Ken Hultgren

THE ART OF ANIMAL DRAWING

Consrr uct ion, Action A. na lysis" Ca ricat u re

With 759111ustration$

TIPS ON DRAWING ANIMALS

It io w~II' 10 .livid Q Ih. b e dy i "to rlvee pori"$: - fO: r oqu~rrelr11 bo'n)!" ,on~ n;a~ quane-fl. Sin'co fnh i~"c n'CNrClt d; ... ilion. il oid, in oc'hioving proper proportto:ri. D'row in dOrlol'lripe (JiM of vertebro.).

Thi. h.lp. 10 ,center Iho "ni';'ol. .

,Alway, in'dic;Ti;";~el.t:n bon:"" lhe se wiil'h'al~lhe ,ketc}, 'Oll.lkifr. Once you - o;.domilicr wilhl~' relol;'vo',rzeof Ih.

"V(Jriov~ bene,t. dr~jn'g' b~("orries e.oli~r ,;

BetH1 hove 0 tendell'cy .10 be pigeon~ la.d. Tho pow. of tho col'lamilY:.prood O~I .Iighlly,

Mo,' hoof" d ,on i mo l,crG ,I,ghlly knock· kn~~d - ~CI r.fi so whe n. IJUf)''' fl!t yo!'! n g.

Divide the skull into three parts also: the muzzle, the long pori of the nose, and the bcse of the skull.

Divide Ihe head in the middle for construction; il' .• a natural divisio.n.

Falten ears onto Ihe bock of the head. For 'impli.cit~, indicate the base with an oval.

Line up the eye with the ears .ond nostrils, this is 0 good guide and is correct for rno st animals.

Bear in .mind Ihol.,lh.~:.eye$~:ore usually 'oh the ,'ide"of .the head. Draw your gt.iida' lines' ';;1e n construe.trijg.

With bears, cots, arid dogs, the eyes ore more forward;

When drawing animals, try- to get variety in-leg positions, Note_ the added inte(8SI -in- a sketch when the -leg5"-ore ploce.dot different angles; in contrest wlth:the .-tiff, dilled pose with the legs poraile!.

II is ~ell lo-keep -Ihese box forms in mind when ,workingy"ilh angle ~hOls .. lI,indoubt ,about (I pose, rough imyourbox lightly, and check your pe-r~p~ttiv~.,

3

SIMPLIFIED SKElETONS

. on iridixiduol

'enlrollng f j

Before ~o_nc. I lui 10' note l,ome ccrs

cnimels, It -IS he Pk I Ion In general.

' Ihe see I

concernIng , d orne know.

I "acquire, , ,

Once you nO~ . , ts or 'Iolnt. In

'1, "01 pain

edge 01., "P'~ drawIng will come a skeleton, your.

m_ore eosily,

I, ble capable of

re very p to .'

teg, 0 - d .trelching oul,

doubling up on .

. below nolb how On Ihe leap PI OS" I l in '0 stretched the rib cage e ongo e

, position,

SKETCHING IN FORMS

Once YO,u have the basic prin'ci,pl .. so]

the skeleton in mind, you moy proceed '\ ---

with more ossurcnce in your drawing. In ,ke tcb in g, it " help Ful to i ndic" te th e pOlitions, or pivot points, on the sketch, After locating Ihe,e, draw the main form' of your animal.

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- .. \, •• - .'" ,. +1 ••• ,

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-1

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'.'Ii' .:

MOOD AND FEEliNG

Every ortist is On ector, in that he conveys, to the 0 bserver the mood or attitude 01 his 'onirnol ehorociers and rnusf fed the ,itvo,lion :beFore he can pu't 'it down on poper. If' the mood' is a tense one, such 0' that of Ihedee,

. -, group, then you strive For a lout; tense mood 'in your cherccters. At such .o time, animal,s drop lower On their hindquo rrers, prepared for a quick departure if the situation warrants. The ears and toil are perked up. The whiles ,of the eyes are seldam visible in animals except when I~ey are extremely tense and fdghlEjned. In the deer sketch, the stretched necks also help to convey lension.

