This article was reviewed by Jeanine Hattas Wilson. Jeanine Hattas Wilson is a Professional Painter and the President of Hattas Public Murals, Inc. With nearly 20 years of experience, Jeanine specializes in creating, overseeing, designing, and painting murals. Jeanine holds a BA in Advertising from Marquette University and a Studio Painting Minor from The Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. She has studied at The Atelier Artien in Paris, France, Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art, and under renowned artists such as Robert Liberace, Michael Siegel, and William Cochran. To date, Hattas Public Murals has painted nearly 5,000 commissioned works of art in homes and commercial and public spaces.
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There are many times that you would like to illustrate a page or tell a story without using too many words. Stick figures can be modified depending on how you want to use them. Start with the basic figure, then make changes as you go along. Learning the art of creating and using them will open up a new and long line of art.
Steps
Basic Body
Face
- Draw a curve or a straight line at the lower half of the circle. If you want teeth, draw two triangles sprouting from the line.
- Draw two eyes. You can draw:
- A dot. It’s the fastest way.
- Two circles with a dot in the middle.
- Two merged eyes to show fear or surprise.
- Dollar signs ($) and hearts (❤️) can replace pupils to show expressions.
- Draw a dot for the nose.
- Finished.
Community Q&A
- QuestionIs it all right to draw the head as a triangle?Community AnswerYou should do whatever you want to do! Develop your own personal style, and find out what suits you best. These instructions can be taken as loose guidelines; there’s no one ‘right’ way.
- QuestionCan I do whatever I want with the stick figure?Community AnswerYes. Do anything you can think of. Like a stick figure eating a pizza, or trying on clothes.
- QuestionHow can I make the stick figures do something?Community AnswerYou can draw their arms and legs in different positions to give the illusion that they’re moving, running, jumping, etc. You could even make a flip book if you wanted to watch the figures move.
Tips
- Experiment with other types, other figures.Thanks
- Note that not all stick figures that you might want to add to a story have to be just lines as those above. They can be more determined, and yet not more defined. You do not have to know how to be an artist to add figures to your story. Stick figures can come in any shape and style.Thanks
- You cannot possibly make a mistake, by making your own impressionable stick figure.Thanks
Things You’ll Need
- Writing implement
- Paper
- Eraser (optional)
About This Article
To draw a stick figure, start by drawing a circle for the head. Next, draw a cross under the head that attaches to the bottom of the circle. The vertical line of the cross is the body and the horizontal line forms the arms. Make sure the body is longer than the arms! Then, draw two diagonal lines coming out of the bottom of the cross to create the legs. For tips on adding basic facial features, read on!
Reader Success Stories
- “Before I read this article, I was completely clueless on how to draw stick figures. Now, I’m practically a stick figure artist and highly recommend this to others who wish to master stick art.”…” more
