Hands crossed at chest level in a formal commander’s stance, this guide captures Erwin Smith at his most composed, and learning how to draw Erwin Smith means working through a full-body line art that rewards steady, deliberate linework. He is one of the most complex human figures in the Attack on Titan roster to sketch at full body scale.
What Makes This Full-Body Erwin Sketch Worth the Effort
The tutorial runs 14 steps from rough structure to finished line art, with no coloring stage, so all the focus stays on getting the proportions and gear details right. The ODM harness straps crossing the torso and legs add visual complexity that takes up most of the mid-stage steps. The formal pose with hands raised toward the chest creates a vertical, symmetrical composition that is easier to balance than action poses, but the gear detail work is where the real time goes.
Key Features of Erwin’s Design
- Short neat side-parted hair
- Stern, serious facial expression
- Military jacket with high collar and straps
- Tall knee-high boots with harness gear
- ODM harness straps across torso and legs
If you want to build out a full Survey Corps lineup, there are guides for Mikasa Ackerman’s face, Hange Zoe, and Eren in his half-titan form already on the site. Each one handles a different aspect of the series’ character design, so they work well as a set.
Understanding the Color Code in the Step Images
Each step image uses a three-color system to show exactly what to draw at each stage:
- Red Color: lines added in the current step.
- Black Color: lines completed earlier.
- Gray Color: base sketch for structure.
How to Draw Erwin Smith: Step-by-Step Tutorial
Finished Your Erwin? Show the Commander Some Respect
Once the linework is done, drop your finished drawing in the comments below. Seeing how different people handle the harness detail or the expression is genuinely useful for anyone still working through the steps. New tutorials go up on Facebook and Telegram as soon as they are published, a new YouTube video based on existing guides posts every single day, and Pinterest stays updated regularly too. If you enjoyed this guide and want to see more like it, including sketches of Eren Jaeger’s face or Eren’s full Titan form, consider supporting the project on Patreon, where unique hand-drawn coloring pages are available to supporters.