Before I tore down all the classes (now being re-built) at sproutmeansgrow.org after what happened, my first completed class that I taught was Drawing for Beginners. I’ll be rebuilding and relaunching that soon but that’s not what this post is about. This post is about various places for finding human figure models to use in addition to the little manikin (that links to Michael’s where they have a small manikin for $4.99 and two larger sizes, both for … I think it was $9.99 … I had to call because their website doesn’t have prices) on your desk.
I found the resources below this morning during a search inspired by BioDigitalHuman (read my gushing review).
The Models
These are the various types of models. Some are poseable, some not. Some are simple, others overflow with features.
Pose Maniacs
PoseManiacs.com provides ready made poses available via:
- “Searchable” Gallery where you can select a pose using filters for angle, bodybuilding, gender, child, type of pose (dancing, fighting, sitting, running, etc.), face, full, model, and pair.
- Random Pose Viewer
- Negative Space Drawing – rough, bitmap silhouettes
- iPod and iPhone apps
- Widgets (coming soon)
- 30 Second Drawing (random and timed)
Life Drawing Lesson 1: Gesture
A free lesson from Rebecca Alzofon of Academic Figure Workshops. Don’t be put off by the pixelated appearance of the animation – detail isn’t the point. This is another timed exercise with a full human body and, then, just the skeleton. They go really fast – this is an exercise where you’re just supposed to draw what are called “gesture” lines.
Two Über Cool Drawing Lessons Using Stick Figures
- Anatomy of a Stick Figure (completely, unassailably* awesome)
- Figure Drawing: Basic Pose and Construction
*John Cusack said it in High Fidelity, that makes it a word.
Buy Manikins at Amazon
June 26, 2013 update: No! Don’t! As it turns out, they’re way cheaper at your local Michael’s.
Excellence In eLearning 
This is great, I never even thought to check for something like this. Thanks!