How to Draw Nightwing

Finished Nightwing drawing in a dynamic pose with two sticks and hatched shadows.

Batman comics are perhaps among the oldest and most popular superhero comics, and many distinctive characters have appeared on their pages, one of whom is Nightwing. This step-by-step tutorial will show you how to draw Nightwing in a jumping pose with his characteristic batons in his hands.

Here we chose one of his most recognizable looks, with the emblem on his chest extending onto his shoulders.

Batman comics are among the oldest and most famous superhero comics. In our previous tutorials, we showed how to draw Batman, draw Robin, and draw Catwoman, and here we want to show how to draw Nightwing.

How to draw Nightwing step by step

Step 1: Sketch Nightwing’s basic figure guidelines

First of all, outline an oval for the head and a simple line for the spine, then sketch the chest and pelvis. Using simple lines, outline the arms and legs of the superhero. Spread both arms widely to the sides and sketch the legs bent at the knees. One leg is directed more toward us, and the other moves farther back. Try to see the entire figure as one construction.

Sketching Nightwing's head, torso, pelvis, and limbs in a dynamic pose.

Step 2: Build Nightwing’s body forms

Sketch two crossing lines on the head that will help place the eyes, nose, and mouth. Next, outline the torso (from this position, the neck is not visible), arms, and legs with simple geometric forms. Mark the shoulder, elbow, and knee joints with rounded forms. The thigh on the right side of the drawing is much closer to us, so draw it noticeably larger than the opposite leg.

Building Nightwing's torso and limbs with simple forms and facial guidelines.

Step 3: Sketch the costume and sticks

First, sketch the mask, nose, and mouth on the head. Then outline the ears and hairstyle. Next, move to the torso and sketch the lines of Nightwing’s costume. Draw the main costume lines as a wide V extending across the chest toward the shoulders. These lines lie on the volume of the torso. They should change direction as they pass across the chest. In the same step, outline two sticks in the hands of our superhero.

Sketching Nightwing's mask, hair, costume lines, and two fighting sticks.

Step 4: Refine Nightwing’s head

Now, draw the eyes and the outlines of the mask around them. Let the mask follow the brow and cheek areas. After that, draw the nose and mouth. Next, refine the jaw, ears, and hair. Draw the hair in separate pointed locks directed back from the forehead and add several curved lines inside the hairstyle. The general direction of these locks should reinforce the movement of the pose. Do not forget to remove the unwanted guidelines.

Refining Nightwing's mask, facial features, ears, jaw, and swept-back hair.

Step 5: Draw Nightwing’s torso

Now it is time to draw Nightwing’s body. First of all, draw the trapezius and broad pectoral muscles of the superhero. Next, refine the outline of the torso and draw the abdominal muscles. Add several short lines along the sides of the abdomen to show the muscles in this area. Remove the unnecessary guidelines and add the V-shaped costume lines across the chest.

Drawing Nightwing's muscular torso, abdominal muscles, and V-shaped costume lines.

Step 6: Refine the hero’s arms and hands

Continuing from the shoulders, draw the deltoids, triceps, biceps, and forearm muscles. Next, draw the fists gripping the sticks. Carefully draw the knuckles and refine the sticks with straight parallel contours. Draw their visible ends as small ellipses. Do not forget to add the costume lines on the arms.

Refining Nightwing's muscular arms, clenched hands, costume lines, and sticks.

Step 7: Draw Nightwing’s legs

In the previous steps, we drew the upper part of Nightwing’s body in detail, and now we will work on the lower part. Continuing the lines of the torso, draw the outlines of our hero’s muscular legs. Pay special attention to the perspective in this part of the figure. The thigh on the right side is much closer to us and should look large and wide, while the opposite leg is bent back and appears smaller. Add the main muscle lines and knee joints.

Drawing Nightwing's muscular legs, knees, and lower body with clean contours.

Step 8: Add shadows to Nightwing

In the final step, add the shadows. First, darken the mask and parts of the hair. Next, add shadows to the body with dense hatching. Make the mask one of the darkest areas of the drawing and use stronger accents where the arms meet the torso. On the rounded muscles direct the strokes along the forms.

Darkening Nightwing's mask and hair and adding hatched shadows across the figure.

The pose in which we drew Nightwing is quite complex. Here, the character is visually distorted quite strongly by perspective, and his limbs are significantly foreshortened.

If you found this pose difficult, try drawing him in a static pose. Draw the comic-book character standing upright with his legs slightly apart and his arms at his sides, as in our tutorial on drawing Batman.

We showed the same principles in detail in our Robin tutorial and in our step-by-step guide on how to draw Batgirl. After studying the simpler pose, you can return to this more complex one.