"".,' '._,., ....

In a ,very tired pose, lik-ethal of the horse, the eFfecl requires o~ much droop as possible, Animals shift their weight Iro~ leg 10 leg when tired. Th~ir h'}ads hong low: Keeping the withers high occi1inlslho{ e ffecl. .

To convey excitement, flaring 'the mane. of the horse. was helpful. Th"no.tnls ere 'wide, ears bock, and the whiles of the eyes visible.

The' neck'musdes are tout;· ' ' '

H , 1

,if ./

The b ... 1 woy 10 .Ioge the cowering pose lor the dogs seemed to, be to keep the heads low; with their attention drown up. The reor quorrers are dropped, .end the toils ore between the legs.

~ . ','~ . ",~. ~.- .. - - . ,_

The lions below express a mood of lozy contentment.' Like the'irdomestic 'cousins; lions lazily .wish their ttlil s. in relexed moods .~ch. cs these. The head of the loriher onimol resting on the other eof's bac~' .gi~es the scene a 'quiet' "ecce.

Whoieve','thenlo{liJ,iee-ifmenfol1y beFore you '$Iorl to work It maybe necessory to ,ketch severol rough poses before; you find er-e which' you feel is.oli.loctory.: The following ore good 'jintquestions '10 ask yourself: Will this p<:i;:e convey the mea'ning in silhouelt~? Is my staging clear? How co,;' I make this pose stronger.?

10

THE USE OF LINE

Basically tko, .. ere two, ~ind< 01 line,· o stroight line, and 0 c~rved line of varylng~egree. Primarily we use [Ine, to b~ild form and solid, and ICI creole movemenl.

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Fig, 1

(

)

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

fiQ. 5

Here are some basic lines ... sed to b~lld fo rrns and ,.0 lid s.

An example 'of Fig~ 1 is the cat. Note heavy lines in I~e,e exomples.

Fig. 2

Fig. 3 is a 'good one 01,0 to. crecte weight in horizonta! view.

Fig. 3

II

Tho. neid use ,of fino is 10 creole motion.

Wilh Ihi1 ore two dlrfldiQns cfmevemen' liove - been -.tOrled-.

To buil-d further, use the. stroight line, which rolievo. ,he monoio~_y 01 ';11 curves;

To c.r~Qlft more movement,. reverse the or~,

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I~' ,hi •. s,ep; nolo how 'Ihe -.Iomoen line o·ppo.el the leg: line. 0ppi»it;on i. 'olway, good because it is.o port. 01 .g~od compoiil,on, Work Forces Dga,n" forco· •..

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Repetition 0.1 line- i s , 0[.0 very good, / ~

$lnco it furnishes: a necessery contrast ~

'·,.o.OPPO'i'iO. n,. Noto beor'. ,igh, rear ( •.

rao and the line of the .• Iomo ch, ~

. .. ""

Remetnbc" you .. hori~ontol$, verticols, ond diogonalt. Every picture $hould heve ·th_em._

Th~neck and tcil care excellent fa'r e't~bli,hing iliis Row;. eilh.er~on be ~,ed in different ways. 'In Ihe,e Iwo poses, both ore port of the'line of octioh.

\_ ... ."... ..

For rhythm and ·sweep· jn yqur draw. ings always. eslablisho line of aCIion, Some.ohhe acce,pled lines 0'" the.e.

Bd.icdllylh". ]ineof· cclion i.: t~e· now 0(0' gracefUl line:

In this.ce,elhe loil is used as cncccent Note leg Icodin9 ;i'lo line.·.of ."ction.

Accents are good; for they relie.'; the .scrne ness of 1\0'" 'of ocficn - lik.e o·touch of red on, on, cll-nreen beckground:' . '. . ...

13

Weight

" ' n6!. Ih~ eheing.

