How to Draw a Hand

Co-authored by Renée Plevy

Last Updated: April 3, 2024 References

Lots of people have trouble drawing hands, but it isn't too complicated once you know what to do. Drawing a realistic hand can mean either getting the proportions correct through measurement, or by using 3-dimensional shapes.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Measurements in Drawing a Hand

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Sketch rectangles for each finger segment and spheres for joints to build the hand shape

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Drawing Using Basic 3-Dimensional Shapes

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Add color.
- To become a good artist, you need to see things with an artist's eye.
- Find a teacher who can help you observe things and draw better.^{[3]
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- Do plenty of sketches to gain practice.^{[4]
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How do I draw a female hand specifically?

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It's mostly the same, but on average, the hand and fingers will be a little thinner. Everybody's hands are different, though, and they will tend to differ depending on body type (e.g., thinner people will tend to have thinner hands; shorter people will tend to have shorter hands and fingers). The best way to really learn is to look at and copy photographs of different male hands and different female hands.

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How do I draw an anime hand?

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Draw a hand, but make the fingers slightly thinner and make the edges more pointed.

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How can I draw a realistic hand?

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Observe your hand carefully, taking note of where the light hits it, the shape, and tone of your hand, then try to draw that. Then practice!!

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Tips

Keep a steady hand, it will help!

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Look at your own hand, or someone else’s, throughout the process. It’ll appear different from the hand in the example illustrations, of course, but it’s a good reference point and it always helps to have a three-dimensional model of what you’re trying to put on paper.

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Draw lightly in pencil so that you can easily rub out mistakes.

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