Miller D. L. - Learn to Draw Realistic Animals with Pen & Marker

Dedicated to my art teacher, Mr. Gillis, who not only introduced me to traditional crow quill pen and ink drawing but who also, more importantly, inspired this student to pursue his passion.

Print ISBN 978-1-4972-0478-2

eISBN 978-1-6076-5831-3

COPY PERMISSION: The written instructions, photographs, designs, patterns, and projects in this publication are intended for the personal use of the reader and may be reproduced for that purpose only. Any other use, especially commercial use, is forbidden under law without the written permission of the copyright holder. Every effort has been made to ensure that all information in this book is accurate. However, due to differing conditions, tools, and individual skills, neither the author nor publisher can be responsible for any injuries, losses, or other damages which may result from the use of the information in this book.

INFORMATION: All rights reserved. All images in this book have been reproduced with the knowledge and prior consent of the artists concerned and no responsibility is accepted by producer, publisher, or printer for any infringement of copyright or otherwise, arising from the contents of this publication. Every effort has been made to ensure that credits accurately comply with information supplied.

NOTE: The use of products and trademark names is for informational purposes only, with no intention of infringement upon those trademarks.

2020 by D. L. Miller and New Design Originals Corporation, www.d-originals.com, an imprint of Fox Chapel Publishing, 800-457-9112, 903 Square Street, Mount Joy, PA 17552.

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The goal of this book is simple: have fun while learning to draw a wide range of very detailed and realistic animals with a methodical approach using affordable pens and markers.

Ive been drawing with basic black pens ever since I can remember, going all the way back to elementary school, when I would draw animals and people with inexpensive ballpoint pens on whatever drawing materials I could find. As I got older, I was introduced to more sophisticated drawing instruments. During my high school days, I started using a crow quill pen and inkwell thanks to my art teacher. I was hooked from the very first line I ever drew with the crow quill. The level of small detail I could create was well beyond anything I had ever achieved with my old and tired ballpoint pens. After high school, I went to college to pursue a degree in art and was introduced to high-end mechanical pens. Mechanical pens are amazing tools to use, but they are also costly and require a significant amount of maintenance to keep clean and functional.

Today, pen manufacturers continue to introduce amazing and affordable quality pens and markers used for drawing a broad range of subjects, from very technical mechanical drawings to highly detailed animals from all corners of the world. In this book, I share basic drawing techniques and tips achievable with the most affordable pens available at nearly every craft supply, office supply, and art store in your neighborhood.

Ive always enjoyed drawing animals, especially those that have a lot of surface detail, such as scaly iguanas or long-haired yaks. They can be a challenge to draw, but they are very rewarding to complete. The process I use to draw all my animalswhich Ill teach you in this bookis one that has evolved over years of trial and error. In my earlier years, when I would begin a new drawing, I would start from one side and move to the other, filling in every detail along the way. Sometimes this worked well, but not always. More times than I care to remember, I would have a piece 80 percent completed, only to realize that the tail of the dog I drew first was proportionately too small for the dogs head that I was about to draw. I was determined to come up with a better approach to avoid having too many disproportionate and oddly shaped animals.

This is the kind of crow quill pen that taught me to really excel at drawing. But for you to draw the animals in this book, all you need are inexpensive pens and markers!

In this book, I take you through my repetitive but effective and easy-to-follow, step-by-step drawing process for twenty-six animals. The process can be summed up simply: stipple an outline first before adding layers of details, building up the realistic animal one layer at a time. No method is foolproof, but this method keeps you focused and gives you the breathing room you need to stop and step back throughout the drawing process to evaluate changes that you may need to make.

Please enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed writing it; have fun capturing, layer by layer, the essence of each animal!

There are two choices you need to make at the beginning of any drawing: what kind of paper and pens will you use? Theres no quick or necessarily right or wrong answer. It mostly comes down to your preferences and goals. Is drawing a pastime you like to do to unwind and escape from your busy day? Or are you looking to eventually sell your artwork and preserve it for generations? Do you just like to doodle and want to sharpen your drawing skills, draw on the go, and keep a small sketchbook by your side? Or do you plan to have a studio with a drawing table, specialized lighting, and a flat file for storing art?

For this book, everything has been drawn with inexpensive pens (under $3 each) and very affordable drawing paper found at your nearest office supply or craft store. This is a good place for beginners to start, and you can build up to more professional and high-quality tools over time if you desire. With that said, following are a few quick tips to help orient you to experimenting with pens and papers.