The Bean Tutorial

“The Bean” for Gesture Drawing

Simplify your figure sketches with the bean technique. A quick and powerful way to show torso volume and pose dynamics from the first line.

In this tutorial, I breakdown how the bean can:

• Show twists, leans, stretches, and torso motion
• Represent core anatomy landmarks like pecs, traps, abs & joints
• Set a strong foundation that supports both speed and detail
• Help you finish a readable gesture even under time pressure

Whether you’re sketching fast poses or building anatomy with intention, using the bean gives your gestures structure and storytelling power.

Watch the demo, try it out, and see how a simple shape can transform your drawings.

Originally recorded for my Patreon community and now available to all aspiring artists on Gumroad.