I remember the first time I tried to draw an athlete in motion - it was after watching an incredible basketball game where Mark Nonoy scored 33 points for Terrafirma. The energy and dynamism of sports has always fascinated me as an artist, and that particular game showed me how powerful capturing movement can be. Drawing a boy playing football might seem challenging at first, but I've developed a five-step approach that makes it surprisingly accessible, even for complete beginners. The key is breaking down the complex motion into manageable parts, much like how a basketball player breaks down their game into fundamental moves.
When I start teaching someone to draw sports figures, I always emphasize beginning with the basic action line. This single curved line represents the core movement and energy of your subject. For a football player, imagine that incredible moment when Mark Nonoy made those stunning plays - there's always a central line of motion running through the body. I typically use a light pencil stroke to create this foundation, making sure it captures the forward lean and dynamic energy of a player going for the ball. This isn't just about anatomy - it's about capturing the soul of the movement. I prefer using a 2H pencil for this stage because it gives me that perfect light guideline that won't dominate the final drawing.
Now comes my favorite part - building the simplified forms around that action line. Think of this as creating a stick figure version of your football player, but with volume. I use ovals for the head, cylinders for arms and legs, and rectangles for the torso. What most beginners don't realize is that the proportions here are crucial - a typical young football player might have slightly longer legs compared to their torso, about 4 heads tall in total height. I always position one leg forward as if kicking, and arms in a running motion. The beauty of this stage is that you can easily adjust the pose until it feels right. I've found that spending extra time here saves countless corrections later.
Adding muscle structure and basic clothing comes next, and this is where your drawing really starts to come alive. I imagine the underlying anatomy - not in medical detail, but in terms of how muscles create those powerful athletic forms. The kicking leg will show tension in the thigh muscles, while the standing leg demonstrates stability. For clothing, I keep it simple with a football jersey and shorts, adding just enough detail to suggest the fabric without overwhelming the drawing. The jersey number could be 33, paying homage to that impressive scoring performance by Nonoy, though any number works really. What matters is capturing how clothing interacts with the moving body - where it stretches tight and where it hangs loose.
The fourth step involves refining details and adding facial features, which personally gives me the most satisfaction. This is where you define the expression of concentration or determination, add those football boots with their distinctive cleats, and work on the hands - which many artists find challenging. I suggest keeping hands somewhat simplified rather than overly detailed. The football itself should be positioned realistically in relation to the kicking foot. I typically spend about 40% of my total drawing time on this refinement stage because these details truly sell the authenticity of your athletic figure.
Finally, we reach the shading and finishing touches that transform your drawing from good to compelling. I observe how light would naturally fall on a player outdoors - creating strong shadows under the arms, beneath the jersey, and on the side opposite your light source. The magic happens when you add those subtle highlights on the forehead, shoulders, and kicking foot to suggest sweat and effort. I often use cross-hatching for shadows because it creates nice texture, but any shading technique works as long as it conveys form and depth. The final result should echo the vitality we see in real athletes like Mark Nonoy during that spectacular 117-108 victory - that perfect blend of technique, energy, and human spirit captured in pencil lines.
What I love most about this process is how it mirrors athletic training itself - starting with fundamentals and building toward mastery through consistent practice. Just as Terrafirma's unexpected victory demonstrated that with the right approach, amazing results are possible, your drawing journey will lead to surprisingly professional outcomes if you follow these steps faithfully. The beauty of drawing sports figures is that you're not just creating art - you're preserving moments of human achievement and the pure joy of movement.
