Tips for drawing animals at the zoo?

[aqua03]

So I recently got a membership to my zoo for my birthday and I was planning on going there a lot to learn how to better draw animals and nature.

This is my first time doing something like this and I'm curious if you guys have any tips, pointers, or tricks for me when I go to do it given that animals can sometimes be... Difficult models to draw.

Thanks in advance for the help and advice.

[Hexigate]

The advice I've received with things like drawing still life is to simplify. Break down the subject into very simple shapes and draw out the entire figure. Only then do you add details, as layers over the canvas rather than trying to fully illustrate it at once. As you add layers, the "resolution" of the image should clear up.

[Kaydreamer]

Ooooh, that sounds fun! My advice is to use something which lays down a line fast, without being able to erase it. Charcoal is my go-to for life drawing. The point isn't to make a masterpiece, it's to get a sense of gesture and form. Animals aren't likely to sit still for your convenience as you draw unless they're asleep, so you have to work really fast and just aim to get an impression of that animal onto the page.

[wispysing]

Oh congrats and a happy belated birthday! It's always nice to get a live drawing opportunity. A little trick for you, pick the sleeping ones. They're being still and won't get much in the way of you drawing them. And while you're at it, you could walk around and try to get them from several different angles. Oh and I agree with the point mentioned above, try to break them down to basic forms and the basic flow of whatever pose they're in.

Good luck

[margodraws]

Get familiar with basic animal anatomy before you go. There are some good books out there! Structure and gesture still apply, same as with human life drawing.

Some classics:

How to Draw Animals: Hamm, Jack: 9780399508028: Books - Amazon.ca

Animal Anatomy for Artists: The Elements of Form: Goldfinger, Eliot: 8601421191012: Drawing: Amazon Canada

Draw fast cuz animals move!! Or draw the sleeping ones. Work small so that you can move around easily. My favourite materials for animal drawing are ink and watercolour, or oil-based Pitt pencil.

[rajillustration]

The nice thing about the zoo is that there are some animals that are just...really sleepy. The birds--not so sleepy. So I'll have a bunch of giraffes in my sketchbook after the zoo because they're pretty chill. I'll have a turtle, for sure, or cats that are kind of more night time active anyway. But those lemur guys hopping all over the place? Eh only a quick study, youknow

[allenT]

Make sure you take photos of the animals before drawing, that may help you somehow!

[aqua03]

Ah, that's pretty solid advice. I'll definitely try to do that when I go next time.

@Kaydreamer @margodraws

I'll have to go find my charcoal sometime and also see if I can track down an oil pencil as well. What are some good sketchbooks/paper for that? Also, I'll have to track down those books as well. They look like good helps. Thank you!

@wispysing @rajillustration

Thanks for the belated birthday wish! Yeah, I'll definitely try to do that as well. Find the ones that are snoozing. (Which'll probably be easy in the bear exhibit considering that's basically all they do already.) ALso, it's a shame birds don't like to stand still because birds are always the most fun to draw I find.

@allenT

Will do.

[Kaydreamer]

I have no clue about paper, haha. I'd just say go with a BIG sketchbook, like A3. And make sure you have a can of... whatever they call that sealant you spray on charcoal drawings to make them not smudge everywhere. Charcoal sealant? I dunno, but the staff at an art supply shop probably will.

[feuersichel]

I recomend getting a little sketchbook. You can store it easy and there won't be paper winding away. Also, and this is important! Go as early as possible! Later in the day it will fill up with people and it just gets stressfull.

[margodraws]

I've done plenty of life drawing in whatever cheap smaller sketchbook (approx A5) I could find at the nearest art store. The paper isn't really made for paint, but I made it work. They're nice because they can fit in a big jacket pocket or a bag, and you can draw while standing, even if there's a crowd.

Another option is to get a clipboard in fill it with printer paper. Cheap, easy, and it takes pencils and pens well. And if you're not happy with a drawing, you can just toss it in the recycling.

[Legendofgenii]

They made us do something similar at uni. I’ll try and remember what they got us to do.

• Try a different media each day (charcoal, ink and dip pen/stick/feather, watercolour pan, pastels, pen etc.)

• only draw in simple shapes. Or contours.

• only draw the negative space (areas around or between an object/animal).

• draw with your opposite hand.

• hold your pen/pencil right at the very end when you draw (not forever, just as an exercise) .

• continuous line (don’t lift pen etc. off the paper till you’re done)

• draw standing up (with a travel easel if possible), sat on floor, up high, down low etc. Angles.

• 20 second, 2 minute, 30 minute drawings.

• only draw/hatch the shadows (no lines).

• only draw the outline (no features/face).

• I think we could only draw In collage once (take scissors, glue stick and paper lol).

They pretty much tortured us with weird drawing challenges, but it’s actually to get you out of your comfort zone and push your brain into learning new things - subconsciously. Otherwise we kinda go back to our default drawing mode.

[MerrowBros]

Draw the tortoises. They are slow and cannot escape the arting.

[aqua03]

Doesn't hurt that the Tortoise and turtle were my favorite animals growing up...

[aqua03]

I think I did pretty well for a first attempt. Though feedback would be appreciated.

[sushy00]

I'd almost say draw any reptile, I was at a reptile zoo a while ago and those reptiles just didn't move
Those sketches seem pretty good, loose studies are helpful too!

[aqua03]

Ah, a reptile zoo sounds fun! WIsh there was one near my house. (One of my fondest memories was going to an unfortunately now closed Reptile Zoo when on vacation to Illinois as a kid.)

I actually tried to draw the komodo dragon at the zoo because he was standing still only for him to up and leave for the heat lamps in the back halfway through... Guess he was shy.

[Lensing]

Gesture first and then the big simples shapes first.
Change the big shapes until it looks right.
Work from to big to small.
Last step are the details