CHAPTER 3
WILD ANIMALS

BUTTERFLY

There are many thousands of different types of butterflies, and they live in nearly all parts of the world. The striking shapes, colors, and patterns of their wings have inspired some beautiful butterfly names, such as “painted ladies,” “hairstreaks,” “coppers,” “metalmarks,” and “swallowtails.”

1. Butterflies are symmetrical down a center line, so a grid is a helpful guide to start your picture. Use a ruler to draw two squares side by side. The center line is where the squares meet. Then draw more guidelines inside the boxes as shown. The lines do not have to be exact, so long as they are the same on each side.

2. Working either side of the center line, sketch in the three parts of the butterfly’s body (head, thorax, and abdomen). Add the wing shapes with curves that fit inside the grid guidelines.

3. Draw the divisions between the wings, and then add the outlines of the wing markings, branching out smoothly from the thorax. I decided to draw the two antennae at slightly different angles, to break up the symmetry a bit.

4. Work on the wing markings and the outer shapes of the wings. Then add some detail to the head, and mark the curved divisions along the abdomen.

5. The grid lines will help you to place the finer details and markings of the wings symmetrically. Keep going from one side of your picture to the other, making sure each mark is followed by its mirror image.

6. For the inking stage, I used a rich blue instead of black, to avoid making the outlines too heavy. I inked in the darker lines of the body and the markings with the tip of a fine brush. Each time the brush started to run dry, I switched to more delicate markings. For the outer edges of the wings, I used tiny strokes of thin brown ink.

7. There is not a lot of shading to be done on a relatively flat subject such as this. But a touch of purple or blue around the body and the inner parts of the wings gives the drawing some solidity and depth.

8. Now apply some color to the main parts of the wings to create a pattern. I used some pale pink with a fairly dry brush to stroke a subtle sheen on the inner parts of the wings. For the bolder outer markings, I avoided black paint, which would be too heavy here. Instead, I mixed up some brown and blue to make a dark shade.

9. For the main color, I mixed up a large batch of pale blue. The important thing here is to wash the color on quickly, so as not to disturb the paint you have already put on the wings. Paint with a fairly broad brush, following the direction of the wing markings.

10. For the final detailed touches, I used some white ink and a very fine brush to lift out the delicate highlights of the wing markings. You can also add fine highlights to the fluffy thorax and the shiny abdomen.

TIGER

The largest of the big cats, the tiger is a strong and ferocious hunter. Its beautiful striped coat makes it difficult to spot in the grasslands and forests that are its home.

1. Although the tiger is a strong and thickset animal, its body shape is in fact fairly slender. Begin with a long oval, and make it bow slightly in the middle. Mark a neat circle at the front end for the basic head shape.

2. Draw curving lines around the head to mark the center of the face and the level of the eyes. Add in the lines of the powerful upper legs.

3. Develop the face by drawing guidelines for the muzzle, including a center line running through both the upper and lower jaws. Extend the legs with the more angular shapes of the ankles, and add some contours on the top edge to indicate the curve of the neck and protruding shoulders.

4. Copy the main features of the tiger’s face, not forgetting the distinctive fur ruff around its jawline. Add the toes, making sure they overlap each other convincingly. Then give your tiger a long, elegant tail.

5. With the guidelines all established, you can now enjoy working on the fine detail. Switch to a softer pencil, and make sure it is sharp. Include a center line down the tiger’s back and some rough guidelines for the curves and spacings of the stripes.

6. For the inking stage, keep the outlines smooth and simple, allowing the brush to vary the weight of the lines. Use the tip of the brush, lightly loaded, to ink the eyes, mouth, and nose. The black claws can be inked with single strokes. Don’t erase the guidelines yet, as you will need them for the markings.

7. The tiger’s markings are black stripes, so I have done them in ink. Work either side of the center guidelines down the tiger’s back and head, to make the stripes symmetrical and give them a rough, hairy texture. Don’t do too many—leave some space between each stripe.

COOL CATS

Unlike many cats, tigers love water. In the heat of the day, tigers often choose to cool off by taking a dip in lakes or streams. With their powerful bodies and webbed paws, tigers are strong swimmers. They can cover many miles in the water, crossing rivers or chasing prey.

