Greetings, dear readers! Today, we embark on a new drawing tutorial where we will delve into the art of sketching an athlete. It is noteworthy that the showcased artwork, presented at the beginning of this article, strikes a balance between complex, academic drawing and a simplified approach. Our aim is to enable even budding artists to depict such challenging figures. So, let’s begin and discover how to create a portrait of a bodybuilder tailored for beginners!
Step 1
To commence, as is customary, we start with a stick figure – a basic representation of a person using circles and lines to establish proportions, shape, and pose on the paper. Since we are drawing a male figure, it’s advisable to adhere to the principles of depicting the male physique outlined in our previous “How to Draw a Man” lesson.
However, there are notable differences. Firstly, the shoulders should be considerably wider (as evident in the next step). The head is a regular oval, similar to other drawing tutorials. The body lines are gently sketched with the pencil.
Step 2
This step presents both the most challenging and the least error-prone task in this drawing lesson. Each arm consists of two bulging contours – the deltoid muscle and the biceps. The forearms taper from the elbow to the wrist.
The torso exhibits a distinct curve towards the waistline. The pelvic area should be triangular in shape. Proceed to sketch the legs, which broaden in the middle due to the thigh and calf muscles, and taper at the knees and ankles.
Step 3
This step is simple yet crucial. Here, we outline the cheekbones, chin, and nose of our athlete. We also indicate the ear and define the contours of the hairstyle. Remember the important rule: position the eyebrows parallel to the upper tip of the ear, and align the tip of the nose with the lower tip of the ear.
Step 4
Remove unnecessary guidelines from the head and proceed to sketch the facial features. Depict a gently smiling mouth and the nasolabial folds. Note that, unlike many other drawing tutorials such as Jax or Wizard, we include minimal details here. This characteristic distinguishes our tutorial as beginner-friendly. Once you finish drawing the face of the athlete, move on to the next step of our guide on how to draw a bodybuilder for beginners.
Step 5
In this step, we bring our mighty protagonist’s physique to life. At the upper portion of the body, render two prominent pectoral muscles (referred to as pectoralis major), resembling two massive convex plates. At the midpoint where the muscles meet, include four short, smooth lines. Above the chest muscles, in the neck area, draw a pair of oblique lines.
Beneath them, sketch the well-defined contours of the abdominal muscles. Each “cube” should possess smooth and slightly curved edges. On the sides of the abs, depict a pair of oblique lines representing the actual obliques.
Step 6
Our bodybuilder is gradually taking shape. Now, let’s focus on his arms. Outline the contours of the biceps (the most prominent muscles in this position), as well as the triceps on the opposite sides of the arms (indeed, the largest arm muscles).
Next, trace the lines for the forearms and fists. Sketch the muscle lines within the arm contours. Pay attention to the size of the fingers and ensure accuracy.
Step 7
We conclude our drawing lesson by drawing the lower body. Outline the thighs’ muscles using inner and outer contours. The inner lines converge at the knee joints. Proceed to sketch the knee joints and calf muscles’ lines.
Lastly, depict the toes and add a couple of flowing lines just above the feet.
This drawing lesson, which focuses on how to draw a bodybuilder, was meticulously crafted by the artists and editors of DrawingForAll.net. Don’t forget to subscribe to us on various social networks such as Google Plus, Facebook, and Pinterest. Additionally, share this tutorial with your friends. Best of luck!
