If you’re looking for a tool to level up your anatomy drawing skills, a poseable drawing mannequin is what you’re looking for!
Being able to get the exact pose you want and allowing you to see close-up details of the human form is a great way to improve at drawing figures.
But there are so many different mannequins to choose from! Which one should you get?
Well, here are my recommendations for the best drawing mannequin you can get!
| Drawing Mannequin | Best For | Rating | Purchase Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bandai – Body Kun And Body Chan | Dynamic Posing | 5/5 ⭐ | Check The Body Kun Here |
| TAMASHII NATIONS Body Chan – Wireframe | Mastering Proportions | 4/5 ⭐ | Check The Wireframe Body Chan Here |
| Female Anatomy Figure By 3dtotal | Realistic Detailing | 5/5 ⭐ | Check 3dtotal’s Female Anatomy Figure Here |
| AbbonyDuo’s Body Kun + Body Chan Set | Drawing Couples | 4/5 ⭐ | Check AbbonyDuo’s Set Here |
| 3 Pieces Artist Wooden Mannequin | Beginner Artists | 3.5/5 ⭐ | Check 3 Pieces Artist Wooden Mannequin Here |
| EXTRA: Global-Dental Anatomy Head | Realistic Head Drawings | 4.5/5 ⭐ | Check Global-Dental’s Anatomy Head Here |
| EXTRA: Mini Skull Model | Head Structure Practice | 4/5 ⭐ | Check The Mini Skull Model Here |
| EXTRA: HSOMiD Flexible Wooden Hand Manikin | Mastering Drawing Hands | 5/5 ⭐ | Check The HSOMiD Wooden Hand Manikin Here |
The Best Drawing Mannequins For Artists
From simple to complex, from cheap to expensive, there are many different drawing mannequins for artists available to buy!
So let’s go over each one I recommend and its features.
Bandai – Body Kun And Body Chan
One of the best quality drawing mannequins you can get is Bandai’s Body Kun.
These are the perfect size to pose and reference, and the best part is that the Body Kun is very sturdy! So when you set it up in the pose you want, it won’t move or jiggle around, which may happen with cheaper artist mannequins.
Not only that, but this figure also includes several pairs of hands, a laptop, and other accessories that you can use on your poses.
It can look like a novelty, but they are very helpful and versatile!
They are a bit on the pricey side though, but if you’ve got the budget, these are poseable mannequins that will last you a lifetime. These are the best body kun and body chan you can get.
The “Body Kun” is for the male version of the drawing figure, while the “Body Chan” is for the Female version of the mannequin.
So choose the one you like the most (or better yet, get both!) and have fun with drawing new poses.
Features:
- Includes Accessories (Gun, Sword, Pen, Laptop, etc)
- Sturdy Figure
- Includes A Base
- About 6 inches Tall
Rating: 5/5 ⭐
Check Bandai’s Body Kun (Male Version) mannequin here!
Or click here for Bandai’s Body Chan (Female Version).
TAMASHII NATIONS Body Chan – Wireframe
If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to the previous body kun and body chan, this is the pick for you!
Perfect for artists that want to capture the 3-dimensionality of a pose, and want some extra guidance with proportions, this poseable mannequin has a “wireframe” throughout the body.
This will let you map out each proportion of the pose you’re drawing, and help you create more life-like art!
As before, you can get the female version (Body Chan) and the male version (Body Kun) both in this wireframe style.
This also includes a minibook with tips and techniques by the Pokemon card illustrator Naoki Saito, which is a beautiful (and helpful) bonus!
And it features some limiters in the joints so you don’t end up with unnatural and “broken” poses.
Features:
- Wireframe To Help With Proportions And Posing
- Includes Tips And Techniques Book by Naoki Saito
- Very Articulative Mannequin
- Has Limiters In The Joints To Prevent Weird Poses
Rating: 4/5 ⭐
Check the Wireframe Body Chan here (Female Version)
And click here for the Body Kun (Male Version)
Female Anatomy Figure By 3dtotal
One of the most realistic figures on this list, the Anatomy Figures by 3dtotal are a joy to have and use!
Especially if you’re drawing in a more realistic style.
The proportions are very realistic, the mannequin itself is sturdy, and it includes half of the figure seen from the outside and the other part as if the body was “dissected”.
This can be super helpful to understand better how the muscles and bones should be drawn, so if you’re practicing drawing anatomy, this is the anatomy figure to get!
There are both a Female Anatomy Figure as well as a Male Anatomy Figure available (out of stock currently).
Do keep in mind that these tend to be out of stock quite often! So if you manage to see one in stock, GRAB THEM!
Features:
- Realistic Look
- Half “Dissected”
- Very Detailed
- Sturdy
- Out of Stock Often
Rating: 5/5 ⭐
Check the Female Anatomy Figure by 3dtotal here!
Alternatively, check the Aphrodite Human Anatomical Model.
AbbonyDuo’s Body Kun + Body Chan Set
If you’re on a narrow budget but still want a body kun, I recommend you get the AbbonyDuo’s Body Kun and Body Chan set!
This is a set of two posable mannequins (one body kun and one body chan) that are especially helpful if you’re drawing couples poses.
Or even if you just tend to draw both male and female figures separately, these are great to have at hand!
The price is quite cheaper than the previous poseable figures though, so you have to be extra careful when posing them.
