How To Draw Realistic Animals
At first, drawing animals may feel daunting, but with a few simple steps, even beginners can create stunning, lifelike illustrations. Today, we’ll explore the basics of drawing realistic animals with a few easy-to-follow methods to get you started.
Gathering Research
Before you start sketching, it’s important to know your subject. Gathering photos or even sketches of the exact species you are drawing is essential to the process. Pay close attention to the details of the animal you’re drawing; the size, the shape and any unique marking will help you create a realistic image. If you can’t find photos of your subject, try looking for drawings by other artists and see if you can glean any techniques from them.
Outline Your Animal
The first step is the most important one. Once you have your reference images and tools, take a minute to study the outlines of the animal and create an outline sketch of your own. Taking the time to do this will give you a template to work with and a better chance of capturing the correct poses and proportions of your subject. Don’t worry if it doesn’t look perfect at first, simply use light lines and erase away mistakes as you go.
Draw in the Details
Now that you’ve outlined your animal, its time to draw in the details. Begin with the eyes, as those are the most expressive part of the animal, then add the fur or feathers. Use short, light strokes in areas where the fur is thinner, and longer, darker ones where it is denser. When it comes to fur and feathers, shading should be kept to a minimum, but for things like claws and noses, use your pencil to add some dimension.
Coloring Your Animal
Adding color to your illustration is a fun way to bring a little life to your drawing. Depending on your animal’s color traits, you can go as realistic or creative as you like. Consider using watercolors, markers, colored pencils or crayons to enhance your artwork and make it even more realistic. When using color, remember that dark and light shades can make all the difference, so take your time and experiment with the different tones.
Adding Finishing Touches
Finally, the little details that make all the difference. Add texture to fur and feathers by adding more lines, use your pencil to add more shading, and go even further with fine detailing like whiskers, wrinkles, freckles and more. With these extra touches, your animal will come alive on the page, making your piece truly unique.
The Power of Practice
When it comes to drawing realistic animals, practice makes perfect. Take time to study the animals you’re looking to draw, sketch as much as you can, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. In time, you’ll start to feel more confident in your artwork and you’ll be creating realistic illustrations in no time. Plus, the more you practice, the better your skills will become, and you’ll be able to capture more and more of the subtlest details.
