-Plan what you are making first.
-Look at techniques other figure creatures use. Download their figures (do not copy paste stuff)
-Firstly make the base figure/silhouette without any details. It should not have much nodes whatsoever. Later start adding the details.
-use the shapes/types of nodes properly, try preventing using thin segments to do the outlines. See if its possible to do it with one thick one.
-Gradients often are the defining factors regarding details of stickfigures. An segment left ungradiented should not be the default.

A good figure often does not require much nodes at all.
The style and color pallete is the most important. (Aka good use of GRADIENTS)