Sketching Human Figures for UCEED & Other Design Exams 2025

Overview: The topic of drawing human figures is an important part in part B of the UCEED exam. However, this topic is essential for all UG design exams you're going to be taking. Continue reading to learn how to prepare this topic.

The Undergraduate Common Entrance Exam for Design (UCEED) is conducted by IIT Bombay for admission in 225 seats in the Bachelor of Design (B.Des) program across 4 Indian Institute of Technologies (IITs).

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The UCEED exam has two parts: Part A and Part B. Part B will include two questions: a drawing-based question and a design aptitude-based question.

In this article, our experts have curated a list of strategies and preparation tips to help you ace the sketching of human figures for the UCEED 2025 Entrance Exam. 

Fundamentals of Human Figures for UCEED & Other Design Exams 2025

Consider the below-given points for ensuring a smooth experience for designing sketches and human figures for UCEED -

• According to the age group of a person their figure must be drawn. An adult person's body, for instance, will occupy roughly 7.5 'heads'. What this means is that if you want to draw a figure that is x centimeters tall, this length has to first be divided into 7.5 equal sections.
• The first segment will be used to draw the face.
• Almost a second complete 'head' will be used to draw the shoulders for a male. If you're drawing a female, the shoulders would take 1.5 'heads' only.
• Continuing on, draw the chest and torso. In roughly 5.5 'heads' the knees of a male figure should be added.
• At 6 heads, the calf muscles should almost be added. At 7 'heads' the ankles of the figure should be visible. In the final 0.5 'head', your figure's feet need to be included.
• Your figure's elbows should hit at roughly 2 7/8th 'heads'. Make sure the forearms are equal and matching with the upper arms.
• Anatomically, your hands are about the size of your face. When you're finishing the arms, make sure the hands are about the size of your figure's head.
• At this point your figure's base is complete. You can now start adding clothes on.
• Ensure the lines you use across the body to reflect the lines of clothing are curved. The human figure is 3D and by using curved lines, this property becomes very evident.

Check: Best Books for UCEED Preparation

Observe the sketching of human figure step-by-step below.

Here are the steps to follow:

• Fold a piece of paper horizontally into eight equal sections (or draw lines).
• Number the bottom crease of each section from 1-8, one being the first crease at the top of the page and 8 at the bottom (representing the ground).
• Section #1 is the head. Draw a slight egg shape resting on the line.
• Between lines #3 and #4, draw a slightly flattened circle for the pelvis. It should be approximately 1.5-2 times the width of your head.
• Draw small circles at the bottom corners of your pelvis on line #4 to represent hip joints.
• Draw a slightly tapered line down from the centre of each hip joint to line #6.
• On line #6, draw a small circle on the outside of each leg line. These represent kneecaps.
• Draw a slightly tapered shin line down to line #8 from the outside of each kneecap.
• Draw a small circle (representing the ankle bone) on the outside of each shin line.
• For the ribcage, begin by drawing two dots on line #2 to represent the nipples. These should line up slightly inside the sides of the head.
• Draw another dot on line #3, lined up with the centre of the head. This is the navel. 
• Begin to draw the top of an oval that starts at the halfway point between lines #2 and #3 and peaks between lines #1 and #2. The outsides of the oval should extend a little past the sides of the head (or about the same width as the pelvis). Don’t finish the bottom third of the oval.
• Connect the bottom two points of the oval with a slight upward-rounding line.
• Draw a straight line from the bottom of the head to the navel. That’s the backbone.
• Draw a small circle on each side of the ribcage, up diagonally from the nipples (about halfway between lines #1 and #2 and just outside the width of the ribcage). These are the shoulder joints.
• Draw a slightly upward curved line from the inside of one shoulder blade, touching the bottom of the neck, to the inside of the other shoulder blade.
• On line #3, draw the elbows using small ovals placed outside the width of the shoulder blades, reaching as tall as the line where the bottom of the ribcage hits. 
• Connect the shoulders to the elbows with a slightly pointed outward line.
• Draw small circles representing the wrists below line #4 and straight below the elbows.
• Connect the elbows and wrists with lines.
• Draw simple hand shapes (like mittens) hanging below the wrists, the tips of the stretched fingers hitting above line #5.

Practice using the above-mentioned steps, and once you are confident in your skills, you can start drawing more complex human figures.

Check: UCEED Colleges 

Download Solved PYPs to Practice Drawing Questions

Practice Questions for Designing Sketches and Human Figures for UCEED

 Question1. Given the image of a Radhabai with a fish basket, draw two scenes of her (without a fish basket), one sweeping the floor with a broom, the second emptying a bucket of water onto the floor.

Question2. Ravi is a cycle mechanic who is attending to a bicycle puncture in front of his shop in the street. Draw a scene showing him working on the puncture.

Check:  UCEED Syllabus

Question3. Sketch the following with as many details as possible—no need to show the background.

• A drone in a public place.
• Mosquito liquid vaporizer machine
• Windmill 

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Question4. Given the sketch of Jack with his skateboards. Draw him in action - jumping in the air with one leg on the skateboard and another in the air. 

Check: UCEED Sketching Questions 2025

How to Solve Designing Sketches and Human Figures for UCEED

Here, we have listed three key strategies to solve UCEED designing sketches and human figures.

1. For any situation-based question, always keep the main subject focused. This means that the viewer's focus shall first fall on the main issue, then on the other elements present. 

2. Be smart while you draw. Prioritize the elements asked to draw in your question. Your first aim should be to outline what your question paper asks. Once you do justice to your primary subject, you can add more details as time permits.

3. Your first strategy should be to understand the question requirements, mentally imagine them, and plan a scene to be drawn. Quickly outline the stage with the subject under focus by minding line quality, the proportion of objects, and perspective. Once you are done, you should review your questions again and add more details wherever required.

Check:  Practice Drawing for the UCEED Exam

Conclusion

Designing sketches and human figures for UCEED is a crucial part of the exam, amounting to a third of your total marks. Acing this section in the UCEED exam can significantly impact your overall scores. In fact, in NID and NIFT too, this topic plays a crucial role as figures are part of other types of compositions. It is important to practice drawing human figures well.

Check: Enroll to Creative Edges UCEED Online Coaching