How I Approach Figure Drawing Practice
Figure drawing is a foundational part of my creative practice. It informs how I think about anatomy, structure, balance, and form. Whether I’m drawing or sculpting.
I don’t approach figure drawing as a way to create finished artwork. I treat it as a space to observe, simplify, and problem solve.
This page outlines how I generally approach a drawing session and what I focus on during practice.
Gesture Before Structure
I always start with gesture.
Gesture is the underlying energy of the pose the sense of movement, weight, and rhythm that gives the figure life. Before thinking about anatomy or proportion, I try to understand:
Where the weight is falling
How the body is balanced
The primary line of action
The overall feeling of the pose
If the gesture isn’t working, adding structure or details later won’t fix it.
Once the gesture feels clear, I begin introducing simple shapes to represent the ribcage, pelvis, and limbs keeping everything loose.
Short Poses vs Long Poses
Both short and long poses serve different purposes.
Short poses (30 seconds to a few minutes)
These are about:
Capturing movement quickly
Seeing the pose as a whole
Building speed and confidence
Training instinct
I’m not concerned with detail here. The goal is clarity and momentum.
Short poses help me stay loose and prevent overthinking.
Longer poses
Longer studies allow me to slow down and focus on:
Proportion
Structural relationships
Overlapping forms
Subtle plane changes
This is where I spend more time analyzing how the ribcage connects to the pelvis, how limbs attach, and how weight affects form.
Even in longer poses, I try to preserve the original gesture rather than letting the drawing become stiff.
Practice Over Finished Drawings
Most of my figure drawings are studies.
They’re not meant to be polished or presentable. They’re meant to answer questions.
I’m usually asking things like:
Does this pose feel balanced?
Can I simplify this shape further?
Where is the weight actually resting?
How do these forms relate in space?
Because of that, I don’t treat these drawings as precious.
Some are messy. Some are incomplete. That’s part of the process.
The value is in the repetition and observation not the individual drawings.
How I Think During a Session
During a drawing session, I try to stay focused on a few core ideas:
See the pose before drawing it
Work from big to small
Prioritize structure over detail
Keep lines light and adjustable
Avoid committing too early
If something feels off, I redraw it.
I remind myself that everything can be changed. Nothing is permanent.
That mindset keeps the practice exploratory instead of rigid.
Closing Thoughts
Figure drawing is not something I do to “get better drawings.”
It’s how I stay connected to the fundamentals of form, balance, and observation.
The practice continues to evolve, but the core approach remains the same:
start simple, stay flexible, and focus on understanding the figure rather than trying to perfect it.