35 Sitting Poses for Drawing & Content Creation

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Plus, tips for photographing and drawing sitting poses

Co-authored by Marcus Pruitt, BS

Last Updated: March 24, 2026 Fact Checked

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Sitting Poses for Photos

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Sitting Poses for Drawing

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Photography Tips

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Drawing Tips

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When it comes to finding the perfect sitting pose, whether it be for content creation, drawing, or something else, things can feel a bit difficult. Where do the legs go? How do the knees bend? Where the heck are you supposed to put the hands? If you find yourself asking these questions, you’ve come to the right place, as we give you a list of 30+ sitting poses to refer to in drawing and photos. We also give you tips on achieving them in both mediums, so read on for more!

Best Sitting Poses for References

Some of the best sitting poses for references are:

Knees to the Side: Lay the knees off to the side or sit on them as you sit up straight.
Sitting on a Throne: Bend the knees and place the hand on the face.
Crossed Ankles/Ankle Lock: Cross the feet at the ankles.
Sitting on a Corner Edge: Sit on the edge of a corner with a gap in the legs at the corner.

Section 1 of 4:

Sitting Poses for Photos

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Have your photographer pull back a bit and capture the environment with you in it, rather than making you the only focus on the shot. Not only will this help frame you, but it will also provide your followers with something to look at in the background, which can keep them on your post for longer.
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Sitting Pretty For this pose, position your body to the side and look at the camera to show your side profile, cross your feet at the ankles, and softly rest your arms in your lap. This will help show off the outfit while also letting your face do the talking, really showing how pretty you sit.^{[1]
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Perched on the Edge of the Chair Sit perched on the edge of your chair for a casual position that shows your audience how chill you are. Consider leaning one arm on the table or bar if you need something to do with your hands. Alternatively, keep them in your pockets to really commit to the casual vibe.
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Head Turned in the City All you have to do is sit on a bench or couch that’s overlooking the skyline as you turn your head and gently stretch your arm out behind you for support. If you really want to capture the city feel, shoot in a populated area, like a bus stop or sidewalk.
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Crossed Legs This is a simple, timeless look for when you’re sitting down. All you have to do is cross one leg over the other and confidently look at the camera. It’s a great pose for when you want to show off parts of your outfit, or if you’re just looking to exude elegance.
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Grounded For this pose, you simply have to sit in a chair as you grab onto the cushion and touch your feet to the floor. It may feel a bit awkward at first, but it’ll keep you grounded and make it look like you’re really intentional about how you look, especially if you pair it with a fierce, confident look.
- Place the hand that’s not holding the chair onto your knee.
- Sit with your back straight as you ground.
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Leaning Back If you’re sitting near a wall, slightly lean back against it as you stretch your legs out. For a cool, confident pose, bend one knee upward and rest your arm on it as you look at the camera. You can take the photo from your front or side profile, whichever you prefer.
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Leaning Forward This works best if you’re sitting in a chair or a barstool. To pull the pose off, perch on the edge of the chair and open your legs so your knees are shoulder width apart. Then, lean forward and put your hands on your knees as you look into the camera.
- If you want a little bit more of a bratty look, bend your arms, put your elbows on your knees, and hold your head as you make a soft pout at the camera.
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The Pretzel This pose is pretty simple, even though it requires you to move your legs a little bit. All you have to do is bend one of your knees inward so you’re sitting on it, then cross the other leg so it’s over the bent knee. It’s perfect if you need a dynamic look to spice up your feed.
- You may want to stretch your legs before trying to pull this pose off.
