How to Draw Little Children

Little children have drastically different proportions when compared to adults.

Children have rounder and softer features than teens or adults. When drawing little children use more circles and fewer harsh angles when you rough out the head and body. Unlike adult characters, children stand about three and a half heads high. Begin your drawing with simple guidelines and then gradually flesh out your character. Use photographs of real children as a starting place if you are having trouble creating wholly original pieces. Draw children in different poses to familiarize yourself with the proportions of their bodies.

Things You'll Need

• Pencil
• Paper

Instructions

1. Draw a circle as a guide for the head. Add a horizontal line across the center of the head for placement of the eyes.

2. Sketch a stick figure body for your figure. Make a large oval for the torso. Keep the shoulders small. The shoulders should be only slightly wider than the head.

3. Add guidelines for the arms and legs. Draw in proportion. Remember the entire child figure will be only 3 and a half heads high. The arms should end just below the waist.

4. Use the guideline to draw in your character's eyes. Make the eyes large and round to resemble those of a child.

5. Complete the face by adding in a nose just below the eyes. Make the nose approximately half the size of an adult nose. For less detailed drawings, the nose can be a small "C" shaped curve and a dot for the nostril. Draw a small mouth in a happy expression.

6. Sketch in hair coming down from the top of the skull to just over the eyes. Separate clumps of hair into locks.

7. Finish the arms and legs by sketching in their shape around the stick-like guidelines you have created.

8. Flesh out the shape of the torso by drawing in the shape of the shoulders, chest, and pudgy stomach.

9. Finalize your drawing by adding clothing or shading as you see fit.

Tips & Warnings

• Watch videos of children playing to see how their bodies move.

• Redefine your idea of proportion when drawing children.

References

• Drago Art: How to Draw Children
• Dani Draws: How to Draw Children