Hands and feet are some of the most complicated parts of the body when you draw. There are so many joints and angles that it can be very intimidating. Learning how to tackle these body parts will save you from always having to draw your characters with their hands hidden in their pockets or behind their backs. Mastering the feet will also help you with drawing shoes properly.
The trick to drawing these parts of the body is to break them down into shapes. Circles can be used for both hands and feet to help you make them look right. Remember to keep your initial circles and other shapes very light so they are easy to erase later.
Observe how people stand when you’re shopping or waiting in line. Look at their feet and their hands. Hands are usually expressive. Feet can be tricky depending on the angle you are drawing. When you look at people’s feet, imagine the circles for the ball of the foot, the heel and the ankle. For shoes, take a look at footwear catalogs. This resource can provide many hours of drawing practice with different types of footwear.
HANDS
Imagine the palm of the hand as a circle. The ball of the thumb is a smaller circle within the palm circle. Look at your own hand to help you place everything correctly. Draw smaller circles for your knuckles. The fingers are constructed from cylinders that connect these circles. From this simple construction you can draw the hand in almost any pose you can imagine. If you are in doubt, put your own hand in that position and look at it, noting where these circles and cylinders would be.
FEET
Feet look simple, especially from the bottom. When you see feet at other angles, however, you can see how complex they become, especially when drawn from behind. The Achilles tendon extends right down the middle, connecting the heel with the lower calf muscle. The narrowest part of the Achilles tendon sits squarely between the ankle bones. Think of the Achilles tendon as two triangles with overlapping tips between the ankles.
Practice drawing hands and feet in as many different poses as possible. You’ll soon have these two body parts mastered. If you use a sketchbook to practice in, you’ll be able to refer back to your sketches when you feel stuck during a new drawing.
Once you have all of your details filled in, erase the light circles and cylinders you needed for constructing the hands and feet. Outline your finished drawing with a black liner pen.
