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Simple Techniques for Creating Animals with Personality

AMARILYS HENDERSON
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 CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

ANIMAL ESSENTIALS
BASIC SUPPLIES
ANIMAL FORMS
ANIMALISTIC ELEMENTS
EMOTION & EXPRESSION

ANIMAL TUTORIALS
LONG & STRONG
Deer • Horse • Zebra
Style Twist: Fantastical Colors

SMALL & CUTE

Bunny • Chipmunk • Hedgehog
Style Twist: Simply Adorable

WILDLY UNIQUE
Giraffe • Camel • Rhino
Style Twist: Boho Style

FEATHERED FLYERS
Cardinal • Toucan • Hummingbird
Style Twist: Birds About Their Business

FIERCE FELINES
Cheetah • Lion • Tiger
Style Twist: Animal Patterns

COLD-BLOODED CREATURES
Chameleon • Snake • Tree Frog
Style Twist: Tie-Dye Watercolor Silhouettes

ASIAN FAVORITES
Giant Panda • Golden Monkey • Red Panda
Style Twist: Chinese Cut Paper

SOUTH AMERICAN DENIZENS

Llama • Sloth • Cotton-Topped Tamarin
Style Twist: Floral Head Wreath
BARNYARD ANIMALS
Rooster • Cow • Pig
Style Twist: Animal Folk Art

SURFERS & SWIMMERS

Dolphin • Turtle • Shark
Style Twist: Wet Water Animals

AWESOME AUSSIES
Koala • Kangaroo • Crocodile
Style Twist: Modern Storybook

FINAL THOUGHTS
RESOURCES
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
INDEX
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INTRODUCTION

Drawing and painting animals—it seems simple, right? But

take a minute to think about it. Which animals? There are so
many crawling, slithering, and walking on two or more legs!
The world of animals is vast, diverse, and complex, and
animals look, behave, and move in a variety of ways. Their
virtues and personalities endear us. They pique our curiosity
and, as artists, they trigger our desire to understand them
better with our pencils and express them deeply with our
brushes.

THE APPROACH
We begin with the initial awe—or awwww—we have for
these beasts and critters. That touch of wonder will keep our
creative engines running with inspiration as we jump from
the joy of discovering beauty to the joy of representing it
well.
We focus on vertebrate animals in this book. Lucky for us,
the vast majority of animals are bilaterally symmetrical (half
their bodies are mirrored by the other half). This makes
them easier to draw.
After some preliminary sketching to make our subjects
more approachable, we switch to step-by-step water-color
tutorials. Yes, watercolor! That wild medium you were given
in kindergarten. It’s accessible for play as well as
professional use—just visit any fancy art gallery and you’re
sure to find it. A simple upgrade from that waxy set of cake
pans you were first given as a child will convince you that
painting in watercolor is a wonderfully fun skill that is well
worth mastering.
MY EXPERIENCE DRAWING AND PAINTING ANIMALS
Though my love for watercolors has a hands down, all-in,
lightbulb flick–type of an instant switch, I haven’t always
been an animal artist. My high school art class used to take
field trips to the zoo. Mrs. Waggener wanted to give us
many opportunities to draw from life. I was happy to leave
the classroom any chance I got, but the zoo wasn’t my
favorite. Our subjects were small and distant. Some were in
constant motion. I didn’t want to spend the time required to
succeed through struggling with each kind of animal. They
were each so distinct, and I would either get too hot or too
bored to master anything.
Fast-forward ten years: I moved to a new city, where my
only friend loved painted animals. She pretty much
exclusively decorated with animal art. She was so excited to
discover that I was an illustrator, which she assumed meant
that I had the same love for big nostrils and furry bodies.
My drawing breakthrough came when I focused on just
the head of an animal. I created pet portraits, animals I was
familiar with. I practiced with different breeds, noticing that
the fur was longer on this one or the snout protruded more.
Taking time to look deeply and see those subtle differences
helped me build up the eye and the confidence to branch
out. And soon I became comfortable taking on the whole of
their body form with my brushes.
The painting tutorials in this book are grouped by similar
kinds. If you can identify what’s delightful in one animal, you
can spot it in three. And without realizing it, you’ll begin
recognizing the nuances—finding similarities and differences
while proudly showing your work for three different animals.
Drawing and painting animals is learned, and it’s as
attainable for you as it was for me. I still struggle with
certain animals. I still feel uncomfortable drawing what I see
because I simply don’t trust it sometimes. And I still rely
heavily on a reference rather than working from memory.
Creative hurdles feel so real to us, but they aren’t obvious to
those who appreciate the product of our work. And not
being gifted in an area makes you pay better attention to
what works, what you’ve learned, and how proud you are of
your feats. That’s why this book is meaningful to me, and I
trust it’ll be impactful for you.

