How to Draw a Fist

How to Draw a Fist

Hello and welcome!

If you’re new here, this is Anatomy of a Sketch, where I teach art tutorials all about the human form.

Today we will learn how to draw a fist from 4 different angles!

My goal is to teach you how to draw a fist easily, without making it confusing or hard to understand.

4 Easy ways to draw a fist

This post may contain sponsored content, ads, and promotional info. Click here to read my disclaimers.

Today we will be drawing a fist from both the inside view and the outside view,

as well as from a front view (knuckles forward),

and lastly, a raised fist.

Let’s get started with a couple of easy sketches!

How to Draw a Fist Step By Step

A closed fist is typically found in boxing and fighting poses. Closed, meaning the thumb is wrapped tightly over the first two knuckles.

how to draw a fist

Let’s look at how to draw a closed fist,

and learn how to draw a fist from the side, but precisely from the outside view.

View #1. Draw a fist from an outside view

In Step 1. below, we draw the fist as a box.

The wrist is a circle, with lines above and below.

In Step 2. we shade the front of the knuckles and draw a line in the center.

How to Draw a Fist step by step

This center line will be the outside edge of the fingers.

In Step 3. we draw a circle for the thumb and start outlining the underside of the fingers.

In Step 4. we will draw the front of the fingers and the knuckles,

as well as outline the rest of the fist.

In Step 5. below, you will notice the “X” inside of the pinky finger.

This helps give us a visual when drawing the creases in the skin.

How to Draw a Fist Step by Step

In Step 6. above, you can now see the start of the final linework,

and in step 7. We have our finished drawing. (Minus the purple sketch lines.)

View #2. Draw a fist from an inside view

Next, let’s look at drawing a fist from the opposite direction!

 

how to draw a fist

We will draw a fist from the side again, but this time we’re drawing it from the inside view.

Starting with step 1. we will draw a box again, this time with a long swooped line from knuckles to center.

How to draw a fist from the side

In step 2. we define the wrist and draw a circle for the thumb.

In step 3. we attach the line for the wrist and draw the underside of the thumb and front knuckles.

Below, we have steps 4-6.

Step 4. shows the highlighted outline of the fist.

In step 5. we begin sketching out the final linework, adding creases in the skin and darker lines.

How to draw a fist from the side

Step 6. shows us the final finished image!

View #3. Draw a fist from the front view

First, let’s look at the finished image.

The most prominent feature when drawing a punching hand, or fist bump, is the front of the fingers and the knuckles.

Fist Finished Image

Let’s go ahead and look at the steps:

Step One: Draw a Box

In step one, we will draw a box/square shape for the front of the fist.

Next, we will draw a triangular form on the side that wraps below for the thumb.

 

How to Draw a Fist

Step 2: Draw an outline that includes the knuckles

Next, let’s outline our image.

The pinky knuckle should be almost flat on top,

the next knuckle will have more of a rounded top,

the middle knuckle is somewhere between round and triangular,

and the first digit knuckle is typically round.

Step 3.

Next, let’s look at where the knuckles are:

Where to Draw Knuckles

It’s important to understand where knuckles are in the hand so that we can draw curves appropriately.

Step 4: Final rough outline

In this first image, you can see that my lines are a little hairy and that I still have sketch marks.

This is because I draw my images 2-3 times before I do my final linework.

Especially with hands, I really want to make sure I get each and every angle just right!

 

How to Draw a Fist

Step 5: Linework

Lastly, I finish my linework.

In this last image, you can see the thumbnail, creases in between the fingers, and the different skin folds in the palm and side of the hand.

View #4. How to draw a raised fist

Last but not least, let’s draw a raised fist!

This is my finished illustration,

How to draw a raised fist

Let’s look at the process below:

Step One: Draw a Square shape for the hand

how to draw a raised fist

Step Two: Outline the Palm and the Thumb

 

Draw the Palm and the Thumb

Step 3: Outline the fingers

 

How to Draw a Raised Fist

Step 4: Draw details and finish linework

Raised Fist

Notice the curves in the hand,

it doesn’t look completely flat on any side, and each knuckle is defined.

 

How to Draw a Raised Fist

Thank you for learning with me today!

If you have any questions, please leave them in the comment section below.

I read every comment, and try to answer back as quickly as possible.

If you are interested in furthering your art and illustration skills, even more, keep reading!

Want to learn how to illustrate in full color?

Sketching is so much fun and I LOVE linework!

But one of my favorite parts of being an illustrator is rendering my illustrations in full color.

If you want to learn EXACTLY how I illustrate, including shading, skin tone, airbrushing, and linework, subscribe to either my Champion or Hero tier on Patreon.

Patreon ad how to draw a fist

On Patreon, I post monthly FULL-COLOR tutorials for my Champion and Hero tiers!

These are so much fun, and Patrons are able to comment and ask questions as well as “like” posts and answer polls.

My Hero tier also receives a monthly vinyl sticker from me via snail mail!

These are such a big hit. Some of the ones we have done so far are Harley Quinn, Princess Leia, Aloy (Horizon Zero Dawn), and Jane Foster as the Mighty Thor.

(Featured below!)

Jane Foster Sticker

And if you are a Patron, we do take polls so you can help pick which stickers I send each month.

Join the fun at Patreon.com/LeahHarris

Thank you for reading this tutorial on how to draw a fist for beginners, and if you feel like you’ve gotten value from it please share this post!

Sharing posts like this really do help websites like this one to thrive and help creators like me to keep making content.

How to draw hands and fingers

Thank you for being here today and learning how to draw a fist with me!

Be sure to share this post if you found it helpful, and I will see you in the next lesson!

The following two tabs change content below.
Hi there! My name is Leah, and I am going to help you learn how to draw, and take your pictures to the next level. I have college-level experience with form drawing and multiple art classes under my belt that have helped me create these tutorials. Let's learn how to draw together!
0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
The following two tabs change content below.
Hi there! My name is Leah, and I am going to help you learn how to draw, and take your pictures to the next level. I have college-level experience with form drawing and multiple art classes under my belt that have helped me create these tutorials. Let's learn how to draw together!