Lifestyle illustrator: Illustrating people

Drawing people used to be something I shied away from, concentrating more on flowers and objects. Because drawing people feels like something that requires more responsibility – representing the diversity of human life and somehow giving as many people as possible an image that they can relate to in some way. Because, well, it’s hard and takes practice and a lot of observation.

But now? Drawing people really is one of my favourite things. While I do still default to drawing women of probably around my own age, I have started drawing more men and I am working on including a variety of body shapes, as well as continuing to ensure I draw a diversity of ethnicity (and not just by changing skin colour and keeping everything the same). And I love continuing to grow in how I draw people – finding new ways to stylise, drawing more postures, drawing people moving more, digging deeper with clothes and they sit…

Illustrating women

I think it’s safe to say that I draw a lot of women. My defaults if I’m not sure what to draw are a stylised flower of some kind or a woman (and usually that woman will be white and of a similar age and build to me, because really my default is an unconscious self-portrait (and I love flowers).

Illustrating groups of people

Thankfully I get asked to draw a variety of people, and I also set myself briefs to ensure I don’t just draw women. Illustrating groups of people or drawing scenes with quite a few people in, are great fun, and it’s good to get the opportunity to draw a wider diversity of people.

Illustrating scenes with people in

I enjoy illustrating scenes, though obviously they can take quite a long time, because adding in all the little details is great fun. And, as with illustrating groups, you can look to include some diversity and see how far you can escape stereotypes.

Illustrating children

I definitely tend to draw more adults than children, but I love getting the opportunity to draw more and find it fascinating how the proportions change with age, as well how much diversity you can get in a single small class of children, even just in terms of height and body shape.

Illustrating teenagers

Illustrating teenagers and tweens is fun, because they’re closer to adults, and therefore fairly similar in proportions, but they often have fun clothes or accessories to include! Plus, they are all freaking amazing! (Not just saying that because mine are that age. Nope.)

Illustrating men

Yeah. I definitely need to draw more men! Other than within groups I have barely any drawings of men. I have this guy, who is supposed to represent the patriarchy. My dad who I drew for his birthday this year. This random dude (found this in my ‘daily drawing’ files and don’t know if it’s supposed to be anyone in particular).

Hope you’ve enjoyed looking at this selection of illustrated people. If you have a project that includes illustrating people, and you like my style, do get in touch! And if you’re an illustrator, I’d love to know if you have particular types of people you prefer to illustrate and if you challenge yourself to draw the ones that you don’t default to.