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BASIC SUPPLIES

Watercolor is my jam, and thus you will be seeing much

watercolor goodness. My approach, though, may appear
different: I don’t gravitate to quiet pastel hues and
landscape-worthy washes. You’ll find me painting with the
most saturated colors I can find, feeling that they offer great
flexibility to go bold or go light. My fascination with these
rich bleeds knows no limit, and I am here to be your
personal concierge as we navigate the aisles of an art
supply store.
And you’ll see more than watercolor in the pages of this
book—after all, it’s primarily a book about drawing and
painting animals! You’ll draw with pencils and markers, glide
with ink, and play with gouache and acrylics (which are
opaque, water-soluble paints). I’ll even show you how to
implement some of these same ideas on a tablet—a
relatively new medium for me as well!
WATERCOLOR PAINTS
Watercolor paints can be purchased as hard little blocks, flat
chalky cakes, gooey tubes, or dropper-ready fluids. If you
get frustrated with a medium, give one more brand a try.
You may realize that it’s not a wrong fit, but that you’re
ready to level up.
Tube Watercolors
Tube watercolors are the most versatile paints for
intermediate painters (and on)! These are squeezed onto a
palette and can be reused again and again. Fresh paints
pack more pigment and they come in a variety of colors that
you can choose and replace as you like.
Fluid Watercolors
Fluid watercolors call for a controlled hand coupled with a
free spirit! The colors bleed effortlessly and can create a few
visual surprises. The paints come with ink droppers for
dispersion. Colors can sometimes be so vibrant that they
stain, but the risk is typically controlled—a few drops are all
you’ll need. Use a palette with shallow wells; it’s easy to
clean out with water and a paper towel, even once dry.
WHITE MEDIUMS
I often use a white medium at the end of a painting. White is
typically reserved as the paper surface in watercolor, but
trying to avoid tiny areas where whiskers should be? Nah!
We’ll paint happily and then apply a few touches of white at
the end. White is also fun for creating a set of pastel hues
that are distinct from a light application of paint. Acrylic
white ink, calligrapher’s white, or even a white gel pen
prove handy for creating final details and texture.
INKS
In this book I use black India ink. Inks come in many colors
and are water-soluble, but the consistency is very different
from watercolor. Ink cannot be reactivated easily for a
second use. Yet, it does have a sense of boldness you might
want to call on, and it fares better in direct sunlight than
watercolor paints do.
WATERCOLOR PAPER
I often see students try to stretch other kinds of paper—
cardstock, sketchbook paper, or even copy paper! But their
work falls flat . . . literally. Watercolor paper has the depth to
allow the paint to glide and to sink in nicely. The very least
thickness I recommend is 70 lb, but preferably 140 lb (300
grams) and up. Hot press paper has a tooth to it (feels
bumpy), while cold press paper does not. I recommend cold
press, as we’ll be painting small details and won’t want to
fight against a texture.
BRUSHES
Choose brushes that don’t fray and have a mind of their
own. How do you know how they’ll behave? It’s best to buy
these in person: you want round brushes with a sharp point
by design (and not because they’ve got glue to make it
seem so). I also like a brush that bends. The hairs of the
brush with lots of flexible uses will be itself flexible; it
shouldn’t be so packed or so short that it doesn’t want to
flex when it hits the paper. You’ll need a medium-size round
brush (about size 4–10) and a small brush (size 0–2) for the
tutorials in this book. We’ll sometimes reach for a flat
(square) brush or a fan brush for added texture.
MASKING FLUID
A useful tool though not a required one, masking fluid
guards your paper from your paint strokes to reveal the
white beneath. It’s most helpful when you know you’ll use
heavy washes, lots of colors, and make a mess around areas
that you want to remain white. Spots are a great use for
masking fluid, as are bright white highlights.
GOUACHE AND ACRYLIC PAINT
I like to see that bit of texture that shows on the edges of a
brushstroke that’s losing its paint. It’s an effect that’s not
easily created with fluid mediums. Gouache paint is chalky,
an opaque step away from watercolor paint. It can be
watered down to look like watercolor, but it won’t blend the
same way. Acrylic paint has a slick, plastic consistency.
Unlike gouache, it isn’t reactivated by water and it dries
hard.
PAINT MARKERS
Markers have long been an illustrator’s best friend for their
versatility and clean edge. The markers in this book are
paint markers from Japan. They are truly paint-like and
useful for graphic motifs and fine details. They also come in
a vast variety of colors, both trendy and classic. Select
markers that can work on top of paint.
DIGITAL MEDIUMS
Many of us have migrated to tablet art. Personally, I enjoy
holding a real brush in my hand too much to replace it with
a stylus, but I see its convenience and unique brand of fun.
As an added bonus, I’ll show you how to translate a couple
of methods to a digital format. If you don’t own a tablet, no
problem.

