Day 18 // How to Draw Toes

Today we head down to the body’s southernmost extremities: the toes! The tutorial on this page covers both feet and toes, but, just like with fingers and hands, it’s important to spend some time observing and drawing the toes before drawing the feet.

Toes are essentially a stubby rounded shape with a nail. Not much too them, but you do need to understand the way them move to draw a convincing foot.

Minimal Depiction

Reference Photos

Here are some toe reference photos, but go out and find more of your own! Sites like Pexels, Pixabay, and Unsplash are great for free-to-use stock photography and I use them frequently for reference photos.

(click to enlarge)

Basic Elements

5 Digits:
1 big, 4 small

Toes form Arch

Toenails:
short & squat

Big Toe Up,
Little Toes Down

Toe Joints:
2 in big toe, 3 in little

Underside is Fleshy

Space between Big and 2nd Toe

MOVEMENT Elements

Bend at joints

Can splay out

Can curl under

Can point up and flex further when pressure is applied

Bend/scrunch up when weight is applied

Homework

You homework for today might overlap with tomorrow’s: feet. For today, observe the toes. Point out the basic elements on your own. Look for other details you might using in your drawings. Then try to draw a single toe, including the big toe and a little toe. Think about what the toes look like on the underside. Also draw all five toes together

Examples

(click to enlarge)

Keep researching, observing and learning! I’ve made a Pinterest board full of additional resources to help you learn more about drawing toes & feet.

This lesson is a part of a month-long series that will get you you familiar with the basics of drawing humans, and help you develop your own people-drawing style. To learn more, check out the People Skills Intro, or continue on to the next lesson below.