To learn how to draw a person, start with a circle for the head, then add a short neck and a body shaped like a T-shirt. Draw two arms, two legs, round hands and oval shoes, and finish with hair, eyes and a smile.
This easy person drawing uses simple shapes, so it is a great first figure for kids and for adults who think they cannot draw. The free PDF has the step sheet, a tracing page, a practice grid and a coloring page you can dress up with your own clothes and colors.
What’s in the free PDF
- Step-by-step sheet with 6 numbered steps; new lines are black, earlier lines are grey
- Tracing page with a large person in light grey to trace over
- Practice sheet with a small reference and two boxes with a light grid
- Coloring page with the finished person in bold outlines
How to draw a person step by step
- Head. Near the top of the page, draw a circle for the head. Leave plenty of room below it for the body.
- Neck and body. Draw two short lines down from the head for the neck. Then draw the body like a T-shirt: round shoulders, two straight sides and a flat line at the bottom.
- Arms. From each shoulder, draw two long lines that go down and slightly out, ending near the bottom of the shirt.
- Legs. Under the shirt, draw two long legs. Draw the outer lines straight down and the inner lines from a point in the middle, so there is a small gap between the legs.
- Hands and shoes. Draw a small circle at the end of each arm for the hands and a flat oval under each leg for the shoes.
- Hair and face. Draw short hair over the top of the head with a curved fringe line across the forehead. Add two dot eyes and a curved smile.
Body proportions for a simple cartoon person: the body is about two heads tall and the legs are about three heads long. If your person looks squashed, make the legs longer.
Easy person drawing: common mistakes and fixes
- The arms are too short. Let the hands reach the bottom of the shirt or a little lower.
- The head is too big or too small. The shirt should be about two heads tall; compare them as you draw.
- The legs are glued together. Start the inner leg lines from one point in the middle so a small gap opens toward the feet.
- Stick arms. Use two lines for each arm, not one, so the person looks solid.
Trace, practice, then color
Trace it first
If drawing freehand feels hard, start with the tracing page. Go over the grey lines with a pencil, pressing lightly, and you learn the shapes and their order without worrying about mistakes. Then try again on the practice sheet.
Practice on the grid
The practice sheet has a small finished person for reference and two boxes with a faint grid. Count how many squares wide and tall the reference is, then draw your person the same way. The grid keeps the parts the right size next to each other.
Color the finished drawing
Color the shirt and pants in two different colors, give the shoes a third color and pick a hair color. Draw a pattern on the shirt, like stripes, dots or a star, to make the person your own.
Tips for drawing people
- Turn the person into someone you know: add glasses, a ponytail, a hat or a dress.
- Bend one arm up to make the person wave.
- Draw a whole family by changing the size: tall for grown-ups, short for kids.
- Use the grid on the practice sheet to keep the head, body and legs in proportion.
Download the pages one by one
Prefer a single page? Click a link to open the full-size image, then print it or save it. The PDF with all pages and a cover is in the download box.
- How to draw a person: step-by-step sheet (PNG)
- a Person tracing page (PNG)
- a Person practice sheet with grid (PNG)
- a Person coloring page (PNG)
More to draw: how to draw hair, how to draw mouths, how to draw an eye and drawing ideas for beginners. For coloring, see coloring pages for girls.
FAQ
What is the easiest way to draw a person?
Use simple shapes: a circle for the head, a T-shirt shape for the body, two lines for each arm and leg, small circles for hands and ovals for shoes.
How do you draw a person for kids?
Follow the 6 steps on the step sheet. Younger kids can start on the tracing page to learn the shapes before drawing freehand.
How do you get the body proportions right?
For a simple cartoon person, make the body about two heads tall and the legs about three heads long. The practice grid helps you measure.
How do you draw a person in different poses?
Keep the head and body the same and change the arms and legs. Raise one arm to wave, or bend the knees to make the person jump.
