Drawing Animals

 

Today's Snack: Animal crackers! Enjoy with a big glass of milk.

 

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Supplies:

Drawing paper | Pencil, colored pencils, crayons, etc. | Gum eraser

 

 

            Find a photograph of an animal you like in a book, magazine, greeting card, wrapping paper, fabric pattern, even a stuffed animal or toy - even a paper plate from a party might have a picture you like. Or just make up a whole new species in your imagination.

 

As you think about what you are going to draw, and begin your work, here are a few basic tips.

 

            First, remember the five basic elements of drawing:

 

 

1. Dots -- anything roundish that is colored in: • l, etc.

 

2. Circles -- anything roundish that is empty and in outline: mas5 )

 

 

3. Lines - straight and in all directions: -- |  \  /  ||| 

 

 

4. Curves -- including squiggles and spirals:  W L )

 

 

5. Angles - straight lines at a point, such as ^, < and > =AD

 

 

These can be very thin or very thick, very light or very dark. Curves can have a gentle, gradual shape, or they can be a tight curl on the end of a straight line.

 

Different lines might be by themselves, or they might be grouped together with a whole lot of other lines. You use all or most of these when you draw.

 

            Younger students might choose to draw with crayons because color is important. The older you get, the more interested you may become in shape and form, and so you might choose to use a pencil so that you can easily erase.

 

 

 

A young child invented a new species with

the mouth in the abdomen area.

Nothing wrong with a wacky imagination!

 

 

Now study the picture of your animal. What feelings do you have? How do you feel, personally, about this animal? Let these emotions come through in the flow of your drawing.

 

It's the artistic emotion that pictures communicate that makes art so wonderful to view.

 

Choose where to start: the center of the body? The eyes or face of the animal? Then move to the body, legs and tail, if any.

 

            Remember to overlap what is in the foreground over what is in the background, to make the drawing realistic. Add shading and texture.

 

            Feel free to sketch fairly lightly, so that you can easily erase. Never, ever worry about erasing or think it means you're not a good artist. You are! Putting lines in place, and taking them away, are equally important parts of the artistic process.

 

Learning how to change things as you go along makes you a lot happier and more free, instead of worrying that you might make a "mistake." Don't worry: with art, there ARE no mistakes!

 

Sign your drawing, and keep it or give it to someone who loves animals!