Introduction To Figure Construction by Ramon Hurtado

Ramon Hurtado teaches you to stop copying outlines and start building figures like a sculptor. This course strips the human body down to its core volumes—boxes, spheres, and cylinders—then shows you how to stack them together using rhythm and gesture. You’ll study the torso, head, arms, legs, hands, and feet from every angle, then watch full demonstrations where those parts come together into a complete figure. It’s a systematic approach that works whether you draw from life, photos, or imagination.

🎯 What you’ll learn

• Break the figure down into simple, three-dimensional forms
• Use c-curves, s-curves, and straight lines to create rhythm in your drawings
• Locate bony landmarks to establish accurate proportions
• Construct the torso, head, arms, legs, hands, and feet from any angle
• Apply old master drawing techniques to your own figure studies

✅ Requirements

• Skills: No prior drawing experience needed, but a basic familiarity with pencil and paper helps
• Tools: Graphite pencils, eraser, drawing paper, and a ruler or measuring tool

📝 Description

This isn’t a course about copying what you see. It’s about understanding what’s underneath the skin and learning to build the figure the way the old masters did. Ramon starts with the absolute basics—how to hold a pencil, how to see rhythm in a pose—and then systematically works through every part of the body. Each section focuses on one area: the torso, the head, the arms, the legs, the hands, and the feet. You’ll see diagrams from the front, back, and side, so you understand how each form exists in three dimensions, not just as a flat shape.

What sets this course apart is the constant use of old master drawings as reference. When Ramon teaches the gesture, he pulls up a Cabanel study. When he tackles the back, he references Pontormo. This isn’t abstract theory—it’s a direct link to the techniques that produced some of the greatest figure drawings in history. You’re not just learning anatomy; you’re learning how to see and construct like trained artist.

The course builds methodically. Early lessons focus on rhythm and simple forms. Later lessons get into specific muscle groups and how they behave in different poses. By the final section, you’ll watch full figure demonstrations that tie everything together, from the first gesture line to the final refined drawing. It’s a complete system, and it’s designed to give you a repeatable process you can use on any figure drawing, whether you’re working from a model, a photo, or your imagination.

🧑‍🎓 Who this course is for

• Beginner artists who want a structured, no-nonsense approach to figure drawing
• Intermediate artists who struggle with anatomy and want to move beyond flat, lifeless drawings
• Self-taught artists looking to fill gaps in their understanding of form and construction

🧑‍🏫 About the Author

Ramon Hurtado is a contemporary landscape and genre painter based in Los Angeles. His work explores the customs of different groups of people and the rich aesthetic experiences created by the desert sun. As a working painter, he brings a practical, studio-tested approach to teaching. His focus on figure construction comes from years of studying the old masters and applying those principles to his own work. He’s not just an instructor—he’s an active artist who uses these exact techniques in his daily practice.

🏁 Final Result

By the end of this course, you’ll have a portfolio of figure drawings that demonstrate a solid understanding of construction, proportion, and anatomy. More importantly, you’ll have a repeatable process for breaking down any figure into simple forms and building it back up into a convincing, three-dimensional drawing. You’ll be able to approach figure drawing with confidence, whether you’re working from life, reference photos, or pure imagination.