View source for Stick figure

{{Short description|Simplistic drawing of a person}}
{{About|the graphic|the American reggae group|Stick Figure}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2014}}
[[File:Basic human drawing.png|thumb|upright|Basic stick figure, with an unfilled circle for the head and lines for the torso, arms, and legs]]

A '''stick figure''' (also known as a '''stick man''', '''stick woman''', or '''stick person''') is a very simple drawing of a human or other animal, in which the [[Limb (anatomy)|limbs]] (arms and legs) and [[torso]] are represented using straight lines. The [[head]] is most often represented by a [[circle]], which can be filled or unfilled. Details such as [[Hand|hands]], [[Foot|feet]], and a [[neck]] may be present or absent, and the head is sometimes embellished with details such as [[Face|facial features]] or [[hair]]. Simpler stick figures often display disproportionate physical features and ambiguous emotion.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Definition of stick figure {{!}} Dictionary.com|url=https://www.dictionary.com/browse/stick-figure|access-date=2021-11-27|website=www.dictionary.com|language=en}}</ref>

The stick figure is a universally recognizable symbol, likely one of the most well-known in the world. Drawings of stick figures transcend{{Peacock inline|date=August 2025}} language, location and demographic, and the stick figure's roots can be traced back to over 30,000 years ago. Stick figures are often drawn by [[children]],{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}} and their simplicity and versatility have led to their use in [[Infographic|infographics]], [[signage]], [[Animation|animations]], [[Storyboard|storyboards]], and many other kinds of visual media.

Following the advent of the [[World Wide Web]], the stick figure saw prominent use in [[Flash animation]].{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}}

== History ==
[[Image:Anbangbang gallery Mimi rock art cropped.jpg|thumb|[[Indigenous Australian art|Aboriginal rock painting]] of Mimi spirits in the [[Anbangbang Billabong|Anbangbang]] gallery at [[Nourlangie Rock]]]]
[[Image:Mandaean Scroll of Abathur.jpg|thumb|[[Uthra]]s illustrated using stick figures in the ''[[Scroll of Abatur]]'']]
The stick figure long predates modern civilisation. Stick figures were a feature of [[prehistoric art]], and can be found in [[Cave painting|cave paintings]] and [[petroglyph]]s. Stick figure depictions of people, animals, and daily life have been discovered in numerous sites all over the world, such as depictions of [[mimi (folklore)|Mimi]] in [[Australia]] or the [[Indalo]] in Spain.{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}} 

As language began to develop, [[Writing#Logographies|logographies]] (writing systems that use images to represent words or [[morpheme]]s) came to use stick figures as glyphs.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}} In [[Mandaeism|Mandaean]] [[list of Mandaean scriptures|manuscripts]], [[uthra]]s (celestial beings) were illustrated using stick figures.<ref name="Nasoraia 2021">{{cite book|last=Nasoraia|first=Brikha H.S.|author-link=Brikha Nasoraia|title=The Mandaean gnostic religion: worship practice and deep thought|publisher=Sterling|publication-place=New Delhi|year=2021|isbn=978-81-950824-1-4|oclc=1272858968}}</ref>

In 1925, Austrian sociologist [[Otto Neurath]] began work on what would become the International System of Typographic Picture Education ([[Isotype (picture language)|ISOTYPE]]), a system of conveying warnings, statistics, and general information through standardized and easily understandable pictographs. Neurath made significant use of stick figure designs to represent individuals and statistics. In 1934, graphic designer [[Rudolf Modley]] founded Pictorial Statistics Inc., and brought ISOTYPE to the [[United States]] in 1972.{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}}

The first international use of stick figures{{Dubious|First international use of stick figures|date=July 2024}} dates back to the [[1964 Summer Olympics]] in [[Tokyo]]. Pictograms created by Japanese designers Masaru Katsumi and Yoshiro Yamashita formed the basis of future pictograms.{{Vague|date=July 2024}}<ref>{{Cite web|title=Yoshiro Yamashita|url=http://luc.devroye.org/fonts-52617.html|access-date=2021-11-23|website=luc.devroye.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Official Report of the 1972 Olympic Games, volume 1 |url=https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll8/id/24928/rec/1 |access-date=June 21, 2020 |year=1974 |publisher=Pro Sport |location=Munich |oclc=1076250303 |chapter=Visual Design |pages=272 }}</ref> In 1972, [[Otl Aicher|Otto "Otl" Aicher]] designed round-ended, geometric, grid-based stick figures to be used in the [[signage]], printed materials, and television broadcasts for the [[1972 Summer Olympics]] in [[Munich]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.piktogramm.de/en/#c53 |title=Otl Aicher pictograms and the 1972 Olympic Games |access-date=June 21, 2020 |work=Otl Aicher pictograms }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://architectuul.com/architect/otl-aicher |title=Otl Aicher |access-date=June 21, 2020 |work=Architectuul }}</ref>

