#056 Drawing People | Groups
DRAWING REFERENCE: A photograph of two or more people.
YOU'LL NEED: drawing paper 9x12 inches or copy paper, pencil, eraser.
Hi and Welcome!
Drawing a group of people can seem challenging at first, but it becomes much easier when you start with simple shapes. In this lesson, you'll learn how artists organize several figures within one scene and use their understanding of shapes to create a drawing that feels balanced and believable.
Today You Will
Practice drawing a group of people from real life or a photograph. You'll use just a few lines to establish the placement of each figure and then refine the drawing by adjusting the lines, proportions, and details.
What You'll Discover
1. Shapes Help You Plan a Scene
Before drawing details, artists look for the large shapes that make up each figure and decide where those figures will fit on the page. This helps create a strong composition.
2. Artists Refine Their Drawings
Drawing is a process of observation and adjustment. You may draw and redraw lines several times as you compare your drawing to the people you are observing and improve their placement and proportions.
3. Figures Belong in a Setting
People rarely exist alone in a picture. Adding a few simple details, such as buildings, trees, furniture, or a ground line, helps place the figures within a real environment and tells the viewer more about the scene.
Why This Matters
When drawing several people together, it is important that they relate to one another and fit within the picture space. By starting with simple shapes and refining your lines, you can create figures that are the correct size, appear to stand on the same ground, and interact naturally within the scene. These skills help you tell stories through your artwork and create drawings that feel complete.
Enjoy this lesson and take your time observing the relationships between the people in your scene. Draw lightly, make adjustments as needed, and have fun bringing a group of figures to life.
Happy Drawing!
— Brenda Ellis Abbey
Our Books + Video Core 1, Core 3, and Core 5 for 4th graders -12th, have a unit showing a method of making figures from 17 shapes. With more shapes, your figures can really move! Check out our art books for Preschool through High School ages.
