Tips to Draw Sketches and Human Figures for UCEED
Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design 2026 ( UCEED )
Exam On - 18 Jan '26
Part B of the UCEED 2026 question paper will include a sketching-based question of 50 marks. Here we bring you tips to brace up your skills to make picture-prefect sketches and human figures.
To do well in Part B, among other things, it is important that the candidate knows how to make design sketches and human figures that stand out.
In this article, we take you through a step-by-step process to upskill your sketching skills. Keep reading.
- Tips to remember when making sketches of Human Figures
- Stationery required for attempting UCEED 2026 Sketching question
- UCEED 2026 Exam Pattern and Syllabus
- Part B of UCEED 2026 Pattern
- UCEED 2026 Application Process
Tips to remember when making sketches of Human Figures
To make effective sketches and human figures, learn to observe and study the subject you want to draw. This can include taking note of the proportions, posture, facial features, and other details of the subject at hand.
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Some tips that the candidate can use to improve their sketching and human figure drawing abilities.
- Start with simple shapes: The saying goes that little drops of water make the big ocean. Likewise, you need to focus on the subject in simple shapes - circles, rectangles, and triangles. This will help you easily get a sense of their proportions and the layout.
- Practice like there is no tomorrow: There is no alternative to hard work and practice sessions. As you practice more and more, you will get better at sketching and drawing human figures. In the initial stages, you can start with simple exercises like drawing the human body in different poses and from different angles. Once you get better, you can take up more complex topics.
- Learn the ins and outs of anatomy: Without a proper understanding of anatomy, your sketch of the human body may not appear realistic, even though you achieve some degree of accuracy. But if you study up on bones, muscles, and other attributes of the human anatomy, your drawing skills can grow leaps and bounds.
- Take the help of reference images: Using reference images can help you draw more accurately. The reference item may be a photograph or a real-life model.
- Take note that proportions matter: If you get your proportions wrong, the sketch will be useless. For instance, if you make the neck too long and the torso too short, it will create a very abnormal sketch of a human being. Likewise, if you are making a sketch of a marketplace, and the various characters and features are out of proportion, it will not only look sketchy and unappealing but also bring into question your understanding of proportion.
- Practice sample papers - Download the previous year's UCEED question papers and practice them. You also need to solve sample papers and solve the sketching questions included in them.
Please note that sketching and drawing human figures takes time and practice before you can master the skill. So, even if you fail in your early efforts, the mantra is not to get discouraged but to keep chugging along. With enough practice, you will definitely get better.
UCEED 2026 exam will be conducted for a duration of 3 hours from 9 am - 12 noon. On the day of exam, candidate needs to report at the exam centre at least 2 hours before exam commences. Candidate will have to report at 7 am. No candidate will be allowed entry inside the exam hall once the exam commences. So, the candidate must be punctual about reaching the UCEED 2026 exam venue.
The counseling process for UCEED 2026 will be conducted as a Joint Seat Allotment process. To participate in the counseling, the candidate must have qualified UCEED 2026 and assigned a merit rank in the UCEED 2024 exam. If the candidate doesn’t have a merit rank, he or she is not eligible to participate the counseling-cum-seat allotment process.
The Joint Seat Allotment process for UCEED 2026 will be conducted in an online mode. A total of five institutes will participate in the counseling process. Seat allotment during counseling will be as per the merit rank of the candidate in UCEED 2026 and choices selected at the time of counseling registration.
Also, the seat allotemt will be conducted in five rounds.
Stationery required for attempting UCEED 2026 Sketching question
The candidate will need the following stationery items to attempt the sketching question included in Part B.
- Pens
- Pencils
- Sketch pens
- Colors
Note that these items will not be provided to the candidate inside the exam hall.
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UCEED 2026 Exam Pattern and Syllabus
There is no change in UCEED syllabus. As per the brochure, the UCEED syllabus for 2026 remains unchanged from previous year.
Part A will test candidates on visualization and spatial ability, practical and scientific knowledge, observation and design sensitivity, environment and society, analytical and logical reasoning, language and creativity, and design thinking and problem-solving. These areas aim to measure not only a candidate’s technical skills but also their ability to think creatively.
Part B of UCCED exam checks on drawing skills, creativity, and communication. In this, candidates are expected to produce drawings that demonstrate originality, proportion, perspective, and composition while effectively communicating ideas.
