Stick figure

Basic “stick figure” representation of a person, with a circle for the head and lines for the torso, arms, and legs.

Stick Figure with glasses by Aditya Das

A stick figure, also known as a stick man, is a very simple drawing of a person or an animal, composed of a few lines, curves, and dots. It is often drawn by children, and known for its simplistic style. On a stick figure, the head is most often represented by a circle, which can be either a solid color or sometimes embellished with details such as eyes, a mouth, or hair. The arms, legs, torso, and abdomen are usually represented with these straight lines. Details such as hands, feet, and a neck may be present or absent; simpler stick figures often display an ambiguous emotional expression or disproportionate limbs, however, most stick figures can be drawn with four or three fingers.

The stick figure is a universally recognizable symbol, in all likelihood one of the most well known in the world. It transcends language, location, demographics, and can trace back its roots for almost 30,000 years. Its simplicity and versatility led to the stick figure being used for a variety of purposes: info graphics, signage, comics, animations, games, film storyboards, and many kinds of visual media all employ the stick figure. With the advent of the World Wide Web, the stick figure became a central element within an entire genre of web-based interactive entertainment known as flash animation. Over a period of more than two decades, stick figure animation impacted and shaped the visual landscape of the internet.

Animations

Stick figures have also become popular to make simple, and often violent, animations. YouTube channels such as Alan Becker and Hyun's Dojo community create small series of videos.

Stick Figure Media

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  Aboriginal rock painting of Mimi spirits in the Anbangbang gallery at Nourlangie Rock

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  In Mandaean manuscripts, uthras (celestial beings) are illustrated using stick figures, such as in these illustrations from the Scroll of Abatur.

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  Restroom sign with stick figures

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  Four of the Unicode stick figures, leaning right is omitted.

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  From "The Adventure of the Dancing Men" Sherlock Holmes story. The message is: AM HERE ABE SLANEY