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ANIMAL FORMS

Most of us spend our sketching time looking at a reference

image or a live model as our pencil follows the lines we see,
inch by inch or centimeter by centimeter. When we stop to
consider our work, we realize we’ve got adjustments to
make! The proportions are all over the place. The balance is
off. Our model looks wonky. Our sketches can often be
altered to be more true-to-life, but the “rescue mission”
stage will likely leave you deflated.
I want to open your eyes to a way of understanding a
subject as you see it. The first step is to see animals as a
collection of shapes or forms. American mid-century artists
focused on shapes of flat color. This approach helped inform
how I look at subject matter, and I am so grateful. Using cut
paper or solid blocks of gouache forces us to think creatively
about what is before our eyes. Details must be lost and
nuances in forms are reduced to the essential. Minimalism
led to an even greater exaggeration of diminishing a subject
to a single shape, literally cutting dispensable curves or
parts.
ACTIVITY:

SINGLE-SHAPE ANIMALS
What if you had to represent an animal with a single shape?
It’s a challenge! Grab some construction paper and a
magazine featuring animals and try a few! Make three
animals by using a single shape of cut paper for its body
mass. Then, add a few marker lines to bring them to life.
Pushing your creative brain is a great way to grasp the
subject.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Paper in solid colors

Scissors
Markers
A COLLECTION OF SHAPES
Now look at animals as a collection of shapes. Beginning
with the body mass, add the head—often reduced to a circle
or ellipse. The legs may be more angular, like long
rectangles connected at joints. Notice in the collection
below how shapes are longer or shorter, angular or curved
depending on the animal. Draw a few that are not shown
here.
Understanding animals as shapes gives you confidence to
approach any animal! I often don’t even sketch before
painting. I go straight to putting brush to paper by forming
their body mass one shape at a time. Once I have the
silhouette of an animal on the page, it’s ready for a few
shadows and the fun details that excited me in the first
place!
ACTIVITY:

PAINTING SHAPE-BASED ANIMALS

Try my go-to method for getting some fun animals on the
page! And we will not use pencils! Follow these steps to
paint a few animal silhouettes yourself by building up the
form shape on shape. Don’t worry about selecting accurate
color choices for this exercise.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Watercolor paper
Watercolor paints in three color values
Medium-size brush and smaller brush
Optional: markers

 
1 Begin by painting the shapes of the animal’s body parts
in a single color with a medium-size brush. Start with the
head or the body mass. Use a light color.

2 Refine the edges of the animal form with the same color.
Use a smaller brush to paint the outer edges more
accurately. Smooth junctions of the shapes. Notice
 texture, perhaps the animal has fur. Add features such as
a mane or paws.

3 Select a slightly darker color to add shading to a few

areas such as under the head, surrounding the snout, or
the ridge of the hip.

