The Art of Drawing Animals

Book excerpt: Featuring an array of adorable pets and majestic wildlife, this exceptional 144-page book offers simple, step-by-step instructions for creating dozens of incredibly lifelike animal drawings. Inside, five talented artists reveal their professional secrets for drawing all the features that are unique to our furry and feathered friends—from wet noses and expressive eyes to thick fur and delicate whiskers. The book opens with essential information about drawing tools and materials, followed by instruction on how to approach and render a subject––such as transferring a photo reference, building up forms with basic shapes, creating perspective, and pencil techniques such as shading and blending. Then the authors demonstrate their unique approaches to drawing through an array of inspiring projects, guiding you from initial sketches through the detailed shading process to the finishing touches. As you progress from project to project, you will find a range of helpful topics, such as portraying accurate proportions, creating dynamic compositions, and using colored pencils. Each section features a different artist, with the themes: Baby animals in graphite pencil, including a bunny, foal, bear cub, and lamb Dogs and cats in graphite pencil, including a husky, Dalmation, Maine Coon cat, and Ocicat Horses and ponies in graphite pencil, including a an Arabian, Appaloosa, and Dappled pony Wild animals in graphite pencil, including an elephant, owl, tiger cub, and koala Animals in colored pencil, including a rooster, leopard, box turtle, and cow Packed with convincing illustrations and expert instruction, The Art of Drawing Animals is a comprehensive and indispensable resource for all artists smitten with the animal kingdom.