Doug Lindstrand - The Artists Guide to Drawing Realistic Animals

The Artists Guide to
DRAWING REALISTIC ANIMALS

DOUG LINDSTRAND

www.artistsnetwork.com

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

PHOTOGRAPHING DALL SHEEP

Artists are the product of their life experiences and so all develop differently. I was fortunate to grow up in a small town and in a loving family that always provided opportunity and encouragement. The friendly people and rural country around Winthrop, Minnesota, allowed me to roam, sketch and study nature and wildlife. It was here that I determined I would someday make a career involving animals and also, hopefully, art.

Naturally there are dozens of people that I owe thanks to for helping me along this road to becoming an artist. I have always tried to thank these kind and generous people and since I dont want to name some and forgetfully omit others, I therefore wont list everyone by name. A special thanks, though, to my parents, August and Blandina, and my sisters, JoAnn, Joyce and Karen for their special love and inspiration.

Thanks also to the wonderful staff at North Light Books and to Pam Wissman who proposed and pursued the idea of this drawing book. A special thanks to my editors, Mona Michael and Kelly Messerly, whom I enjoyed working with throughout the book-development process and who taught me so much about how to put my drawing techniques into understandable text and illustrations. The result of this team project is, I hope, an instructional book that artists may find helpful enough to inspire them to pick up their pencils and draw.

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to those individuals who have devoted their time, effort, resources and vision to the care and preservation of our planets magnificent wildlife.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Doug Lindstrand is a self-employed wildlife artist and photographer living in Anchorage, Alaska. He moved to Alaska in 1970 after finishing college in Minnesota, acquiring an education in art and biology to further his goal of working with animals. He spent a number of years living in the wilds of Alaska to study animals and practice his art. Doug has published numerous books, some of which he has published himself. His works include Alaska Sketchbook (Fox Chapel, 1995), Drawing Americas Wildlife (Fox Chapel, 2003) and Mountain Royalty (self-published, 2004).

The Artists Guide to Drawing Realistic Animals . Copyright 2006 by Doug Lindstrand. Printed in Singapore. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review. Published by North Light Books, an imprint of F+W Publications, Inc., 4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45236. (800) 289-0963. First Edition.

Other fine North Light Books are available from your local bookstore, art supply store or direct from the publisher.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Lindstrand, Doug.

The artist's guide to drawing realistic animals / Doug Lindstrand.-- 1st ed.

p. cm.

ISBN-13: 978-1-58180-728-8 (pbk. : alk. paper)
ISBN-13: 978-1-60061-584-9 (EPUB)

ISBN-10: 1-58180-728-7 (pbk. : alk. paper)

1. Animals in art. 2. Drawing--Technique. I. Title.

NC780.L49 2006

743.6--dc22 2006000491

Edited by Mona Michael and Kelly Messerly
Designed by Wendy Dunning
Production art by Kathy Bergstrom and Sean Braemer
Production coordinated by Jennifer L. Wagner

METRIC CONVERSION CHART

Table of Contents

Learn about the matierals and techniques you need to draw your favorite animals realistically.

From your pet cat Fluffy to the King of Beasts, this chapter teaches you how to capture all aspects of a felines nature.

Dogs have been living with humans for thousands of years and people have been drawing dogs for just as long. This chapter shows you how to render your favorite canine friends.

Deer and wild sheep are such elusive creatures that finding a live model to draw from is hard. Learn how to capture the freshness of a field sketch in this chapter.

The wide variety of the animal kingdom makes drawing animals both challenging and fun. Learn how to draw everything from a tiny cottontail rabbit to a massive African elephant.

I used an HB charcoal pencil and a tortillion to complete this drawing of a bugling elk. To indicate the long, dark hair on the bulls neck I applied bolder pencil strokes and left the chin white to project it forward.

Bugle Boy, Yellowstone National Park
HB charcoal pencil on bristol two-ply vellum paper
11" 14 " (28cm 37cm)

Getting Started

Drawing animals is more than just making a realistic picture; its about capturing an animals essence in a way that makes it come alive on the paper. To do this, there are a few techniques you need to know and materials you should be comfortable with. You dont need much to draw your favorite animals realistically, and this chapter will show you how to use these few drawing tools and techniques effectively. Always remember that one of the most important secrets to drawing animals is to enjoy the adventure and challenge of becoming a better artist.