In th •• keRh be P~:d the ,str@tching

. 'eg 'c<lIo,n~ , !' 'ihe ground. lng, "h,ng or .' h w of'l.g.,,~ .. a~ middic'cra",,~g of

ali se rve In, e aei; I~ ih~ wei ghl ~ the right Ing r"I"'allho left .'e9, " Ihe b~cly." NOI~dd6e.n't r~celve Ihe ,llIi "reich_d., ,a:'J ;;rilir'l~e n ax ' pcse, we;gnlcil, the. bo '~eg an,d neck are NOle how roghl i' ' 'he next ', .. op.

ihr6wn !or:word ~~ t ,

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&cagg.rcHon

hot.

II use of your po.~.wciR

Get the Iu .. ' 'f hone is tak,ng,

" oy b'e. I" " throw

ever Il'm "ketch its e9'> if

'in 0 leap, -rec y,s. ;nlo.I~ •. tcke-e . Ih • ._I.ood. and bodY",ple of .I,olch. Hor"e is ,i:inothor exe

ACTiON ANALYSIS-ANIMATION

F~ol .w~j9ht, stress and "s.troinJ at::lion (md reaction.

Mr";W,~ indictllii the flow of action.

.... .:, .: ':

Overiappinl'roi::tion is aridtherirripor._ tant f6.Ctorinoiiimotioo/where perfs of the"body·takediHi.rent pcrhs of, action. Note :le9s,

ArC$ are important, in animation. There is always 0 pivot poih!; but even that pivot poinl is movable,' os below,

The use' of reverse action is" good', pr~ctic;".

Note 'ihe bunching' up and .elotlgtlting 01 lorm$; cs.in a rabbit taking-tiff:

AcnON ,ANALYSIS - IMPACT

Like c rubber bcill'which, .. loogote~ in 1,,11: in'g Md ~q~o~hes~n impact, SO" living' body w,lI'r",acl' in 'comparable ·~'rC\lm<lO'nce.s. In his de.c~nt, lh,e horseh". thrawn hi. he'ad back,

_, hi, $trelche~ foreleg. are rea:c~i~g t,?'pr.~~are •. ,.:. . ,::'

for the impoct, ond hi~ body elongates, in his foU. ':"~~i':~" v

The legs. ere fintlo .reoct,.laking his weight' cil

the~rsi .• hoekol hi. f"IL Hi. head, pull. down-

wa,d, and hi.,whole. body reverse. o. he 'lads

.his rofL)he boll 00 the: rahi:,und'elongotes . 'agai;{,'';hhoiigh: not os' inuch' as 'in th~:o';i9i~i:.'1 ' .• ~' "" '

f~U,: .inc'! jt, hqs: 10,$! s~me of it. ~.()rT_1enl\l~. • . ":...J . $lm,k"IY"the horse ,n thlS'ca,e regains more of 7\

his norrnql shcpe. o.'h"',lo,w~ 'down in the. roll. . .

BRUSH TECHNIQUE

Brush and ink is an excellent medium for drawing animols. Since the. fur textures of onimols 'lory, your brush technique will 'lory also. To .ho';'" the high sheen ·of a roce horse, For example, I keep my brush' stroke thin, close together, and even, leaving open oreO$ to ~uggesl high lights. '

Shagginess, which is (I characteristic 01 some comel., dogs" etc. may be conveyed by'" dry-brush style, Thi. i~ obtained by thinning o,ut you~ bru,sh 0"0 scrotch p,ape,r olter

you hove dipped it 10 ink. The desire here is 10 have the: tip of ihc brush flot; with the thin edges of the hairs of the brush just wet enough to give a ,6ft tone. The wetne ss of the bni$h and the pressure of the brushcin the poper determine the tone velue yov will .cchieve.

