Super Hero Figure Drawing

My fourth graders have recently reviewed portrait drawing with me.  I decided to review figure drawing as well.  I really try to encourage the students to investigate how the body works to create movements- how joints create the bends but bones can't bend.  To practice figure drawing I have them start by drawing a rectangle for the middle of the body and then attach circles for the joints and rectangles for the arm and leg bones.  This gets them to stop worrying about details and stay focused on the placement, alignment, and proportions of the body in different positions.  

This figure drawing practice was followed by a "design your own superhero" project.  The students had to create their character in a superhero pose and carefully draw and color both sides.  As a special surprise I hot glued capes to the figures with the students first initials on the back.  They look great in the case!