How To Draw Whale
Nothing brings a sense of awe and wonder like observing a majestic whale in its natural habitat. Drawing a whale can be a lot of fun and can bring a lot of joy to the artist. Here are a few tips on how to draw a whale that’ll reward you with an impressive finished piece.
First and foremost, always use reference material when drawing any animal. Google images provide a great selection of whale photos to compare your drawing with and to use as reference points. Identify the different body parts and shapes you need to construct your whale.
Start off with a large oval shape to form the body and then draw a triangular shape for the head. Add curved lines for the flippers and two circles for the eyes. Add a curved line in the middle of the head to form the snout and two more lines below the head for gills. Use a curved line to create the mouth and draw whiskers around it.
Once you’ve got down the basic shape of the whale, you can now begin to add some details. Observe the pattern on the reference photos and draw them in with strokes of your brush or pencil for a more realistic finish. Give your whale some teeth with a few careful strokes, and add some subtle details to the back, sides, and flippers to make your drawing even more life-like.
When adding shadows and highlights to your drawing, you can use lighter and darker shades of the same color or even a different color altogether, to emphasize certain parts and make your whale come to life! Use your softest pencil or brush tools to achieve the desired effect and when you feel satisfied with that, move on to the background.
When choosing a background, it can be helpful to build the environment around your drawing to make it stand out even more. If your whale drawing is set in a marine environment, add a few extra layers to the background. Start with a light blue color to sketch out the vast horizon and then add a few sea creatures, like dolphins, sharks and a boat to showcase your whale in its natural habitat.
Fine tuning your whale drawing is the last step. Take your time. Erase the unnecessary lines and emphasize the details that you want to bring out, paying attention to proportions and the overall composition. Now you’ve drawn a realistic looking whale with just a few simple steps!
Using A Pencil For The Drawing
For traditional drawing techniques, graphite pencils are the perfect tool for capturing the delicate details of a whale. You can choose from a range of different pencils, like 2B, 4B, 6B, and initially start with a light touch to get the basic shape down, then apply pressure on areas where you want to emphasize shadows and highlights. For a really realistic texture, try using a combination of all 4 pencils – the softer pencils will help to capture delicate textures like the whale’s skin, while the harder pencils will define deeper shadows and shapes.
When creating a smooth texture, try using a blending tool like a blending stump, paper blending tools, tortilles, or a blending tomatoes. Start with a medium-pressure stroke over the area you want to blend and then softly blend away the paper texture. Vary the pressure when erasing the lines, as you don’t want to lose the details of your drawing. Spend some time adding the finishing touches with eraser or knife and enhance texture further with a light wash of color.
Adding Color To Your Drawing
Adding color to your whale drawing can bring it to life like nothing else. Pick a few colors from the reference photo and mimic them in your painting, or take the creative route and choose whatever you like. To retain the whale’s realistic look, use a light watercolor wash over the entire painting or just a few of the areas. This will make the light areas look brighter and the dark areas look darker. Add a few darker washes to give your whale a more three-dimensional feel, and define the shape and form further with darker accents around the edges.
Adding subtle details to the whale’s body will make it look more life-like. Create a few light lines along the side of the tail and a few small dots above the eyes. You can also inject some life into your painting by creating a few water splashes around the whale. Start by drawing the splashes in a light color, then use darker shades of that color to add depth. You can also add some bubbles to your drawing with a white pencil and make them stand out with a red oil-based color pencil.
Finishing Touches
Once you’ve painted your whale masterpiece, don’t forget to give it a few finishing touches. These can be small aspects like adding more details to the eye, or ensuring that everything is in the right perspective. Go over the details one more time to make sure everything looks right. You can also use some creative techniques to make the edges of your painting look more organic. Use a fine-bristled brush and spray a light glaze over it. If you want to add some sparkle to your drawing, you can even sprinkle some glitter or iridescent watercolor particles!
Furthermore, for a true sense of realism, try adding some overlapping ripples in the water. These can be painted on with multiple thin layers of paint. If you want to add some depth and drama to your painting, add a few highlights and shadows around the whale and its environment too. You can also use a light pencil for shading or a darker one for emphasizing shadows.
Using Digital Tools For Your Drawing
For digital drawings, there are an array of tools like Adobe Photoshop or Procreate that you can use to draw a life-like whale. Start off with a light pencil tool to construct the basic shape. Then, use different brush types to create the details like eyes, teeth, and whiskers. You can also use a combination of both light and dark strokes to emphasize certain areas and bring out the texture even more.
When it comes to this medium, be sure to experiment with multiple layers, textures, and brush types. Spend some time adding highlights, shadows and details to your drawing. Also, try using masking tools to avoid messiness. When finished, you can also apply some classic digital painting effects to give your whale an extra bit of life.
Experimenting To Perfect Your Drawing
Drawing a whale is a wonderful way to express your artistic flair and bring a sense of joy to the world. Use the above tips as a guide to create the perfect drawing. Experiment with various techniques, like the ones mentioned in this article and find what works best for you. Have fun and create some beautiful artwork!