4 Paint the small details of the face with the darkest color
option of the three. You may use markers for this step.
Look at how easily you painted an animal simply by focusing
on its shapes! This method helps you bypass intimidation
and understand the forms you’re looking at.
SHAPES WITH PURPOSE
The parts that make up the critical mass of our animals will
inform what it looks like and ultimately how it moves and
behaves. For instance, you may have noticed a rabbit has
long legs formed like a springy clothespin. Its slow neighbor,
the mole, has short legs with little bounce in them. A horse
can trot gracefully with its complex legs of multiple joints.
The dolphin can whiz through the water with its sleek,
torpedo-shaped body.
As you continue to draw and paint these beings, pay
attention to what their features lend themselves to. Drawing
a long neck may communicate what a giraffe looks like, but
contemplating the function will improve your drawing—just
imagine the giraffe reaching for leaves to munch on!
As artists, we place more than lines and strokes on a
page. Whether we draw the whole picture or not, the story
in our minds can pique our viewer’s curiosity and create a
narrative in their minds. Our drawings carry our hearts and
our thoughts to better communicate with our audience:
Drawing a more accurate rhinoceros is only the first step.
Our aim is to see these aspects of creation collide
seamlessly.
In these sections, we’ll look at each part of the animal
and reflect on the variety of options within each segment.
Noting the size and contour of each part within the structure
will guide us to the animal’s nature and identity, and
ultimately teach us how to draw it.
Head Mass
Start at the top and focus on head mass. Think about a
bobcat. It has a round head, even though it seems to have a
wider face due to its strong whiskers. Keep it simple. Pay
attention to the dominant shape.

Round: Generally equidistant all around. Think of a brown

bear’s round head, or the smaller head of a bat or a squirrel.

Oblong: More elliptical than a perfect sphere. It could be an

oval head or one that transitions into a pronounced snout
like that of a horse or a moose.

Non-distinct: Heads that seem to lie well within the

animal. Animals that roll into balls come to mind, such as a
porcupine, hedgehog, or guinea pig. Owls have heads that
conform to and meld into the rest of their bodies. Or the
animal may have a seamless silhouette by design, such as
that of a dolphin or whale, made to glide through the water.
Snout: Nose and/or Mouth
Many animals have snouts
consisting of a protruding nose and
mouth underneath the jawline.
Snouts are technically part of the
head as the skull often extends to
include this area. This feature may
be quite a large distinguishing
factor when drawing your animal!
Here’s a quick list of animal
examples:

Box snout: Short-haired cats,

some dogs (such as a Labrador),
bear, squirrel

Rounded box snout:

Hippopotamus, baboon, guinea pig

Pronounced muzzle: Camel,

moose, zebra

Flat and round: Pig, gorilla, pug

dog, French bulldog

Long and pointed: Collie dog,

rhinoceros, mouse, opossum

Extended: Elephant, elephant shrew, tapir, aardvark

Beak: Duck, bird, goose, platypus

Ears
Listen up! Ears are much more defining in animal types—
perhaps comparable to how much importance we humans
place on our eyes. What’s a bunny without floppy ears and
what’s a cat without pointy ones? (Answer: a dwarf rabbit
and a Scottish fold cat.)

Pointy or triangular: Most cats, foxes, Husky dogs, pigs

Small and curved: Bear, beaver, chipmunk, camel

Floppy: Lop rabbit, hound dog, goat

Long and tall: Llama, bobcat, kangaroo

Limbs
Let’s talk appendages and analogous structures! Said
nobody, ever. These indispensable parts attached to the
main body construct its makeup. Some animals seem to
have extra joints or backward-facing joints. Take them one
by one as you build your animal.