8. With your watercolors, mix up some watery gray using dark blue, red, and maybe a touch of brown. Be sure you have decided the direction of the light—here it is coming from the upper right. Then apply some shading to the parts facing away from the light.

9. Mix some red and brown to make orange, and paint the upper back, face, and shoulders. Once it is dry, use an orangey brown to paint across the entire colored area, which will blend the darker orange with the new color. Remember to leave some white patches on the face, belly, and tail.

10. To finish the painting, add patches of color to the eyes and mouth. Then put in any extra shading or richer color that seems necessary. Use a fine brush and white ink to paint delicate highlights around the teeth, nose, and ears and to add some very fine whiskers.

IGUANA

The iguana is a large lizard that lives in Central America and the Caribbean. Male iguanas can grow to up to six feet (two meters) in length. The iguana uses its sharp eyes to look for food. If attacked, it lashes out with its long, whiplike tail.

1. Draw a long egg shape for the iguana’s body, then the outer edge of the tail flowing smoothly on from its back. The head should be drawn separately, and is roughly triangular in form.

2. Now connect the head and body with curving lines to make the iguana’s shape. Start to work on the legs by carefully marking the outer edges. The tail should get narrower toward the tip.

3. Iguanas have strange feet, so spend some time getting them right. For now, the toes can be simple lines. You can also draw a branch for the iguana to sit on.

4. A line down the back will be your guide for the iguana’s spikes. Add more detail to the head. To help with the complicated knuckles in the feet, draw small circles on each of the joints.

5. Now you can add the finishing touches to your pencils. Follow the guidelines drawn in step four as you add detail to the feet.

6. Use a thin brush or a fine pen for the delicate lines of the spikes, claws, and fingers. You can ink more heavily in some of the shadow areas and add texture to the branch.

TAIL TRICKS

If an attacker grabs hold of an iguana’s tail, the iguana has a clever trick. It allows its tail to drop off and then runs away! In time, a perfect new tail will grow in its place.

7. For creatures of more than one color, try to blend the colors into each other. This effect is tricky with felt-tip pens, but pretty easy with colored pencils. If you are using paint, you should work the two colors together while they are wet.

WILD PONY

Wild ponies are usually fairly broad and sturdy animals, with short legs. Their coats are coarse and thick to keep them warm in winter, and they have long manes and tails. These hardy little ponies have to be able to survive all weathers.

1. This wild pony is a sturdy creature, so make the oval of the body extra deep and rounded. Add a circle for the head and a line to start the back leg.

2. Draw the cone shape of the muzzle, and a line to indicate the neck. The neck is wide and strong. The legs are short and thick.

3. Add the details of the ears, mane, and tail. Sketch in the big, sturdy leg joints. They are fairly close to each other because of the pony’s short legs.

4. Draw the main features of the face, and sketch in some detail for the mane and tail. Work on the upper parts of the legs, bringing out the curves of the muscles.

SHIPWRECKED PONIES

Chincoteague ponies live on a long island just off the eastern coast of the United States. According to legend, these wild ponies found their way to the island when Spanish ships were wrecked off the coast in the 1500s! But it’s more likely that they were brought to the island by farmers, then left to run wild.

5. I wanted to make the mane look windswept, so I drew the general flow of its movement. Don’t try to put in every detail—it will look more natural to ink and paint the hair in the next steps. I also added a suggestion of scruffy hair around the hooves and lower legs.

6. I inked the flyaway hair in swift strokes with black ink diluted with water. A small amount of ink on the brush allows the texture of the brush hairs to show. I made the general outlines fairly rough to capture the shaggy appearance of the pony’s coat.

7. Once I had colored and shaded the animal, I added lots of fine strokes to capture the texture of the coat. This pony’s rough coat has little natural sheen, so I kept the highlights to a minimum on the body. I used white ink for the mane, tail, and shaggy legs.

HONEYBEE

Bees live on the nectar and pollen produced by flowering plants. Honeybees are a particular type of bee that make honey from the nectar they collect, and they store it in a honeycomb. Only female bees make honey.

1. Start with the three main body parts: an upside-down egg shape for the head, a circle for the thorax, and a large oval for the abdomen. Make sure you leave spaces in-between.

