LEARNING TO SEE
DEER
To familiarize yourself with a variety of drawing subjects, you may want to consider sketching on location. The zoo is a good place to find animals to draw. Choose a particular animal, and focus on just one part, such as the head, foot, eye, or ear; then draw that part several times in different positions.
Proportions are important to remember in order to correctly render your subject. When drawing body parts, always keep in mind their size and relationship to the whole body. For instance, note the size of the deer’s head relative to the rest of its body. The ears, being large, add to its overall shape, and the legs almost seem too slender to support the rest of the animal. Once you’re satisfied with your study drawings, combine them to draw the whole animal. You can also try to capture the deer in action by drawing steps A and B shown here.
A deer has beautiful eyes. When drawing them, observe their position and angle on the deer’s head. Study the diagram below for steps on creating well-drawn eyes. The highlights on them give life, sparkle, and innocence to the deer. Practice them on a separate paper until you feel comfortable drawing them; then add them to the deer’s head on your drawing.
SQUIRREL
All animals have beautiful lines—the squirrel is no exception. Here, the overall form of the squirrel is made up of gracefully curved lines flowing together in perfect harmony.
To draw this little fellow, first block in the basic pose in step A. Add the features and details in steps B and C. Shade with the side of black crayon to bring out the squirrel’s form, and use a pencil to create the fur. Try different types of strokes to produce a variety of textures.
If you’re a beginner, don’t try to draw from memory. Instead, refer to photographs, magazines, and books. However, instead of copying the pictures exactly, use them as a departure point for your own original drawings.
EXPRESSING EMOTION
Try to plan your drawing ahead of time so you’ll have fewer mistakes to correct later. Planning will also help you determine an appealing pose for your subjects. The pose sets a mood for the drawing and can even communicate certain feelings, such as conflict, love, or hate.
The pose below conveys the bond between the mother and its child. Once again, consider the mood or feeling you’d like to come across so that you can strive to bring it out effectively in your drawing.
Use steps A and B above to direct you in placing the sheep in a pose together. Notice how two basic shapes become the main bodies. Vary shading patterns to create the fleece texture you see in the last stage of the drawing below.
ROOSTER
The rooster has a thick, rounded body and requires accurate block-in lines, as shown in step A. Develop the features in step B, and plan how you’re going to shade. Practice various shading techniques on a separate piece of paper to create the textures you see in the final. Once you’ve achieved the desired effects, begin shading the actual drawing.
We learn to draw not only by practicing but also by observing and studying objects and people, reading about art, and meeting with other artists.
ROUGH COLLIE
Although collies can be found in many households, they are also well-known as herding dogs in Scotland, Ireland, and England. They have long, pointed muzzles, virtually no stop, and a slightly wavy, thick coat. This rendering was done with a loose, free approach to create an artistic feel. As you develop your skills, your own artistic style will emerge.
In step A, block in the simple shape of the collie’s profile with an HB pencil. Be sure the eye is correctly positioned; otherwise, your drawing won’t be accurate. In step B, lightly sketch the nose, mouth, and ears. Don’t worry about details at this stage; most will be determined as you develop the fur. Use the very tip of a brush and india ink to create loose, thin strokes.
The most famous Rough Collie of all was Lassie, who starred in many television shows and movies.
SKETCHBOOK SELECTIONS
I frequently visit the local zoo and wildlife sanctuary. Whenever I go, I take my camera and sketchbook along. Sometimes I get so enthralled with watching the animals that I may do only one or two drawings. My books are filled with incomplete studies. My sketchbooks are not meant to be “finished” art but studies and observations of animal forms and behaviors. I never come away without having learned something. Here is a selection of drawings from my sketchbook.
Baboon The alpha baboon in a troop has the most wonderful coat of luxurious hair that is assiduously tended to by his harem of females. His eyes are deeply set and brooding, and he is a rather proud animal.
Pelican These preening birds have beautiful curves in their necks. I find it amazing that they can manipulate that huge beak so delicately to reach the most out-of-the-way areas on their bodies.
Zebra This zebra was most obliging and stood still for several minutes. He too was enjoying the spring warmth.
Red Kangaroo Called the “old man of the desert,” the kangaroo has a big, blocky head with large, upright ears and is heavily muscled around the shoulders and forearms. The kangaroo is tall and graceful in movement and languid in repose.
Tammar Wallaby Wallabies are very similar in structure to kangaroos. It is important to note the wallaby’s smaller size, rounder body, and smaller head.
Hairy-Nosed Wombat Wombats often are called “bush bulldozers” because of their solid, sturdy, round bodies that can plow through almost anything.
Otter Otters are some of my favorite animals to draw, but they never sit still. They often return to similar positions, though, so I captured them progressively, drawing several different positions at once. This helped me successfully depict their wriggling bodies.
DRAWING ANIMALS IN ACTION
Sketching active animals is a great exercise for both beginning and experienced artists because it requires the artist to observe and record as much information as possible in a short amount of time. Because active animals—such as these otters and spider monkeys—are almost constantly in motion, you must stroke quickly and learn to focus only on capturing the general movement and salient features. Apply swift pencil marks with long, sweeping strokes, and add only a few lines to the shadows to suggest form. Don’t be afraid to try a variety of poses—a monkey in mid-jump may seem like a challenge, but you can end up with a captivating image that inspires you to challenge yourself even more. Remember that the more you practice, the faster you will become and the more adept you will be at depicting animals in action!
Otters To begin sketching these otters, use loose, lightly drawn circles to form the basic shapes of the head and body. From these rough lines, you can more easily determine where to place the limbs and tail. Once you establish the general bulk of the otter on paper, begin to add details, such as facial features, shadows, and claws.
Monkeys Although the body of the spider monkey is lanky and linear, use circular shapes to first define the head and body. Then outline the monkey with a series of short, gently curving lines, finishing the sketch with brief shading using the side of a soft pencil.
