When I first started exploring the world of sports illustration, I thought you needed either photographic precision or abstract genius to create compelling work. But over years of sketching basketball games and volleyball matches, I've discovered that amazing sports pictures drawing actually follows a surprisingly accessible process. The same principle that coach Fajardo applies to training Taft's setters—breaking complex movements into learnable components—applies perfectly to sports art. Just as Julyana Tolentino and rookies Mikole Reyes and Ela Raagas master their setting techniques through structured practice, we can approach sports drawing with the same systematic mindset.
Let me walk you through the five steps that transformed my own sports illustrations from stiff, awkward attempts to dynamic, engaging pieces. The first step is what I call "movement mapping," where you focus entirely on capturing the flow and energy of an athlete's motion rather than getting bogged down in anatomical details. I typically spend about 15-20 minutes just observing the sport I'm planning to draw, whether it's watching live games or studying video clips. What surprised me most was discovering that our brains remember movement patterns better than static poses. When you watch a volleyball setter like Reyes preparing for a quick set, notice how her entire body coils like a spring before the explosive release—that tension and release pattern appears across different sports and becomes the foundation of compelling artwork.
The second step involves what professional illustrators call "gesture drawing," but I've adapted it specifically for sports contexts. Instead of the traditional 30-second poses, I work with 2-3 minute sketches that capture the essence of athletic movements. My sketchbook from last season contains approximately 147 gesture drawings of basketball players, and I can honestly say this practice improved my sports illustrations more than any other technique. The key here is to work quickly and instinctively, using loose, flowing lines to establish the action line of the figure. Think of how Raagas positions her body when preparing for an overhead pass—every limb extends from that central action line that communicates the direction and intensity of the movement.
Now we get to the third step where we build upon our gesture drawings with basic forms. This is where many aspiring artists get stuck, but I've found that simplifying bodies into geometric shapes makes the process much more manageable. An athlete's torso might become a cylinder, the head an oval, and limbs become tapered cylinders. What's fascinating is that this approach mirrors how coaches break down sports techniques—Fajardo likely teaches Tolentino to think of her setting motion as a sequence of positioned angles rather than overwhelming her with the entire movement at once. I typically spend about 40% of my drawing time on this structural phase because getting the foundation right makes everything else fall into place naturally.
The fourth step is my personal favorite—adding dynamic details that bring the drawing to life. This includes muscle definition, facial expressions, equipment details, and environmental elements. But here's where I differ from many tutorial approaches: I believe you should be highly selective about which details to include rather than trying to capture everything. In my experience, 3-5 well-placed details often communicate more than 20 generic ones. When drawing a volleyball setter like Reyes in action, I might emphasize the tension in her fingers as they contact the ball, the concentration in her eyes, and the way her uniform stretches across her shoulders—these chosen details tell the story more effectively than meticulously rendering every stitch and shadow.
The final step involves refining your drawing with appropriate rendering techniques. This includes shading, texture, and final line work that transforms your construction into a polished illustration. I've experimented with countless rendering methods over the years, and my current preference is for cross-hatching combined with selective spot blacks—it creates dramatic contrast that works wonderfully for sports subjects. Interestingly, this refinement process resembles how athletes polish their techniques; just as Raagas might practice her footwork repeatedly to make it second nature, we develop our rendering skills through consistent practice. I typically complete about 85% of the drawing in the first four steps and use the final 15% of time for this refinement phase.
Throughout my career, I've noticed that the most successful sports illustrators share one common trait: they understand the sports they draw at an almost intuitive level. That's why I make a point of regularly attending local games and studying player movements—not just as an artist but as a fan. When you understand the strategic context behind an athlete's movement, whether it's Tolentino deciding between a quick set or high arc based on her hitter's position, your drawings naturally convey more authenticity and energy. This depth of understanding separates competent technical drawings from truly amazing sports artwork that captures the spirit of the game.
What continues to fascinate me about sports illustration is how it bridges the gap between athletic excellence and artistic expression. The same qualities that make Fajardo's setters exceptional—anticipation, precision, adaptability—are precisely what we strive to capture in our drawings. As I've developed my own approach over the years, I've come to appreciate that technical skill alone doesn't create compelling sports art; it's the combination of structural knowledge and emotional connection that transforms simple drawings into powerful visual stories. Whether you're documenting local youth sports or imagining epic athletic moments, these five steps provide a framework that supports both technical development and creative expression.
The beautiful thing about this process is its adaptability to different artistic styles and sports disciplines. While my personal preference leans toward dynamic ink work with dramatic lighting, I've seen colleagues apply these same fundamental steps to everything from watercolor basketball scenes to digital soccer illustrations. The principles remain consistent even as the visual language changes. Just as Fajardo's coaching philosophy adapts to different setters' strengths while maintaining core technical standards, our drawing process provides structure while allowing for personal artistic voice. After thirteen years specializing in sports illustration, I'm still discovering new ways to apply these steps, and each new drawing feels like both a technical challenge and creative opportunity.