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Sitting in a Stairway This is a great pose if you’re trying to take a photo with depth and contrast. Find the nearest stairway and sit on some of the stairs. If it’s a small stairway, sit on the top of the stairs and have your photographer shoot from the bottom. If the stairway is large, sit in the middle of the stairs and have your photographer shoot from the bottom.
- This pose also offers a lot of versatility. You can stretch your legs onto the stairs in front of you to show off your pants and shoes, or you can sit with your knees bent as you stare at the camera to show the face card.
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Sitting on the Curb This is another pose that works well in the city. All you have to do is find the curb of a somewhat busy street, sit on the curb with your legs stretched out and a slight bend in your knees, then look at the camera. For the best results, have your photographer shoot you from the side.
- If you have an accessory like a purse or satchel, make sure it’s on the side your photographer’s shooting from.
- Make sure the street isn’t so busy that you’re at risk of getting hit when you sit on the curb.
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Sitting on a Corner Edge This is a great pose if you want to show off your shoes or accessories. All you need to do is find the corner edge of a building, table, or counter, and sit on it. Open your legs a bit so there’s a gap where the corner is, then look slightly off to the side as you flex your fit.
- If you’d prefer showing off the face card, put your arms on the corner’s edge and slightly lean over as you look at the camera.
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Set Up for a Picnic This one requires a little prep time, but it’s perfect if you’re trying to get some lifestyle content. Head out to your favorite park with all the goods you need for a picnic. Lay the blanket down, prep the basket so it looks nice, and pour some glasses of wine if you’re feeling fancy, then lay down with your arms behind you as support and take a pic. Then, dig in!
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Mirror Selfie If you’re at a yoga session or in the gym and your workout’s got you on the floor (or you’re just in an area with a mirror in it and want to sit down), pull out your phone for a classic mirror selfie. Stretch your legs out with a knee slightly bent, then lean on your non-dominant arm as you turn towards the mirror and take the selfie.
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Let Me Take a Selfie Get a little meta and take a selfie while a photographer is taking a picture of you. The background can be whatever vibe you’re going for, as long as you’ve got a chair to sit in. You can post up at a restaurant if you’re a foodie, or head to a library if you want to show your studious side. Just hold your phone up high and take a selfie as your photographer snaps the shot.
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Knees to the Side Having your knees off to the side as you pose is a great way to show your poise without being too stiff. Simply lay your knees off to your side or sit on them as you sit with your back straight. Put your arms in your lap as you look at the camera for a fierce look, or put them on your head as you smile to show off your outfit.
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Hugging Your Knee Bring your knee close to your face and tightly wrap your arm around it to achieve this pose. It’s a great look if you want to show off your innocent side, especially if you’ve got big expressive eyes, as they’ll look into the heart of your audience.
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The Thinker Put your hand or fist to your chin, bend your knees a bit, adopt a stoic, contemplating look, and position your body to the side to pull off this intellectual pose. Based off of the famous sculpture by Auguste Rodin, this pose is iconic and will instantly give off a recognizable look.
- Rest your free hand on one of your knees to complete the pose.
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Side Shot For this shot, just go about your business as you have a photographer snap you from the side for a candid shot. Just make sure you’ve got a straight back and are showing off all the good parts of your fit, whether that be by crossing your legs or looking at the camera to show off your new sunglasses.
- For a more intentional look, have your photographer shoot you from the side as you look into the camera.
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Cozied Up in Bed Grab a mug of coffee or cozy up underneath the blankets as you have your photographer take a photo from the bottom of the bed. This one’s great if you’re trying to get into the Christmas spirit or show off your love for coffee, and all you have to do is curl up as you would in bed (with your back straight and your face giving, of course).

