Lifelike Animals

ZEBRA IN MOTION

Animals are always moving! Photos can capture animals “frozen” in action; referring to them while drawing is easier than trying to capture movement in progress. You can depict an animal’s action by adding a few clues in your drawing. For example, one or two feet may be off the ground, the head may be erect, the tail may appear to sway, the ears and eyes may appear alert, and there may be visible muscle tension in the moving limbs. You also may use other clues relative to the surrounding landscape: the grass may be bent and the animal’s feet may kick up dust. You also can use staggered movement lines and blurred edges to enhance the feeling of motion.

Step 1 After transferring an outline of the zebra to drawing paper, I use a ...