In 1974, the [[United States Department of Transportation|U.S. Department of Transportation]] commissioned the [[American Institute of Graphic Arts|American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA)]] to develop the [[DOT pictograms]], 34 (later 50) symbols for use at transportation hubs, public spaces, large events, and other contexts in which there may be great linguistic variation among those required to understand the signage. These pictograms featured stick figures heavily, drawing on previous designs, such as those made for the 1972 Summer Olympics. These symbols, or symbols derived from them, are widely used throughout the world today.


{{gallery
| File:Leo Petroglyph, human stick figure.jpg | A stick figure at the [[Leo Petroglyph]] in the United States
| File:Aiga drinkingfountain.svg | The [[AIGA]] symbol for the drinking fountain
| File:Olympic games 1972 cycling 0533.JPG|A stick figure sign for [[Cycling at the Summer Olympics|cycling]], by [[Otl Aicher]], at the [[1972 Munich Olympics]]| File:Stick figure.webm |A video displaying the drawing of a stick man, a stick woman, and a stick dog, respectively
|File:Flag of Mali (1959–1961).svg|Flag of [[Mali Federation]] (1959–1961)
|align=center|width=240
|mode=nolines|height=140|||File:Bathroom-gender-sign.png|Restroom sign with stick figures}}

== Internet culture ==
{{Multiple issues|section=yes|
{{More citations needed section|date=February 2025}}
{{Importance section|date=March 2025}}
}}
[[File:TheSwagger13's stick figure.png|thumb|Some stick figures include facial features, as seen here.]]
[[Tom Fulp]] began to produce 2D stick figure animations on his [[Amiga]] computer for entertainment purposes in the early 1990s.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}} 

=== "Xiao Xiao" ===
{{mainarticle|Xiao Xiao}}
On April 19, 2001, Chinese animator [[Zhu Zhiqiang]] uploaded a 75-second-long video titled "[[Xiao Xiao]]" on the newly formed [[Newgrounds]] animation portal, inspired by [[Hong Kong action cinema|Hong Kong martial arts films]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Xiao Xiao|url=https://www.newgrounds.com/collection/xiaoxiao|access-date=2021-11-23|website=Newgrounds.com|language=en}}</ref> The series included stick figures fighting each other, and took on a variety of formats, including animation and video games.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-02-25 |title=Games time forgot: Xiao Xiao |url=https://www.destructoid.com/games-time-forgot-xiao-xiao/ |access-date=2024-03-29 |website=Destructoid |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== ''xkcd'' ===
{{Main|Xkcd}}
[[File:Webcomic xkcd - Wikipedian protester.png|thumb|309x309px|An example of usage of stick figures in an ''xkcd'' comic.]]
In September 2005, American NASA engineer [[Randall Munroe]] debuts ''xkcd,'' a webcomic which uses stick figures in humorous contexts, often relating to [[Science]], [[Philosophy]], [[Technology]], [[Computer programming]], and [[Internet culture]].<ref name="telegraph1">{{cite web |last=Chivers |first=Tom |date=November 6, 2009 |title=The 10 best webcomics, from Achewood to XKCD |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/6509550/The-10-best-webcomics-from-Achewood-to-XKCD.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119111627/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/6509550/The-10-best-webcomics-from-Achewood-to-XKCD.html |archive-date=November 19, 2015 |access-date=March 29, 2022 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]}}</ref><ref name="Guzman">{{Cite web |last=Guzmán |first=Mónica |date=May 11, 2007 |title=What's Online |url=http://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/article/What-s-Online-1237022.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021034816/http://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/article/What-s-Online-1237022.php |archive-date=October 21, 2012 |access-date=May 30, 2008 |website=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]] |page=D7}}</ref> Randall has since authored 6 books in relation to the comic.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-11-15 |title=Category:Books |url=https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Category:Books |url-status=live |website=explain xkcd}}</ref>
=== ''Animator vs. Animation'' ===
{{Main articles|Animator vs. Animation}}

