book

The Complete Beginner's Guide to Drawing Animals

by Walter Foster Creative Team

March 2017

Beginner

240 pages

14h 15m

English

Walter Foster

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Tools & MaterialsGathering the BasicsAdditional SuppliesOther Ways to ShadePencil Lines & TexturesUnderstanding ValueWorking with Light & ShadowBeginning with Basic ShapesSimplifying with ShapesDrawing AccuratelyDuckCraneWildlife TexturesAnimal TexturesBearBurroSquirrelExperimenting with Different MediaParrot
DeerSquirrelExpressing EmotionRoosterRough CollieSketchbook SelectionsDrawing Animals in Action
Drawing AnimalsDrawing from PhotographsTracing & Grid MethodsDrawing from LifeDrawing from Nature
ElephantGazelleGiraffeIguanaBaboonAntelopeFlamingoToucanChimpanzeesLionGiant PandaAmerican ElkMooseBisonWolfRattlesnakePolar BearPenguins
RabbitsGuinea PigBudgerigarsRabbitFerretParrotSnake
Depicting DogsProportion & AnatomyFur Shading TechniquesMuzzlesPuppiesGreat DaneIrish SetterEnglish Springer SpanielShar-Pei PuppyEnglish BulldogDoberman PinscherGolden RetrieverFocusing on Contrast
Rendering CatsAnatomy & ProportionThe Cat’s HeadShading TechniquesFeline FeaturesPaws & TailsPersian CatTabby CatShort-Haired CatsCommon BehaviorsKittens in ActionClimbing Kitten
Anatomy & ProportionTechniquesEyes & MuzzlesEars & HoovesExamining ProfilesBasic ProfileArabian PortraitPonyFoal’s BodyArabianShetland PonyAmerican Quarter HorseStandardbred TrotterHorse & Rider in ActionThe JumpAmerican Saddlebred & Rider
CompositionPerspective BasicsForeshorteningCreating a Focal PointDepth & Significance of Landscape ElementsVertical LandscapesComposing Animal ScenesKangarooAsian ElephantKoalaAchieving a Likeness
Getting StartedBunnyWhich Way?Cute CharactersCritter CrazyRealistic RoverCreature FeaturesBeastie BodiesThe Human TouchDress ‘Em UpIt’s Alive!Creating a Model Sheet

ToucanKittenPuppyShetland SheepdogLeopard

Content preview from The Complete Beginner's Guide to Drawing Animals

WILD ANIMALS

ELEPHANT

Elephants are a new drawing experience for me. Study them closely before trying to draw them. Have you ever noticed their back legs bend just like a human’s?

Begin this elephant by drawing the oval in step A and then building upon it. In step B, use the oval as a guide for blocking in the main animal parts. To create the illusion of a thick hide, lightly sketch guidelines where the skin folds will be. As you begin to shade, press harder on your pencil for deeper folds, and lighter for shallow folds. The strokes on the elephant are rather dark and abrupt in order to produce the appearance of a rough-textured exterior.