There

are many ways to draw figures and faces. This book presents the method that I use as a life-long
professional artist and teacher. The steps can be copied to achieve a finished drawing. If you study the
steps, you will learn how my drawing process and my approach can be applied to any subject—not just
figures and faces. The steps below describe my process and drawing philosophy and offer suggestions on
how to interpret the instructions in this book.

• Graphite pencil
• Ballpoint pen or felt tip pen
• Plain office paper, Bristol, or any paper 80 lb or more
• Eraser

Begin the drawing with a graphite pencil so you can sketch freely and make mistakes that can be easily
erased. Once you are satisfied with the pencil sketch, go over the drawing with a pen. When you erase the
pencil lines, you are left with a clean, finished line drawing.

Gesture is the movement and action of the pose or form. Even faces have gesture. Gesture adds life to a
drawing, which is why it is the first and most important step. Make your gesture lines long and try to
describe the big movements first, then move on to the smaller movements and actions.

In this example of a baseball pitcher, Step 1 is the main gesture or primary action of the pose. Step 2
describes the secondary gestures of the arms and legs.
Once you describe the movement and action of the form with gesture lines, construct the drawing. Steps 3
and 4 are the construction steps. In this stage of the drawing, try to describe the three-dimensional quality
of the forms. For example, draw eggs and spheres for the head or torso and cylinders for the arms.
In the runner example, Step 4 describes the construction of the limbs and body. In the girl’s head, Step 3
starts the construction with more simple forms of the head and face, while Step 4 constructs the smaller
forms and the features.
Small forms and details come last, which happens in Step 5. Here you add things like individual fingers,
wrinkles, and folds in fabric. Once you’re happy with the details, go over your drawing with a pen and erase
the pencil lines. This leaves only the clean, finished line drawing, which is Step 6.
In the construction worker, I start adding details in Step 4 and then use a pen to add more details in Step
5 before erasing all the pencil lines. For the bearded man, Step 5 begins the details and Step 6 is the
finished line drawing after erasing the pencil lines and with more details drawn in pen.
If you’re new to drawing, please start by copying the steps provided to the best of your ability. As you
become more advanced, you can apply the steps and process to any subject or form you want to draw.
Because the drawings in this book are line drawings, here are some tips and ideas on how to make better
lines. The art of making better lines is known as “line control.” Even though we are using only lines to draw
realistic feeling figures, with good line control, our drawings can become more dynamic and life-like.

Most artists draw with a limited range of motion, using only their hand and wrist. This is known as “wrist
drawing.” A more skilled approach is to use as much of your arm and body as possible whenever you make
a line or a mark. Most art teachers and professionals will suggest that you draw with your arm, but I try to
use my whole body as much as possible, from my wrist all the way down to my legs! Moving your whole
body adds so much more life and movement to every mark you make.
Using a 18" × 24" (46 × 61 cm) or larger paper or chalkboard, draw standing up. Use your favorite drawing
tool and make a page of long lines using large strokes. As you draw, move your entire body and exaggerate
your movement. For example, as I draw from left to right, I will move my entire body, from my legs to my
hand, in the direction of my stroke as my hand and the pencil move across the paper.

When drawing forms such as figures or faces, make a habit of drawing the complete form, even the back
side of the form or parts of the form you can’t see. This is called “drawing through” because you literally
draw lines through the form or other overlapping forms. For example, when drawing the outer shape of a
face, draw all the way through to the back of the head even though you can’t see it.

Draw a simple sphere shape and then draw an elliptical line that cuts the sphere in half vertically and
horizontally. Make sure to draw all the way through the sphere and imagine the back side of the sphere.
Next, draw a cylinder and make a series of elliptical lines along the cylinder. Repeat this with cube and
rectangular forms, then move on to complex forms such as faces and figures.
Instantly make your lines look more interesting, more dynamic, and more professional by simply varying or
changing the thickness of the lines as you draw. This means varying the line from thick to thin within a
single stroke or changing line weight. For example, if you start with a thin line, make it thicker, then go
back to thin. If you start drawing a thick line, change to a thinner line as you go. Line weight is fundamental
to good line control. In the following tips, I’ll discuss more specific ways to use line weight.

Use an ink fountain pen or brush pen to practice. As you make lines, change the angle of the tip or the
pressure you apply to the tip to get thicker lines, then lift the pen off the paper to get thin lines. Fill a page
with thick to line lines once a day or before every drawing session.