Regardless of the technique, I always' hold my brush cs I would 0 pen~!I, using wrist oC,tlon lor my brush stro~e"

Here ,dre some 'prdclice' .exercises .Ior the tw:o ,tyl¢, descfibed,

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...... ,~ .' - ,=-" ~

THE HORSE' FAMilY -BOrle Struc.t u i'e

Without knowledge of the, principle. of bone 'tru c ture, it would bed ifficu If 10 $hpw CO"nl,njdionj ·CI~im.c'icm, or corlcerure. Notu.eliy Ihe' skeleton verie,with the conformolion of eechlype of enimol, bulthe,e i, 0 bcslc similority in If,eskcleto,,,ol ollcnimels.Here i~ a ,imp lifie d op p~oach 10 r, thes kel lilo i;'

"fa hQm;, .

Sfarling with the ,pinel column,lreOI ,it, for the sake of sf", plicity, like' 0 r~b be r hese, iop erin gd 0:';" n t~ a poi;,1

of the to il end.·'· .

Next odd ihe vertebrae, simplified again, Note variety in.' .hope, The tw.o, high poi"" are "up'pord6, I"g bones.

5

Build on 'the rib clige ',(here, Ih ... rib de 'a i I, 0 ,e· am itled)"

Nowliitoch •• kuU.

6,

i'I,,:xJottoef. ,Ihe fCoP~l6. ' ,Ar'9"'1 poin," rO;,~ocket f~, humerus, bone,

\9

Add humerus, elbow, and foreleg.

The scapula fits around the conlour oJ the rib cage.. '

20

Fin ished leg.

For sketching purposes, :you CO" think of it os·sim ply ci s Ihi s,

Next .lepl odd the bock plate for rear

less. Nole sockel$:.for;Jes5.· .

PerspeCtive view of back\.:_~_lote and sock"l.

c.

With the building downwor.d of the reor le~, the ,skeleton is completed.

Finished',ketches of bone,."uctu,e

21

$10 dy eo ch skelelon wiih I he reJ 0 to d drawing, Observe how flank. lurn oul and knees IWn in on hindquorters,~I.o .Iight kn,'o'ck.knee in stond'jng pose,

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...... " :~ .:-',

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VARIOUS pARTS

Thinking of the horseln seporcteunits will h~lp you to visualize the animal a. a solid, and to see the relolive, size

-c ; ._~" \,:,~<~~~·'!~rjo,~~~.R~r~~;.:.t~ -.·'..;.:,.~.~, .. .: :~' ~~

Note the pcsltlon- of' the scopulo.

. . -~: .' ~

Fillhe slomach under.

26

HEADS

Thoro i. I"IIQ G.o.y.way tQ blo"c,k in ~

horse's head, since there are so many plones 1,0 consider, Once you ore familiar 'wi'" ihe,.kiJlI, ih., job will be re 101""0 Iy '. I mpl e, e. ped,o Ii)'" i nee much of th~'bane .Iructure of the head,;.

very pronounced.

Thinking of Ine heod';n' two sections mey help you:' In the .lower righl.hand sketch, noie how bC;in,the neck mu,ele end Ihe bene, behind the' eye Follow

eround the' eo r. ..

1.7

A common mistoke of beginners. is to place the eye, of the horse to,o for forward. -Wh(lnroughil'lg in the head, check the divisions to be sure it i'l in

28

MUSCLE ACTION

like a lovt rubber bond, ,t~e muscles "Iongole in stretChed.-p,osilio';s. In crovched positions, os.inlhe.Fbl. sketch, Ihe musdes·.bvnc'h up.

When the horse P~Shoj;;'6f,rw:il~' his f~refe,,'t, not ,only do :ti,.er~gf:$tretch . out, but, the whole·fore'qisaHei,s'edion . M well. The neck"bet6mes,lclriQer, wilh' o 101 of lensionon ihs u"d~tll'iu!des conneciinQ ,10' h'shood.

29

,.A.lwilYS ihink.· 01''11;,; eloSlidly of b m Even the rib cage is pliable lor sa",,,h Orid:,elongalio~.