Section 2 of 4:

Sitting Poses to Use as Drawing References

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Sitting on a Throne If you’ve got a ruler in your story (or someone so strong that they can rule over everyone else if they chose), draw them sitting on a throne as they hold their head. If they’re the serious type, draw them with a grimace and their knees apart. If they’re a bit more sadistic, draw them with their legs crossed as they menacingly smile.
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The Ankle Lock This is a simple sitting pose where the legs are crossed at the ankles and the arms are resting on the chair. It shows that the person you’re drawing is relaxed, but ready to have a conversation, as they’re sitting up straight and looking at the person or subject across from them.
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Slouched Gamer This pose is most often seen behind a TV screen or monitor and with a controller in-hand. The legs are poked out and bent at the knees, while the back and neck are curled into the chair. While this is certainly a comfortable position, it also shows that your character is a real game-head who's used to cozy seats.
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Curled From the Side For this pose, you flip your subject on their head (or back, rather) and have them curl in a chair or couch from the side, rather than how they’d usually sit. Their legs are bent over one arm of the chair, while the other is used to support their upper back and neck.
- This is a great pose to use if your character is exhausted or casually contemplating.
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Inverted in the Chair Whether you have a teenager in your story or are just trying to express your main character’s childish side, this is a great pose to use for more childish characters. It shows that they’re going against the grain, and it’s simple to draw! Just draw their knees bent at the top of the chair, their back on the cushion, and their hair hanging off the front.
- To really show their childish side, have your character texting or playing on a handheld device.
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Crouched & Holding Their Head Show your character in all of their glory by drawing them crouching and holding their head from behind. This pose can show relaxation, studious intent, or just be used to give off a lot of aura, depending on what the story calls for. All you have to do is draw them with their knees bent as they look forward and hold their head from behind with bent arms.
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Crouched & Holding Their Knees To show your character in a more innocent or frightened light, draw them crouched over as they hold their knees tightly in their arms. Give them a fearful look on their face and position them in the corner to really sell the fact that they’re frightened.
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Criss-Cross Applesauce The criss-cross applesauce is a classic pose that we’ve all done at one point or another. To pull this off on paper (or pad), draw your character with their legs bent and crossed like two opposite-facing sideways V’s (<>). Draw one foot underneath the other to show the cross, and make sure your character’s sitting up straight.
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Resting on their Bent Knees This is a great pose if you’re trying to show that someone is relaxed or eager without making them over excited. It’s one of the more difficult poses to pull off, as the knees are bent while the upper body isn’t, but if you can get those legs down, you’re all good.
- Draw the knees bent, the body straight, and the arms either in the character’s lap or bent and holding something.
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Sitting on a Broomstick Do you have a witch or mysterious magical figure in your story? Draw them sitting on a broomstick with their knees bent, the stick sideways, the broom behind them, and their arms holding onto the stick.
- This pose is typically used for witches, but if you’ve got someone in your story who flies on a magical broomstick (or just likes sitting on them), it’s perfect for them, as well!
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Resting on a Wall Whether your character just finished up a crazy battle or they’re just trying to aura farm, drawing them as they rest on a wall is a great way to show them off in all their glory. Draw them from the side with their back against the wall, one or both of their knees bent upward, and their arm(s) resting on said knees.
- Depending on what your character’s feeling at the moment, you may want to draw them with a tired or stoic look.
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Seriously Hunched Over When you need a powerful moment to show that your character’s not messing around, draw them hunched over in a chair with their arms resting on their knees as they look directly at the person in front of them. Give them an angry grimace to really show that they’re not playing games.
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Sadly Hunched Over A hunched over pose doesn’t just have to be serious. If you have a moment where your character is sad about something, draw them hunched over in a chair as they look at the floor with a sad look on their face. Draw their arms limply sitting on their knees or holding up their face as they try to hold back tears, whatever the situation calls for.
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Sipping Their Mug Use this pose as an introduction to a mysterious character, like a love interest or future best friend. Draw them from the side as they sit in a tall barstool with their legs resting on a support bar beneath. For their upper half, show their bent dominant arm holding a mug that covers a part of their face as they sip from it.
- Draw their free arm resting in their lap or holding their phone as they scroll.
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Laid Back with Their Hands Holding Their Head This is a classic comfy pose. Bent arms, hands stacked together as they hold the head, and a bent lower half that shows how cozy your character is. Not only that, but it also shows that your character has no care in the world, so it’s useful for moments when you want to show confidence, peace, and/or stability.

Section 3 of 4:

Tips for Taking Sitting Photos

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Don’t be afraid to move your legs. When you’re sitting down, your legs are one of the most prominent parts of the photo, so don’t be afraid to experiment with them! Stretch one of them out, bend the other one, sit criss-cross applesauce, whatever you need to do to get your legs moving. Not only will it make the photo more dynamic, but it’ll give off a more natural look, too!^{[2]
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Sit on the edge of your chair. It’s normal to want to slouch back and lounge, but that doesn’t always make for the best photo. Instead, sit on the edge of your chair and straighten your back. It’ll make you look much more demanding, even if you’re the cool, kind type.
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Take photos from different heights and angles. Experimenting with heights and angles helps spice up your shots, rather than keeping them at one level. Try a few shots from a lower height and a few from a higher height and see what you like about them. Who knows, you may end up discovering your new signature pose!^{[3]
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Bring props to spice up your photos. Sometimes, you just don’t know what to do with your hands. To solve this problem (and spice up your photos), bring an item that matches the vibe you’re going for. For example, if you’re taking a photo sitting outside of a cafe, hold a coffee cup to match the environment and give your hands something to do.

Section 4 of 4:

Tips for Drawing Sitting Poses

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Practice drawing real-life sitting poses regularly. Award-winning artist and strategic creative consultant Claire Wentzel says, “The best way to improve your drawing is to do it. Drawing from life is the best training.” Ask a friend to hold short sitting poses for 30 seconds to three minutes and practice drawing them until you get the hang of things.^{[4]
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Claire Wentzel
Award-Winning Artist and Strategic Creative Consultant

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- Wentzel says you can also draw people in public sitting at a cafe or park. The world is your reference!^{[5]
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  Claire Wentzel
  Award-Winning Artist and Strategic Creative Consultant
  
  Expert Interview}
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Do pencil sketches before committing to the full drawing. Drawing is full of mistakes, but that’s okay! Artist Mark Weiser says, “Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Do a pencil sketch first [so] you get your proportions correct.”^{[6]
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Mark Weiser
Artist

Expert Interview} Once you’re satisfied with your sketch, go over it in ink to finalize it.
- If you make any mistakes when you’re sketching, simply erase and try again!
Rather than trying to tackle the entire body in all of its detail, start with a stick figure sitting in the pose you’re trying to recreate. It’ll give you a guide for how the final drawing will look like, which you can then build around until you get the pose down.^{[7]
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