAIyn2IiU?t=299
      7. ↑ https://youtu.be/05dAIyn2IiU?t=359

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To draw a female body, start by sketching out a wire frame of the torso, arms, and legs to get a basic sense of the person's proportions. Over that frame, sketch out the body shapes to give volume to the frame. Then, start adding in details, like the collarbone and facial features. Once you are happy with the shape, erase the wire frame sketching you started with and start shading in the figure. Start with a base shade and then layer in additional shades until you are happy with the results. To learn how to draw a female body using different shapes as guides, scroll down.

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