Created by animator, YouTuber, and artist [[Alan Becker]], the first episode of ''[[Animator vs. Animation]]'' premiered on Newgrounds on June 3, 2006,<ref>{{Citation |last=Becker |first=Alan |title=Animator vs. Animation |date=2006-06-03 |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2382912/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_3 |access-date=2024-08-18}}</ref> using [[flash animation]]. It showed a stick figure fighting to break out of the animation program it was created in. The video has garnered almost 80 million views since its publication.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npTC6b5-yvM |title=Animator vs. Animation (original) |date=2007-05-14 |last=Becker |first=Alan |access-date=2024-08-27 |via=YouTube}}</ref> As of October 2025, the series contains twelve main episodes and a number of spin-offs, among them include the video "Animation vs. [[Minecraft]]", which has gained over 305 million views as of March 2022.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}} Season 3 in the series of episodes features multiple styles of stick figures, including a cave painting character, a stickman similar to the one in Stickman vs. Wall, a figure seemingly from Pivot Animator, and a figure based on those in [[DOT pictograms]]. In total, all of Alan Becker's animation videos have been watched over four and a half billion times,{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}} with the vast majority of them being centered around stick figure animation.

=== Pivot Animator ===
{{Main articles|Pivot Animator}}

[[Pivot Animator]] (formerly Pivot Stickfigure Animator) was created in 2005 by software developer Peter Bone. The program was specifically geared towards stick figure animation. Unlike Adobe Flash, which had grown into a highly complex 2D animation environment, Pivot Animator, with its simplicity allowed virtually anyone to create stick figure animations without requiring any form of expertise. This brought the ability to create and distribute quality stick animations to a much greater audience than before, and alongside Flash, Pivot Animator soon became another central tool for the countless Internet users who were caught up in the trend after ''[[Animator vs. Animation]]'''s success.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}{{Peacock inline|date=August 2025}}<!--<ref>{{cite web|url=http://animation.about.com/od/softwarereviews/fr/Animation-Software-Review-Pivot-Stickfigure-Animator.htm|title=Animation Software Review: Pivot Stickfigure Animator|author=Adrien-Luc Sanders|work=About Technology|access-date=3 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107131002/http://animation.about.com/od/softwarereviews/fr/Animation-Software-Review-Pivot-Stickfigure-Animator.htm|archive-date=7 November 2016}}</ref>-->

=== ''This is Bob'' ===
At some point between June 2008 and April 2009, an Internet [[copypasta]] began to appear featuring a Unicode stick figure named Bob. There was an initial surge in popularity in April 2009, leading to a hostile response from the YouTube community wherein the community would flag the copypasta as spam. This spread of the copypasta would reach its peak in search interest around June 2010 before declining gradually. However, on September 24, 2013, YouTube announced that they would be integrating the YouTube Comments section with Google+.<ref>{{cite web |title=We hear you: Better commenting coming to YouTube |url=https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/youtube-new-comments/ |website=blog.youtube |access-date=29 November 2021 |language=en-us}}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable ([[WP:NOTRS]]).|date=February 2025}} In response, the YouTube community brought back the Bob copypasta in a new form, with Bob "building an army" against Google+.<ref>{{cite news |title=YouTube commenters bring in text art tanks to fight Google+ integration |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2013/11/14/youtube-commenters-bring-in-text-art-tanks-to-fight-google-integration/ |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=29 November 2021}}</ref> 

=== Other notable events ===

* January 19, 2001: Animator Rob_D creates the popular series ''[[Cyanide & Happiness]]'', the first episode of Joe Zombie's debut with more cinematic, although still very rudimentary, stickman animation. The original series lasted three episodes before being rebooted with better graphics in October.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Joe Zombie :: Episode 1 |url=https://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/35035 |access-date=2024-01-06 |website=Newgrounds.com |language=en}}</ref>{{Non-primary source needed|date=February 2025}}

* December 24, 2008: [[Flipnote Studio|Flipnote]], another competitor to Adobe Flash and Pivot, is released. While not as popular as the aforementioned two,{{citation needed|date=March 2022}} Flipnote does serve a role in the productions of stick figure media until the software's termination in 2018.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}
* November 18, 2010: The first episode of ''[[Dick Figures]]'', an adult animated web series created by [[Ed Skudder]] and [[Zack Keller]], is published on YouTube by [[Mondo Media]]. The series finished with over 50 episodes and 250 million views.<ref>{{Citation|title=Dick Figures - A Bee or Something (Ep #1)| date=18 November 2010 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXauV32kSrI|language=en|access-date=2021-11-29}}</ref>

==Unicode==
{{Contains special characters
| special    = uncommon [[Unicode]] characters
| fix        = Help:Multilingual support
| image      = Basic stick figures.png
| link       = Specials (Unicode block)#Replacement character
| alt        = <?>
| compact    = yes
| section    = table
}}
[[File:Basic stick figures.png|thumb|upright|Four of the Unicode stick figures (U+1FBC8 is omitted.)]]

