Are you imagining ramming a pencil into the paper, arms aching with the weight of the task ahead? Drawing wolves is a daunting endeavor, but they don’t have to be as intimidating as they seem. With the right tools, your pencil and a few simple techniques, you can create a stunningly realistic portrait of a wolf. It can almost be effortless! Here’s how to draw wolves easy like a pro.
Sketch the Outlines
If you’re jumping right into a masterful sketch of a wolf without a plan, you’re setting yourself up for epic failure. So don’t learn the difficult way — start off with a little sketch. This can be done using a light pencil. Simply use basic shapes, like circles and rectangles, to construct a basic outline of your wolf. This will help to give you an idea of the overall structure and provide you with many of the foundational elements of the drawing. If this feels too daunting, you can use a real-life reference to trace out the body for an easy foundation.
Work on Shading and Detail
From there, bring the image to life through shading and detail. It is important to take it in those steps, as one leads into the other. To bring the frame to life, use a harder-tipped pencil to start adding in the fur and other details. Tapering out the fur should be a breeze if you took the time to figure out the basic structure. Add details like the wrinkles of the face, the tufts of fur, and the dips of the eyes. Make sure to keep the pencil light — you can always add more pressure or blacken up an area later, but the material can’t be taken away!
Practice Working with a Variety of Tones
If you’re mastering the basics, practice working with different types of tones as you work. To make this easier, break the wolf up by 1) light parts and 2) darker parts. Then, use light lines and shading to create contrast between them. This will help add a sense of structure, character, and life to your drawing. This can be done on the actual body, face, and fur of the wolf.
Add Shades of Color
When you’ve gone as far in black and white as possible, it’s time to add some color. This can be done by using a series of colored pencils. Simply start with a lighter tone and darken as you go. Create contrast by choosing different types of shades and shadows to add in areas of light and dark. Once you have it, simply use a paper blending stump and a piece of cloth to blend the colors together and add even more detail.
Incorporate Background
Drawing a wolf by itself is not enough. To really bring it to life, it requires a detailed background. This can add amazing detail and energy to your wolf, especially if the curves of the wolf contrast the straight lines of the background. To make the image even more impactful, use a mixture of elements like trees, shrubs, rocks, and even a silhouette of a full moon. There are so many possibilities for an intricate background.
Finishing Touches
If you want that extra touch of professionalism, you’re going to need to add some finer details. These finishing touches can take your sketch from amateur to incredible. For example, try adding some reflections in the eyes through light lines and tiny squares. You can also saturate the fur by using a combination of pencil and black pen to fill in the gaps. You can take the drawing to the next level by using a white gel pen. It works wonderfully to add a soft contrast to the darkness of the fur.
Final Thoughts
Much to most people’s surprise, drawing wolves can be a relatively easy proposition. So don’t feel overwhelmed or stressed — just take it one step at a time. Start with an outline and sketch and build your way up. Make sure to work on shading and details, practice with tones, and bring in the background. Finally, add in the finishing touches for an amazing sketch. Before long, you’ll be so proud of your breathtaking drawing of a wolf, looking like it stepped out of a painting.
