Draw Diverse People: Varied Builds and Facial Features

Object Drawing Lessons

Drawing diverse people means varying body builds and facial features deliberately, not relying on one default figure. This lesson uses a simple convention: head-guide height is measured from the baseline to the midline of the head, and letter styles vary. You will compare three labeled figures, then draw a new figure with a different build. All measurements are hypothetical examples; measure your own paper and tools. The goal is variety in proportion and feature sets, not portrait likeness or specific ethnic labels.

Practice materials: Printable downloads are not available for this lesson yet. Use the instructions and four exercises below.

Convention and proportion guide

Use a baseline and a midline for each head. The head-guide height is the distance from baseline to midline. Letter styles vary, so treat head-guide height as a flexible unit rather than a fixed rule. For body proportion, choose a head unit and count how many head units tall the figure is. A hypothetical example: a figure 7 head units tall with shoulders 2 head units wide. Another: 6 head units tall with shoulders 1.5 head units wide. These numbers are examples only; measure your actual drawing.

Feature sets vary by spacing and shape, not by labels. Vary eye spacing (close, medium, wide), nose length (short, medium, long), mouth width (narrow, medium, broad), and jaw shape (rounded, angular, tapered). Combine at least three variations per figure so the result reads as a different person.

1. Draw a baseline and a midline; mark head-guide height.
2. Choose a head-unit count for total height and a shoulder width in head units.
3. Sketch the body outline using those two numbers.
4. Select three feature variations and place them on the head guide.
5. Check that the new figure differs from the three labeled figures in at least two proportion measures.

Comparing three labeled figures

Figure A: 7 head units tall, shoulders 2 head units wide, rounded jaw, medium eye spacing, short nose. Figure B: 6 head units tall, shoulders 1.5 head units wide, angular jaw, wide eye spacing, long nose. Figure C: 8 head units tall, shoulders 2.5 head units wide, tapered jaw, close eye spacing, medium nose. Label the proportion differences directly on the plate: height in head units, shoulder width in head units, and the three feature choices.

A blank frame is planned for drawing a new figure with a different build. In that frame, write your chosen head-unit count and shoulder width before sketching. This makes the variety checkable.

1. Label each figure with height and shoulder width in head units.
2. Label the three feature choices per figure.
3. In the blank frame, write your new height and shoulder width.
4. Draw the new figure and label its feature choices.
5. Compare labels: the new figure must differ in at least two measures from every labeled figure.

Checking variety with simple arithmetic

Use consistent units, such as centimeters on your paper. Hypothetical example: if one head unit is 3 cm, a 7-head-unit figure is 21 cm tall. If shoulders are 2 head units, shoulder width is 6 cm. For a 6-head-unit figure with 1.5-head-unit shoulders, height is 18 cm and shoulder width is 4.5 cm. These are example values; measure your own equipment and paper.

Check method: list height and shoulder width for each figure, subtract to find differences, and confirm at least two differences per pair. For features, list eye spacing, nose length, mouth width, and jaw shape; confirm at least three feature differences per pair.

1. Measure one head unit on your paper in centimeters.
2. Multiply by head-unit count to get height.
3. Multiply shoulder width in head units by the same head unit to get shoulder width.
4. Record values in a table and subtract for differences.
5. Confirm the variety rule before finalizing.

Feature variation without labels

Vary features by geometry: eye spacing as a fraction of head width, nose length as a fraction of head height, mouth width as a fraction of head width, and jaw shape as a curve type. Hypothetical example: eye spacing one-third of head width, nose length one-quarter of head height, mouth width one-half of head width, rounded jaw. Another figure: eye spacing one-half head width, nose length one-third head height, mouth width one-third head width, angular jaw.

Avoid specific ethnic labels; describe shapes and spacing instead. This keeps the exercise about observable drawing choices and allows valid alternatives.

1. Choose fractions for eye spacing, nose length, and mouth width.
2. Choose a jaw curve type.
3. Draw the features using the fractions.
4. Label the fractions on the plate.
5. Check that at least three feature measures differ from each comparison figure.

Worked example

A figure is 7 head units tall with shoulders 2 head units wide. One head unit measures 3 cm. Another figure is 6 head units tall with shoulders 1.5 head units wide. Find height and shoulder width in centimeters and state two proportion differences.

Four practice exercises

Common mistakes

• Using one default body build for every figure. Write height and shoulder width in head units before drawing; require at least two proportion differences per pair.
• Varying only clothing or hair to suggest diversity. Vary eye spacing, nose length, mouth width, and jaw shape; label these choices.
• Treating head-guide height as a universal rule. State that head-guide height is baseline to midline and letter styles vary; use it as a flexible unit.
• Inventing printer tolerances or hardware standards. Measure actual paper and tools; label any numerical values as hypothetical examples.

Self-check rubric

• Uses baseline-to-midline head-guide height convention and notes that letter styles vary.
• Labels height and shoulder width in head units for each figure.
• Shows at least two proportion differences per pair of figures.
• Shows at least three feature differences per pair: eye spacing, nose length, mouth width, jaw shape.
• Uses consistent units and checkable arithmetic.
• Avoids portrait likeness, specific ethnic labels, and clothing detail.
• Allows valid alternatives in feature shapes and spacing.

Questions and answers