As of [[Unicode]] version 13.0, there are five stick figure characters in the [[Symbols for Legacy Computing]] block. These are in the codepoints U+1FBC5 to U+1FBC9.<ref name="Unicode 13.0 U+1FB00-1FBFF">{{cite web |url=http://unicode.org/charts/PDF/U1FB00.pdf |title=Symbols for Legacy Computing |work=The Unicode Standard, Version 13.0 |publisher=Unicode, Inc. |access-date=8 June 2021}}</ref>

As of [[Unicode]] version 16.0, there are stick figure characters in the [[Symbols for Legacy Computing Supplement]] block. These are in the codepoints U+1FBC5 to U+1FBC9.<ref name="Unicode 16.0 U+1FB00-1FBFF">{{cite web |url=http://unicode.org/charts/PDF/U1FB00.pdf |title=Symbols for Legacy Computing |work=The Unicode Standard, Version 16.0 |publisher=Unicode, Inc.}}</ref>

[[OpenMoji]] supports the five characters along with [[Zero-width joiner|joining character sequences]] to give the other figures a dress.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://openmoji.org/library/#search=stick+figure|title=OpenMoji · Library|website=openmoji.org|access-date=January 26, 2021}}</ref> For example, the sequence {{unichar|1FBC6|STICK FIGURE WITH ARMS RAISED}}, {{unichar|200D|ZWJ|nlink=Zero-width joiner}}, {{unichar|1F457|DRESS}} (🯆‍👗).

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Unicode stick figure characters
! Codepoint !! [[Unicode alias names and abbreviations|Name]] !! Character !! Notes
|-
| [[Symbols for Legacy Computing|U+1FB]]C5 || STICK FIGURE || 🯅
  || Not to be mistaken with {{unichar|1F6B9|MENS SYMBOL}}<ref name="Unicode 13.0 U+1FB00-1FBFF" />
|-
| [[Symbols for Legacy Computing|U+1FB]]C6 || STICK FIGURE WITH ARMS RAISED || 🯆 ||
|-
| [[Symbols for Legacy Computing|U+1FB]]C7 || STICK FIGURE LEANING LEFT || 🯇 || rowspan="2" | Mirror images of each other.
|-
| [[Symbols for Legacy Computing|U+1FB]]C8 || STICK FIGURE LEANING RIGHT ||| 🯈 
|-
| [[Symbols for Legacy Computing|U+1FB]]C9 || STICK FIGURE WITH DRESS || 🯉
  || Not to be mistaken with {{unichar|1F6BA|WOMENS SYMBOL}}<ref name="Unicode 13.0 U+1FB00-1FBFF" />
|}

==See also==
[[File:Dancing men.svg|thumb|A mysterious sequence from ''[[The Adventure of the Dancing Men]]''|alt=15 stick figures in various poses.]]
* 1903 – In [[Arthur Conan Doyle]]'s story ''[[The Adventure of the Dancing Men]]'', [[Sherlock Holmes]] deciphers messages encoded as sequences of stick figures.
* 1908 – [[Emile Cohl]]'s pioneer animated film ''[[Fantasmagorie (1908 film)|Fantasmagorie]]'' features a stick figure as its main character.
* [[Keep Britain Tidy|Tidyman (Keep Britain Tidy)]]
*[[Tadpole person]]
*[[Ampelmännchen]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Stick figures}}
<!-- please do not add external links to single-author stick figure sites, or discuss on Talk before doing so -->
* [http://www.austinkleon.com/2008/02/12/gerd-arntz-and-the-woodcut-origins-of-the-stick-figure/ Gerd Arntz and the Woodcut Origins of the Stick Figure]
* [http://www.aiga.org/content.cfm/symbol-signs The 50 AIGA symbols]
<!-- please do not add external links to single-author stick figure sites, or discuss on Talk before doing so -->

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stick Figure}}
[[Category:Drawing]]
[[Category:Animation techniques]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]