Sketching animals is easy when you think in terms of shapes rather than the animals themselves. By studying shapes, you can learn to sketch the body using peanut shapes, elipses, boxes, cones, circles, squares and rectangles. Using these shapes, you will form animals with ease and be able to build detail onto the foundation shape to draw a realistic animal.
Significance
Everything around us has a shape or form. Whether it is linear or not, the form tells our eyes what we are seeing. So if you use forms to build upon, you can shape the animals you want to draw For instance, a goose is comprised of an oval body, a cone- like cylindrical neck, cone shapes for legs and a cone for a beak. The tail is an elongated triangle.
Types
Different types of shapes form most animals before you begin to add details. Try drawing some shapes as practice before associating them with any specific animal. The peanut shape can be used for a variety of animal heads. Moose, giraffes, hippos, horses and deer heads use a peanut shape. Cows are shaped with peanut bodies, an oval face and cylindrical cup nose. The legs are long cylinders with disc-shaped cups for feet. A lion head starts with a circle and a short cylinder for the nose, and rounded domes for ears.
Benefits
The benefit of using shapes to draw with is the ease in which you will be able to complete the rendering. Once the shapes are in place, it is easy to change and add to or delete from the original form. It also makes quick sketching easier. Shapes will also give you a sense of motion that is part of the perspective process.
Expert Insight
Bill Tilton is a former Disney Studio artist and author who uses shapes to form the animals he sketches. His techniques are fascinating, and you can learn much by using the techniques mentioned earlier that I have learned from Bill.
Effects
By adding shading and leaving the white of the paper as a highlight, the animal takes on a complete identification. Use markers or charcoal pencil to place color around the outside of the animal, which will then bring it forward. Rub your fingertips across the charcoal and push it away from the animal until it fades. This creates a nice shadow effect.
