Whether you’re an aspiring comic artist or just have a passion for realistic drawings, learning how to draw a muscular man is an essential skill. Drawing a muscular guy isn’t as simple as throwing some shapes onto paper and hoping for the best. Even the best artists struggle to capture the human form, and for those wanting to draw a ripped man, this task can seem overwhelming. But with these handy tips and expert advice, drawing a muscular man doesn’t have to be intimidating!
The first stage is to study the subject you’re trying to draw – anatomy. Many artists brush off this step but don’t be tempted to skimp on the preparation. Knowing the body and its proportions is just as important as learning sketching and shading techniques. To get an understanding of the shapes and structure of muscles and the body, use reference photos and look closely at the anatomy. This will help you develop an eye for muscle definition, shape and composition.
The next step is to hone your artistic skills. Drawing muscles accurately takes practice and ambition. To achieve a realistic effect, you must learn to recognize the different parts such as deltoids, traps, biceps and triceps. Learning the terms will help you to develop an understanding of basic muscular structure, and sketch like a pro in no time! It is also important to understand how different muscles connect, as this will help you create accurate images.
When you’re confident with your anatomical knowledge and artistic skills, you’re ready for the fun part – drawing! Begin by sketching a basic outline of the body – think of it as the bones of the figure. Sketching a light structure will ensure you don’t create a bulky figure and will provide a stable foundation on which to draw details. This can be done with a pencil and could be a simple stick figure. It should include the head, torso, arms and legs.
After sketching the figure, you can now add muscle mass and definition. This is when it helps to refer back to the anatomy guides and reference photos you used. You don’t need to achieve perfect detail, as a little estimation and your artistic license can go a long way. But it is important to try and stay within the bounds of realism. Mix up your pencil strokes, add in subtle shading and blend the tone to create texture and definition.
It’s now time to add the finishing touches to create a realistic looking muscular man. Work through the details of the body, paying close attention to facial features, hair, skin and clothing. If you want to add an extra layer of realism, don’t forget to add shadows to enhance the shadows already created with shading. By creating a contrast between light and dark, you’re adding depth to your art.
No artwork is complete without color. Depending on the style of art you’re going for, you may need to use a range of colors to bring your figure to life. If you’re new to creating art, avoid using too many colors in one drawing. You can simply shade the main figure with a pencil first and if happy, then choose one or two colors to add to the final piece.
The key to drawing a muscular man is practice and study. Don’t expect to create a perfect looking muscle man straight away, as perfecting an artwork like this is going to take more than one try. But once you’ve mastered the techniques and are familiar with the anatomy, you’ll be astonished by the impressive results!