The syllabus for UCEED 2026 Part A is as follows.
| Topics |
Description |
|---|---|
| Visualization and spatial reasoning |
Ability to visualize and transform 2D shapes and 3D objects and their spatial relationships. |
| Practical and scientific knowledge |
Capacity to detect concealed properties in day-to-day life and think critically about them. Attention to detail, classification, analysis, inference, and prediction. |
| Observation and design sensitivity |
General awareness of environmental, social and cultural connections with design. |
| Environment and society |
General awareness of environmental, social and cultural connections with design. |
| Analytical and logical reasoning |
Ability to analyse qualitative and quantitative information. |
| Language |
Proficiency in reading and comprehending Standard English |
| Creativity |
Grasp of verbal and non-verbal analogies, metaphors, signs and symbols. |
Part B will have questions on the following.
| Topics |
Description |
|---|---|
| Drawing |
Ability to draw products, people or scenes in proportion with good line quality, composition, proportion, perspective, and shading. |
| Design aptitude |
Capability to practically and appropriately respond to problems/situations with ingenuity and empathy. |
UCEED 2026 Exam Pattern
The exam pattern of UCEED 2026 Part A (2 hours) entrance exam is
| Section | Type of Questions | Number of Questions | Marks for Correct Answer | Marks for Wrong Answer | Marks for Question Not Attempted | Total Marks for the Section |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Numerical Answer Type (NAT) | 14 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 56 |
| 2 | Multiple Select Question (MSQ) | 15 | Partial Marking (as detailed in Section 2 above) | -1 | 0 | 60 |
| 3 | Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) | 28 | 3 | -0.71 | 0 | 84 |
| Total | 57 | 200 |
To do well in UCEED 2026 exam, improve these skills: Improve your drawing skills - Practice free-hand drawing. Use 2 grades of pencil - H-grade to do rough work and B to do quick sketch and shading. Work on improving your creativity and be innovative Solve previous years question papers to improve problem-solving and time-management skills. Understand the basic concept of drawing, and learn various forms of drawing - composition, proportion, line drawing, etc. Taking mock tests will help the candidate get an idea as to how much time it takes to solve a section or question.
Only such candidates who belong to the PwD category are allowed to use the services of a scribe. The candidate can use scribe services only for Part A. However, using the services of a scribe is not allowed for Part B. It is because Part B of the question paper is used to evaluate the candidates drawing skill. The candidate can select their category (PwD in this case) at the time of filling out the UCEED 2026 application form. In case of candidates belonging to any other category than PwD, scribe services is not allowed.
You should bring pens, pencils, sketch pens and colours for UCEED examination. You are not allowed to bring any electronic devices like mobile phones, smart phones, digital/smart watches, calculators, and tablets.
Part B of UCEED 2026 Pattern
UCEED Part B will be of 1 hours and will be of 100 marks.
| Part-B (1 hour) | Type of Question | Number of Questions | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sketching | 1 | 50 | |
| Design Aptitude | 1 | 50 |
UCEED 2026 Application Process
As part of the registration process, the candidate needs to fill in their phone number, email ID, and other details. Upon registration, the candidate can fill in the form, upload documents, and pay the application fee.
Following is the registration fee structure for UCEED 2026
| Indian Nationals | Female Candidates (all categories) | ₹ 2000 |
| SC, ST, PwD Candidates | ₹ 2000 | |
| All Other Candidates | ₹ 4000 | |
| Foreign Nationals (holders of OCI/PIO cards issued BEFORE 4th March 2021) |
Female Candidates and PwD Candidates | ₹ 2000 |
| All Other Candidates | ₹ 4000 |
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 6 days ago
Yes, candidates who applied through the scores of the UCEED are required to appear for the Drawing Test for further evaluation. This rule applies to all candidates who applied through non MIT-WPU CET scores. These candidates are also required to appear for the Portfolio Review as well as the persona
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
Application to BDes Programmes at IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Indore, IIT Roorkee and IIITDM Jabalpur (Participating Institutes) will begin from March 14, 2026 (Saturday), 10:00 Hrs. The application portal will be closed on April 10, 2026 (Friday), at 5:30 PM.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
UCEED 2026 Counselling will start on April 21, 2026 and will end on April 29, 2026; 6:00 PM for Round 1.
| Seat Allotment Round | Date of Announcement | Payment of Seat Acceptance Fees | Withdrawal of seat/exit from seat allocation process | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start Date | End Date / Time | Start Date | End Date / Time | ||
| I | April 21, 2026 | April 21, 2026 | April 29, 2026; 6:00 PM | April 30, 2026 | May 11, 2026; 6:00 PM |
S
Contributor-Level 10
The candidate is not allowed to select their own scribes for UCEED 2026 exam. Instead, the exam conducting body will arrange for a panel of scribes. The panel will be prepared in coordination with the test centre administrator (TCA) of the examination centre.
The candidate has to select a scribe from the given list.