"h:, r·, ' .. : ~~~~: .. f-::- ~-;~~ . ';'~'\~·~i.l..)""~;' .• :~ .:.! .... 1.301';"_':>;:' ",;~;.. .0:'5': .:t">i'~ ... ~ i._

-1 ... ,

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30

,~ ..... .:::. . ,.~ ......... ,

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Tendons: also' pf~y'ari ,imp,artonl pert.

thlirii:a~epOinis fo re'member in drawing_i::iction pos'ei;sQ;"e of which have bti::e~'jilenrio,~~d'befo re . but .. are worth repeating, They IHe,

SITon"ond·slrain

": __ .. ,:- .'~

Elongating'o,nd bunching' of fClrm Weight

Action and readion

Weicht racclion. cs in tho impact from

ci high faiL '

89x:inc ;,.,~a(, .t.ho~.n h~",,· ... ; e , ~ o'!'tPoe>-J gu;d'. in k99pirlg yevr t:O':ire's in .pcrspecf·r .... e .. Wilnoul it, it's very eosy to miss.

Arcs in, perspecti~e, as shawn below, are warth p~lIinil·in' once you've deler. mined the perspective o,f your figure. Your eye is a prettYgo6~ judge.

ANlMATION-JUMr

Nete how head ond body leon into push.off.

Ki<.:k

Anima1ed:slep· in perspe~jiVe.

32

J~

.. ' A

k, '0 proclice exerci,e> gjyl'" yoo'roel f o problem such 0, (I heirs'e pulling Q heovy lood lorwor.d. Get cs much drive in Ih" pose 0, possible. Then reve rse you r- Ii oss by hovi n!J the horse pullogoin\i thi. lood, bod-w;;"d.,

33

TH.E BEAR FAMILY

Bllms ore fun to draw,since their

forms ore so simple and ·compad. Work with os manystroighl !rne. as possible when drow;nglhem - the tendsncv Is to ·03e too mony ~IJr"YGiil

Remember the tliree body breaks; nOle bear below,

Build an your eurer forms when you startL and ·follow through 0" the. Jf"e of .oction as below, from the recr leg .. to front leg.

On these quick sketches, note how forms follow through.

. '~ .. ".

, -.

110

" . "_ .... ' .'

".-'

For standing positions, think of the three units which ! have indicated below, The highpoint 01 The withers break.s Ihe flow of form .between the

neck and the bock. -, -. , " .

•• • • ~ I ". .' ' ~ L

Observe the use of diagonal ond curved lines in this skatch.

~ _.,. ~_ .. - ~,.,._ ~'- ..... ,.,~ ~ ....

120

The brown beer is broad and massive,

Japanese bear.

CUBS

Cub. ore small iii muzzle and high in crown, which gives them a high forebecd, Their bodies ·are sliort, and mey ore sligl1lly pigeon-Ioed like their

• .' .r •• -.; •• ~::.'. porents. Keep.inglhe eyes. low iii their.·· .. '.: ." ,; h~';d~' bdd. to tho ·eff"ct· ofcul~n".;';.·

.~

POLAR BEARS

'-'01'0;- L~u ... ·::o Jlfl..:;·,.. r'"9Frl .... II.~ ...... ! .... JoL_,

their necksore longer and their noses more pointed. They corry quite obi' of 1.00'''. hair on the underside, running

from the jaw back along the neA chest, and stomach.

BEARS-CARICATURE

On the adult; exaggerate the large torso and massive "arms." By keeping leg, shod, .you occenl"" Ie size "f body.

The use of heavy jowls wack, nicely ,on beer,_ Foc a ,illy cffec1, leave out the chin on your .rhcrccter,

For cuteness in small bears keep the body .hort and dumpy, the foreheod high, eyes low, cheek and stomach full, and the mouth short Qnd small.