2. Connect the body parts, and add the sting at the end of the abdomen. Then draw the large oval eye and the mouth shape. Mark the places where the legs and wings join the thorax with small circles.

3. Our honeybee is in the flying position. Each leg points away from the body at a different angle, then slopes downward and backward after the first joint. The wings can be rough shapes, the upper one being much larger than the lower.

4. Add the legs and the wing on the far side. Work on one leg at a time, and roughly follow the shapes of the foreground legs. Add the details at the end of each leg, the ends of the antennae, and the divisions of the abdomen.

5. Now work on the details, particularly the characteristic fluffy texture of the thorax, which increases its size on the page. Add more fluffy marks around the head.

6. For the inking stage, use black ink in firm strokes for the hard parts of the abdomen and the legs. Use lots of soft strokes for the furry parts and the fast-moving wings, with fine hatched lines for the eye.

7. To color the bee, I used layers of browns and yellows for the thorax and head to build up a textured feel. The blurry wings needed only a few swift strokes. The abdomen took somewhat longer, since I blended black stripes into the yellow. For the highlights, I used tiny soft strokes for the fluffy parts, with bold, shiny marks for the smooth abdomen.

LION

The lion is king of the animals, with powerful legs for chasing prey. The male lion has a thick mane of hair around his neck. This bushy mane makes the lion look larger, which helps to frighten rivals. The mane also protects the lion’s neck during fights.

1. Start with the lion’s head by drawing a triangle, pointing downward. Position the triangle to the right of the page. Then draw a long egg shape almost touching it. Leave enough space around the shapes to fit the rest of the lion on your paper. Look at the example to make sure your shapes are the right sizes in relation to each other.

2. Next, you can add the strong upper parts of the lion’s legs. Draw four long ovals, being careful to pay attention to the sizes and how they fit onto the body. You can then connect the chest and the hips with curved lines.

3. Complete the basic lion shape with the powerful lower legs and the tail. Draw in a rough outline for the mane. Mark a center line down the lion’s head and a line across at the level of the eyes.

HUNTERS

Many lions live in groups called prides. While the male lions protect the pride’s territory, it is the lionesses (female lions) that do most of the hunting for food. They are smaller and more agile than the males, and they often work together to kill their prey.

4. Continue to work on the lion’s face. Use the guidelines to make sure the mouth, nose, and eyes are symmetrical. Then draw the ears and add some texture to the outline of the mane. Draw the feet as individual rounded toes.

5. Now that the basic lion shape is complete, you can start to look at the details. At this stage, it’s a good idea to work some texture into the mane to guide your ink drawing. You can also plan where the shading will appear on the lion’s body.

6. Apart from the mane, the lion has a smooth coat. Use black ink to create a smooth and graceful outline that brings out the animal’s muscular build. The mane has a scruffier texture. Ink in the texture, but don’t overdo it—leave some space for the color.

7. You might think a lion is the same sandy color all over—but in fact, its coat is darker and more orange across its back and on its tail and nose. The mane is also darker and slightly redder.

TOUCAN

For this picture, you’re going to work with a set of boxes, or a grid, to draw a toucan from the side. When you draw animals or people side-on, it is called a profile.

1. Carefully copy the grid above. You can use a ruler to help you make the lines straight and at right angles.

2. Work inside the boxes, drawing curves for the bill, head, and body. Outside, add circles for the feet and curved, crossing lines to start the tail feathers. Don’t forget the eye.

3. Now shape the body, including the triangular wings. Add a rectangle around the tail feather lines, and draw a branch between the feet.

4. Work on the detail of the eye and bill. Add evenly spaced lines for the feathers. Make the feet grip the branch, then erase the grid.

5. Color the bird black with a white neck and tail patches. Contrast this with a bright red, orange, and yellow bill.

TOP TIPS

A good artist always works hard on the details. This will help make your pictures look more realistic.

OWL

Try your hand at capturing a brown owl swooping down from the sky. This time, you’re going to draw the whole outline first, so all the hard work is done up front!

1. Start by drawing a circle with a curved line down the middle for the head. Copy the torpedo-shaped body, then add wings and a squashed semicircle for the tail.

2. Next, concentrate on the owl’s face. Use the center line as a guide for placing the beak and large eyes. Owls have feathered legs, so make these thick and rounded.

