Simple Forms

The leg can be simplified down to three spheres for the joints and two cylinders for the rest of the legs. If you know how to draw the simplified version of the arms then this is very similar in nature, the only difference is the feet. 

If you are new to drawing anatomy I recommend just drawing in a box for the feet until you are comfortable with the basic forms and then use this foot drawing tutorial to help you understand the feet. 

After you complete the simplified legs of the worksheet make sure to do some drawing from reference (either photos or real life). Being able to see how you can break down the figure into these major forms will be a great skill to have because it will make it easier to memorize anatomy. This will also give you the ability to invent poses from memory because I have a base understanding of the forms.

If you are new to drawing I recommend you check out the basic forms tutorial here (Opens in a new window) that will help you get comfortable with this method of drawing.

Complex Forms

When drawing in the rounded forms, drawing the butt muscles is the most challenging part. This part of drawing the leg becomes much easier once we do the full figure and have the hips as a reference point.

Add volume two-thirds of the way up the bottom cylinder for the calf muscles and make the top cylinder thicker towards the top. If you are interested in drawing muscular characters or more realistic figures I recommend using the diagrams below.

If you are drawing mostly for fun and aren’t interested in an academic approach to drawing, like me, getting a general sense of the forms will allow you to draw characters that feel 3 dimensional. This is why I put a heavy emphasis on drawing the basic forms.

Thank you for letting me be part of your creative journey! If you are interested in more practice drawing the figure, I have a printable workbook below that you can grab. You can also check out tons more tutorials on the site~