For the comic types, t hcve used two extremes. In one. skelch, the main mass is corried in the lower oreo, while in the other, il is .corrie d In the chest areo. In the. upper sketch, the thin neck .conlrostsobsurdiy .... ilhlhe bulk of the body.

The polar becr seems to lend itself to a ,tyliz:ed --drawing. Here, lexogger· aled the long neck, pointednose, cnd hacvy, long forelegs.

127

COMPOSITION IN ANIMAL C;ROUPING

Composition may be an old ~tory to many readers, but for lhe benefit of these to whom it is nIlw., I should like 10 sumrnerize lome Fundamental points. A good pi~lure should be on effectiyo cornbloorion of vertical, horizOnto!,. and diogO'nol ·Ii"o s, The,e should be .opp·os" lion, such O~ a vertical opposing a horizol)lol line. and repetition, where a I,ne moving in "

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,.~- '-. _, '.~~-":'. .. ,,_

. ,

c.orlaindireelion io repealed ;"anath!), port ohhe.pictufe'. Except in abstract compositions, the· use of. curyed lines is. natural throughout the picture. II is advis",ble too, 10 hove e definite line oloclion in your pidure so 'hat the. viewer 'con follow tho· movement. An occent ;5 a Iways .imporfO(li;~ince it tends 10 break the monotony of 0 line ",foclion.

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The problem in this elephant picture wo s how fa stage it mo." effeclively,Selieving thot .onunderneolh shot would give the desired dram a tic e ffe ct, I first con ce rne d my) e I f with o so:tidocto ry pe .... , in which· the '0 bserver would be looking up. Then' I worked cut the rest of the. pi.ci'uro s'o 0;' ·10 intensify ·thot effect. Note the lines of cornposilicn, The girl's hair is used 0< en accent,

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.. ~., . ", ~ - .. : ......

129

To show the pewe rful bulk of ,these draft horses, ! u~ed a three-quarter front pe rspective. For drarnali.;:, eHect, the cornera angl~ is low, thus oC,centuating the size of ,the f'oreqUQrl e ", cnd the height of the withers of the horse in ,

'th .. foregrO<ind,'- -... . - -, - ". " ".,

-:.. ...

- ..... ~. '-~ - . _'

I .. ·~. : ~ .• I:_~";;._

,~'-' - ", ,,~<,; ,

The grooves in the eerth give movement to thep-icture. The grooves, running downhill in the foreground' creere contrast with the up-angle of th .. foreground horse ..

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130

The arrows indicate the paths of' t'

Th h' ac Ion

e panl ers head in the bock d'

'd " groun

IS, use as the accent '

In thi~ IgyQut, the use of diagonal, vertical, and horizontal lines is emphasized. A strong vertical, such as the left foreleg ot the horse !n the foreground, tends t.O hold the picture: ' . together. NOle how il leads inlo Ihi> three heads. The rear horse's head is the accent. Observe the right foreleg of the horse in the lead:J! furnishes. a gC!od. diogp~!lL}o.Jbe"~iclu:e,, os e,' ,., c .:;<- •• 'I' welt os extendmg In the directien of the rear horse's head. (See arrows in . sketch.)

•... 1.," __ .,_ •• J __ :.,_ .• L_ (: , __ ,: __

:. ~"'rr; .. Jlrorn Ina <'Illlf! rillht rear !.eo through the buck's left foreleg, To direct attention to Ihe fown, the morners

head i~ turned fa iI, and Ihe lawn isplccad in another [ine of molion. Observe the use of diagonal. and verticals, .and lh" repetition of both.

Again in this dmwing, the vcrieus peths of oct ion are indicated byorrows. Astrong line of action from the right h in d Ie 9 of the rear horse' Fo llows through to the left foreleg ,of the Front horse. Here, the r ecr h'orse's, heod w orks cs on accent. The angle of the front horse's head is in opposition to fhe Ii ne of his left fo releg. Th e left foreleg of the reor horse gives o verticc I line to the, picture, .

134