This document discusses stick figure drawings and their uses. Stick figures can be used for gestural practice and proportion practice. Some famous stick figure artists are mentioned, including political cartoonists. Guidelines are provided for drawing stick figures with varying numbers of lines to represent the human form. Variations like adding swooshes for arms and legs are presented. Homework is assigned to have students practice quick gestural drawings of expressions and stick figures in their sketchbooks to develop their own styles.

1. Stick Figures
COM Drawing 130/131 2016, 2/18, Obata

2. Stick Figures: What For?
Gestural Practice
Proportion Practice

3. A few famous stick figure drawers
Robert Reich - Berkeley Professor
and former Secretary of Labor
Ivan Brunetti - New
Yorker cartoonist
Swoozie - Notable
Youtube Vlogger

4. Jules Feiffer,
another New
Yorker
cartoonist
(among other
things)

5. One last famous stick figure drawer
Well, not exactly a stick
figure...
Quentin Blake, illustrator of
many Roald Dahl books

6. Stick Figures 15/16/17
Create proportionally
accurate stick figures
using lines for each
limb, plus hands and
feet. Drawings to the
right show more and
less lines for the torso.
Start simpler and add
lines that are useful to
you.
15 lines
each?

7. Stick Figures 15/16/17
16 lines?

8. Stick Figures 15/16/17
Proportion
breakdown is helpful
here.
However, the average
human is closer to
7+/- heads high, not 8.
http://design.tutsplus.com/
17 lines?

9. Variations
Make swooshes for
arms and legs.
Simplify torso to
one box.
https://www.123rf.com/pho
to_46477355_stock-
vector-stick-figure-in-
action--stickman-on-a-
surfboard-icon-he-has-fun-
stick-man-vector-drawing-
with-white-.html

10. Variations
More swooshes,
mittens for hands
http://xplaner.com/2008/04/
03/how-to-draw-a-stick-
figure/
How can you tell what
animal this is?

11. Contour Stick
Stick?
http://drawingsfromamexi
can.blogspot.com/2010/10/
mr-stick-man-vs-contour-
approach.html

12. Homework Details
Two-part homework assignment:
1. Make a 4 x 5 grid on large paper.
Draw 20 3-minute faces with
different expressions. - gestural
drawings. Material: your choice.
(Can be less than 3-minutes --
just make the expression
convincing). As before, from life,
imagination, (okay if a few are
from another drawing.)
2. In your sketchbook (from life):
draw 200 stick figures, 30
seconds or less per figure.
Material: your choice. Find
interesting locations and try to
cover a range of activities. Also,
find a style that works for you. A
13/15/17 part stick figure? A 6
part stick figure?

13. Stick Figure Summary
Use the homework to develop your own style of stick figure
drawing.
Think of this as a method for you to develop quick 10-30
second sketches while also practicing proportion.
They’re also useful for remembering or bookmarking scenes --
this is a useful way to dive deeper into subjects of sustained
interest.