One way line weight can make a drawing better is by suggesting light and shadow. For example, if I want to
suggest a light from above, I will make thin lines at the top of the form and thicker lines at the bottom. The
thin lines will feel lighter and be brighter, while the thick lines will feel darker like they are in shadow.

Draw simple household objects like fruit or a coffee cup. Use thick or thin lines to suggest a light source
from above. Next, draw the same object and use thick or thin lines to suggest a light source coming from
the left or the right. Once you are comfortable with simple objects, do the same with more complex subjects
such as faces and figures.
Another way to use line weight is to make your lines thicker when two lines meet or intersect. When two
lines intersect, it is often because one form is overlapping another or two forms are touching. For example,
when the arm overlaps the torso, I will add a thicker line wherever the arm intersects the torso, suggesting
an overlap and creating a feeling of three-dimensional depth. Whenever you make two lines intersect, take
the opportunity to add variation in line weight.

Create a still life of three simple objects like fruit or household objects and overlap one object in from of the
other. As you draw, make each intersecting line thicker. Once complete, rearrange the objects by moving
another object in front and another to the back and complete another line drawing, making sure to use
thick lines at the new intersections.
Chris Legaspi’s dynamic work, articles, and
instructional content have been featured and
published in the United States and internationally in
major art and illustration publications, including
ImagineFX magazine, 3D Total, and Expose. Chris
has been a successful professional artist in the heart
of the Los Angeles entertainment industry for over
ten years. He is not only an expert in his field, but he
is also passionate about sharing his knowledge and
experience. Chris has taught at some of the top art
schools in America, including Gnomon School of
Visual Effects in Hollywood and the New Masters
Academy. His design and drawing classes are some
of the most popular and exciting classes offered.
Along with his classroom experience, Chris has held
workshops and lectured at the world-renowned Art
Center College of Design, Concept Design Academy,
and LucasArts in Singapore. His illustrations,
drawings, and concept designs can be seen in
blockbuster Hollywood movies, television shows, and
video games. His most notable clients and projects
include Warner Bros. Pictures, Disney, Marvel, The
Simpsons, Netflix, and Namco Bandai Games.
This book is dedicated to all the great drawing teachers and mentors I’ve had in my life. You are my heroes
and this book is my humble contribution to our shared mission of spreading the love of realism and figure
drawing.
First and foremost, I would like to thank Steve Huston. Thank you for your greatness, humility, and
generosity. Saying “without you this book would not be possible” is an understatement.
To the figure drawing legends who cultivated the great American Illustrative tradition: Thank you for
your service. I’d especially like to thank Mark Westermoe for being a mentor and a friend. You will be
missed and never forgotten. Of course, thank you to all the great teachers that came before Mark,
especially Fred Fixler, Frank Reilly, and Andrew Loomis.
To all of my former students, supporters, and the readers of my past articles, blog posts, video lessons:
Thank you for the love and support.
I’d also like to give a special thank you to Mary Ann Hall and Heather Godin at The Quarto Group. Thank
you for your patience and guidance.
Finally, to all the readers and young artists out there: Thank you for sharing this journey with me. I hope
this is only the beginning or a brief chapter in a long lifetime of figure drawing.
© 2019 Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc.
Illustrations © 2019 Christopher Legaspi

First Published in 2019 by Quarry Books, an imprint of The Quarto Group,

100 Cummings Center, Suite 265-D, Beverly, MA 01915, USA.
T (978) 282-9590 F (978) 283-2742 QuartoKnows.com

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the copyright
owners. All images in this book have been reproduced with the knowledge and prior consent of the artists concerned, and
no responsibility is accepted by producer, publisher, or printer for any infringement of copyright or otherwise, arising from
the contents of this publication. Every effort has been made to ensure that credits accurately comply with information
supplied. We apologize for any inaccuracies that may have occurred and will resolve inaccurate or missing information in a
subsequent reprinting of the book.

Quarry Books titles are also available at discount for retail, wholesale, promotional, and bulk purchase. For details, contact
the Special Sales Manager by email at specialsales@quarto.com or by mail at The Quarto Group, Attn: Special Sales
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Digital edition: 978-1-63159-711-4

Softcover edition: 978-1-63159-710-7

Design: Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc.

Illustration: Christopher Legaspi