With that said, this is a bargain for what you get!
You also receive several different accessories to add to your male and female figure and pedestal support, so they stay in place.
Features:
- Two Figures For A Great Price!
- Perfect For Couples Poses
- Includes Accessories
- Includes Pedestal Support
- 6 Inches Tall
- Slightly Weaker Material
Rating: 4/5 ⭐
Check the AbbonyDuo’s Body Kun + Body Chan Set here!
3 Pieces Artist Wooden Mannequin
There’s nothing like the classic wooden mannequin!
But this isn’t a posable mannequin like the rest, this is a pack of 3 different-sized ones that you can use for different proportions.
This is very handy since you can try different styles of drawing figures, as well as keep the proportions in mind whenever you’re drawing people of different ages.
The Wooden Manikin Pack includes:
- 12 inches Figure
- 8 Inches Figure
- 5.5 Inches Figure
All for just one price!
These can be a bit more “abstract” than the previous posable mannequins, but if you’re an artist that grew up with one of these (or you just want a set of budget wooden mannequins) this is the pack for you!
Features:
- Includes 3 Wooden Mannequins
- Highly Poseable
- Flexible Joints
- Lasts You A Lifetime
- Includes Stands
Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐
Get The Wooden Mannequin Set here!
EXTRA: Global-Dental Anatomy Head
Made with material resin, the global-dental anatomy head is an excellent purchase for portrait artists and general artists that want to learn more about head anatomy!
With so many details and a very sturdy feel, this (slightly) small anatomy head is a great tool to have at your desk.
Many sculptors and wood carvers also praise this anatomical head, since it lets them see different sides of the face in detail.
Get this one if you want to focus on drawing more realistic looking heads!
Features:
- Highly Detailed Head Anatomy
- Good Weight
- Sturdy Material
- Great For Sculptors, Portrait Artists, Wood Carvers
- A Bit Small
Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐
Check the Global-Dental Anatomy Head here.
With very durable PVC plastic, this tiny skull has all the details you need to practice your skull drawing skills.
This can not only help you improve at drawing the head by learning its structure, but also allows you to practice drawing some skulls in your art.
Maybe you want to try drawing some tattoo-styled skulls? Or draw some skeletons?
This is the skull you want to get!
Also, some people even use this as decoration! It looks that good.
Do keep in mind that this is pretty tiny (it fits in the palm of your hand), but for the price, it’s a no-brainer.
Features:
- Springable Jaw
- Removable Top Of Skull
- Highly Detailed
- Fits In Your Hand
Rating: 4/5 ⭐
Get the Mini Skull Model here!
EXTRA: HSOMiD Flexible Wooden Hand Manikin
If you’re an artist trying to improve at drawing hands, having a flexible wooden hand manikin is very HANDY (get it? ha…ha..).
This poseable artist mannequin has every joint that you need to get any pose you want.
You can change each finger and knuckle as you want, and have that manikin to reference right in front of you at all times!
This is also pretty cheap and lasts a long time, so I recommend every artist to get one!
And if you’d like to get some tips on drawing hands, check out this article.
Features:
- Easily Rotatable Joints
- Sturdy Hand Model
- Excellent Gift For Art Students
- Great Price
Rating: 5/5 ⭐
Get the HSOMiD Flexible Wooden Hand Manikin here!
Related Questions
Let’s now go over some related questions to using a drawing mannequin and other poseable anatomy figures.
What Are Drawing Mannequins Called?
Drawing mannequins are called drawing figures for artists, poseable mannequins, a drawing reference doll or even manikins for drawing!
These are basically the same, people just use different terms to describe a physical figure that you can use to help you draw different poses.
Do Mannequins Help With Drawing?
Mannequins are a great tool to help with drawing! They allow you to learn perspective, proportion and study anatomy much easier.
Check below to see how I use an artist mannequin.
Some of the best posable art mannequins also include details such as realistic muscles, bones and skeletons.
I recommend every artist to at least try using a poseable anatomy figure, check if a friend of yours has one and borrow it for a while!
You’ll see how much a drawing mannequin can help you improve quickly.
Why You Should Use a Mannequin
The most important reason for using a drawing mannequin is the 3-dimensionality!
If you’re looking for reference images only, you can never see the whole figure.
Sometimes this might be a problem. By not seeing the body in 3D, you will have a harder time understanding the perspective, foreshortening, shading, and much more.
Even if you’re using reference images to help you (as you should!) you can always have a mannequin at your side as an extra tool.
You look up your reference, you start drawing what you see, is there some doubt on how to draw this arm? How does it behave when it moves that way?
That’s when you look for your mannequin and study and clear up your doubts.
Another great advantage is that you’re not as dependable of what you can find.
Sometimes you want a specific pose, or the sitting poses you’ve encountered so far aren’t exactly what you had in mind.
Well then, no problem! You just get your figure, move it around, try out different poses until you get to the one you’re looking for.
If the Internet can’t provide what you want with sitting pose references, for example, you can make it yourself!
Usually, these figurines are made in grey tones, except the wooden ones. Which is very helpful to check the lighting and shading better.
So whenever you’re in doubt about how do shadows behave depending on this or that light source, you can quickly check it and then paint it on your drawing.
Check my other Recommended Tools here!
And if you’re looking for some drawing tips, check out my 7 Best Anatomy Drawing Tips For Beginner Artists article here!