Follow along to draw this pair of dolphins.
.5mm mechanical pencil with 2B lead
kneaded eraser
ruler
smooth bristol paper
tortillion
Use the grid method for drawing the shapes of the dolphins. Lightly draw the squares on your drawing paper. Then draw what you see, one box at a time.
With a drawing like this, it is important to not give up too soon. Go slowly when adding the tones to keep them even. When blending, take your time to keep the tones smooth. When lifting, take your time so the marks you make are delicate. It is worth the effort.
When you are sure all of the shapes are accurate, carefully erase the grid lines with a kneaded eraser.
Because of the way the water affects the lighting, there are distinct patterns of light and dark to capture.
Fill in the darkest shapes of the dolphins as shown. The darkest areas are in the fins and the shadow areas on their bodies.
The light is reflecting off the bottom of the ocean, making the upper portion of the drawing darker than the rest. Apply the darkness above and behind the dolphins to make the light appear to bounce off their skin. Apply these tones using horizontal strokes to match the movement of water.
Focus on the dolphins’ form, blending the contours. Lift out the water with a kneaded eraser using quick horizontal strokes. Make it lightest toward the upper right corner. Lift out the lighting on the dolphins using a kneaded eraser.
Create the look of the sandy ocean bottom with a kneaded eraser. Apply short pencil strokes for the darker areas to create the shadowy effect. Blend everything repeatedly to keep the tones soft and keep the pencil strokes from looking too harsh.