Martial Arts AZ with Stickman Illustrations

A collection of martial art inspired illustrations with a brief comment on each sport.


While martial arts essentially involve competing against another human opponent there is often far more to the sport than just learning to hurt someone. An inner strength, discipline and often more spiritual teachings make martial arts a reasonable branch of sports and hobbies to engage in.


For building confidence and dealing with situations - an ability to stand up for yourself is important.


I realise it's not much of an AZ at present but it takes time to draw these stickmen designs.

Boxing

Legalised fighting is still a sport even though most other blood sports have disappeared. Two men and occasionally women enter a boxing ring to punch each other.


There is more to it than that but this is the most basic competition. You against me. Although not me because I have a low pain tolerance level.


One famous boxing quote says plans for a fight disappear as soon as you get punched in the face.

Boxing Stickman is a fun hand drawn design featuring a boxer with red gloves ready to face an opponent. The noble art - stick figure style!

Boxing Stickman Gifts >>

Fencing

Fencing is one of those sports that comes along once every four years when a couple of Russians poke each other with what they call swords.

Except they are not swords but pointy wand things.  Instead of an arm falling off or perhaps a load of blood - a little buzzer sounds and one of the Russians wins a gold medal.

It is a supreme test of balance and skill. 

​Fencing is part of the Modern Pentathlon.
Fencing stick figures

Fencing Gifts >>

Judo

Like many martial arts there is far more to judo than just throwing people around.  Sadly the only bit I know anything about is the throwing around bit.

Wear loose clothes which allow your opponent to grab on and grapple with you.  Push, pull and try to get him off balance.  

Once he is off balance get him down to the ground and squash, trap or hurt him a bit until he gives up or the referee signals a point.
Judo opponents grapple in attempt to outwit each other

Judo Gifts >>

Karate

A black belt wearing karate stickman. A fun design for this essential of all martial arts.


The posing! The kicks! The breaking of blocks with your bare hands!


Start with the posing first and work your way up.

Karate Stickman is a fun hand drawn design featuring a black belt wearing stick figure holding a pose.

Karate Stickman Gifts >>

Kendo

Japanese fencing with bamboo sticks instead of swords.  Developed as a safe way for Samurai to practice.
Kendo Stickman is a fun hand drawn design featuring a master practitioner or Kendoka demonstrating his ability.

Kendo Stickman Gifts >>

Kung Fu

Brilliantly popularised by Bruce Lee in the seventies with films such as Enter The Dragon.

​Karate with a great deal of leaping about.
A fun hand drawn Kung Fu Stickman design features a master ready to teach some apprentices a valuable lesson.

Kung Fu Stickman Gifts >>

Mixed Martial Arts

To the outside observer this is fighting.  It uses a variety of techniques from other disciplines - boxing, wrestling, grappling, striking - and is a full-contact sport.

A fast growing sport it is not to be confused with marital arts - which is a similarly no-holds barred contest lasting up to twenty years or more.

Qigong

Similar to Tai Chi, with roots in China, Qigong involves the complete approach to body, mind and spirit. Body-posture, movement, breathing and meditation make a complete approach to the feeling, and reality, of well-being.


Around 1999 the Chinese government started a crackdown on Qigong. Old traditions are not welcome when the State must be mother to all. A few years ago I might have tut-tutted at the Chinese and felt sure that kind of suppression could never happen in our Western democracies.


Seems we are all heading down that road these days.

A fun hand drawn Qigong Stickman shows them balancing their Qi and improving their state of being.

Qigong Stickman Gifts >>

Sumo

To many people, including ironically fat Westerners, Sumo involves large Japanese men in nappies pushing each other.

There is of course rather more to it.

A serious discipline that involves weight obviously but also religion, discipline, physical fitness and skills.

The spectacle from the throwing of salt, the posing, the referee crowd and ring through to the often short bout itself is equal to any of the other martial forms of entertainment.
A Sumo wrestler stands in squat position facing opponent. Wears mawashi with strings and hair in a tight bun. Fun Sumo design for followers of this Japanese sport.

Sumo Gifts >>

Taekwondo

Taekwondo is a relatively new martial art developed in Korea in the 1950s. It is a combat sport involving kicking and punching. None of that meditation business going on here, this is intended to let stuff out - not keep it in.

Taekwondo Stickman is a fun, hand-drawn design featuring a high-flying kick that brings minimalist black-belt martial arts to life.

Taekwondo Stickman Gifts >>

Tai Chi

A martial art that is also used to promote longevity.


Instead of leaping around and kicking things,Tai Chi can be used to learn control and discipline.


Gentle stretches, poses and stress-relieving meditation for well-being.

A fun hand drawn Tai Chi Stickman shows his version of meditation in motion. Empty your mind, and enjoy.

Tai Chi Stickman Gifts >>

Bowing Out

That's the end of my battle with martial arts.


I use my drawing pen rather than spend hours training to put myself to the test in an arena. Sometimes art feels like fighting when a design takes too long to achieve.


But it doesn't leave bruises.


Created by Mark Ewbie. Last Updated: December 27, 2025.