3. Now work on the wing and tail feathers. Follow the outline carefully, making each feather shape even and about the same size. Then erase the outlines.

4. Brown owls are dull in color to allow them to hide easily, so use shades of brown and cream. Make the wing tips darker to help them stand out.

CARTOON CORNER

Here are some different-shaped birds you can practice drawing.

1. A mighty eagle has large black wings. Make its hooked beak and sharp talons stand out by coloring them bright yellow.

2. Tiny hummingbirds come in lots of colors. Give them long pointed beaks for drinking sweet nectar from flowers.

3. Draw a penguin as if it’s wearing a black jacket, and give it a rounded white belly. Notice how its webbed feet are fairly large.

JAGUAR

The jaguar is the largest cat in Central and South America. It is a swift and agile hunter with a very powerful bite. Its name means “one that kills with one leap.”

1. Start with a circle for the jaguar’s head. The oval of the body has a shallow curve running up the back, with a deeper curve to follow the more rounded tummy.

2. Start the rear end by extending the curve of the back around the rump and into the rear thigh. The front leg should be drawn right up into the shoulder and arched over the back. The guidelines should already have a solid, catlike form.

3. Now add the foot shapes and tail. Then draw a center line that wraps around the head, neck, shoulders, and back.

4. Draw in the main features of the head, working on either side of the center line for symmetry. The toes should be strong and well-rounded. Add some curves around the tail to make it look rounded, too.

5. Refine the drawing by adding more detail to the features, including the claws. A little shading will really help at the next stage. The downward motion of this pose requires a surface for the jaguar to be walking on. I’ve chosen a broad tree branch, but you could place your jaguar on rocks or rough ground.

6. At the inking stage, the real challenge is to put in the markings. Start at the head by adding small spots, mirrored on either side of the center line. Make the spots larger as you work over the shoulders and back. Allow the markings to follow the curves across the body, getting slimmer around the shoulder, tummy, and rump.

CLIMBING CATS

The jaguar stalks its prey before attacking with one deadly pounce. Jaguars are good at climbing trees, and they are also excellent swimmers.

7. The jaguar’s coloring is very simple—just a little richer across the top of the head, inside the ring marking, and around the rear end. Leave the paws and lower face pale. Then concentrate on making the ground surface look natural. Some highlights may be helpful here.

DRAGONFLY

Dragonflies—with their lacy wings and pencil-thin bodies—are one of the fastest flying insects in the world. Follow the steps to draw a beautiful dragonfly that is about to land.

1. For this first step, look closely at the angles. Draw a straight, angled line for the body, then add a rectangle for the wings. An oval forms the upper body and head.

2. Now draw the four long curved wings neatly inside the rectangle. Notice that the back wings are a little shorter and thicker than the front wings.

3. Following the guideline, draw the body. Make the upper body thicker than the rest. Copy the head, making sure that you have drawn two huge eyes.

4. Carefully erase the guidelines, and add the thin bent legs and feet. To make the lower body rounded, draw curved lines. Develop the shape of the lower wings.

5. Go over the outline with a fine black felt-tip pen before you color it in. Leave gaps along the wings to make them look transparent.

TOP TIPS

When you get a chance, watch insects outside. Looking at a real dragonfly close-up can help you draw it accurately.

ZEBRA

Zebras belong to the same family as horses, and their shape is very similar. Every zebra has a unique pattern of black and white stripes, so try different markings if you draw more than one zebra.

1. A circle, an egg shape, and two triangles form the basis of this zebra’s head and body. Be sure to make them the right size in relation to each other.

2. Deal with one leg at a time in this step. For the joints of the legs, a series of circles will really help to give the legs convincing shapes at the next stage.

3. Now you need to connect the shapes. Look closely at how each line curves either in or out. Add the detail to the head and ears, too.

4. Now use ink to create the outline of your zebra, erasing your pencil lines when it’s done. Add detail to the mane and tail, and lines to create your stripes.

5. It may be tempting to color your zebra’s stripes black. Although black will produce a striking graphic effect, if you would like your zebra to look more realistic, then use dark brown.

TOP TIPS

The stripes on a zebra are a very important feature, and it’s a good idea to put a little planning into them.