Forelimbs
Not all limbs are the same . . . or the same size, or go by the
same name. We’ll simply call these forelimbs—labeling
momentarily by function for the sake of drawing. The
forelimbs of an animal may be shorter than the hindlegs,
such as with a chipmunk, or they may be similar in length
but different in structure, such as a koala.
Wings
Wings can be tricky. Notice the texture. A bird’s wing may
contain a variety of feathers. And of course, not all wings
are the soft, feathery type, such as a bat’s.
Notice how feathers are nicely arranged by rows or how
different layers of feathers are stacked upon each other,
subtly changing in density, width, and thickness as they
progress toward the tip. Then pay attention to the color.
Ever tried to paint a peacock or even just a peacock
feather? What a wild collection of colors and patterns! The
change in color could happen by rows or within one feather.
It may not be a linear pattern, but the rhythm will help
you. Also note if the colors blend into the next or if they are
distinct. Now note the structure. Some wings span from the
joint to the body like that of a chickadee bird. Others bend
halfway like that of an eagle.
Rely on a few reference photos taken from different
angles and at different degrees of wingspan; you may not
notice a wing’s fold or bend until you see it half open.
Legs
Don’t let those legs perplex you. A chameleon’s short legs
and claws help him cross over tree branches. Some legs are
disproportionately long, such as the dangling spider monkey.
Study legs species by species as you draw. Notice how
they’re joined at the hip and often bend at the middle,
forming two or three portions.
Fins
Fins can maintain balance and direction (e.g., a dorsal fin),
but those we regard as limbs move and often operate like
arms. Whale fins can be short compared to their body mass
(e.g., a blue whale) or long flippers (e.g., a humpback
whale).
Tail
Fluffy or slick, long or short, tails offer a distinct detail that
sets an animal apart. Tails are not purely decorative. They
often provide balance, swat bugs away, or act as a “fifth
arm” to grab onto tree limbs. Tails can often be expressive,
being a clear tell of fear, curiosity, joy, and calm. Sharpen
your mind’s eye by thinking of the distinct tails of these
animals:

Long: Monkey, cheetah, wallaby, ring-tailed lemur

Short: Bobcat, giant panda, sheep, rabbit

Bushy: Koala, hare, red panda, gray fox

Mane: Stallion, donkey, zebra

Flat: Beaver, platypus, leaf-tailed gecko, flying squirrel

Skinny: Pig, donkey, lion

Tail fin: Dolphin, seal, whale, shark

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ANIMALISTIC ELEMENTS

We often get enamored with details when we look at a

subject. That long neck or those adorable whiskers can
distract us from the whole and we can end up with some
very disproportionate figures! Don’t put the horse’s features
before the horse’s proportions!
Here’s the good news: now that you’ve explored different
animal body masses, you’re ready to dive into the details
that make an animal so very animal-ish . . . and so lovable!
This chapter focuses on the features that make an animal
distinct. These are listed as prompts for you to notice details
and also see commonalities among breeds. Drawing lines of
distinction while finding harmonious ties will help you
categorize these creature types and give you confidence to
approach new animals based on their similarities.

LOOK AT THOSE EYES

We place abundant—and appropriate—emphasis on eyes,
“the gateway to the soul.” Many animals have eyes on
either side of their head; others have a pair that face
forward like ours. The shape of their eyes can vary from
being perfect circles to hooded almond-shaped eyes. Notice
how the camel’s eyelids droop well over half the eye, and a
ring-tailed lemur’s eyes glow as whole, bright red spheres.
The horse’s eyes are buffered within pointed edges like
ours, and yet they can appear angled or wider depending on
the breed of the horse. Domesticated cats have eyes similar
to “big cats” such as lions and pumas. The eyes of a squirrel
are similar in shape to a giant panda’s, though they share
very few commonalities otherwise.
Placement: Forward-facing or side-facing
Shape: Round, almond, angled, narrow, wide
 p g
Color: Brown, red, green, yellow, pink
Iris: Round, subcircular, horizontal slit, or vertical slit
Eyelashes: Long, short, none
Eyelid: Over top or encapsulating
White of the eye: Visible or not
Lining the eye: Pink and fleshy or dark
ACTIVITY:

DRAWING EYES
Look up some animals and only draw their eyes. Draw the
pair or just one as I have here. Select different animals to
appreciate the contrast, or draw a few similar animals and
sharpen your eye to subtle distinctions.

Camel
Husky

Snake
Horse

Lemur
Bird
SKIN & FUR
We may be quick to think of animals as furry critters, but
not all are. Amphibians and reptiles don’t have (or need) fur
to line their bodies, but the texture of their skin could be dry
and scaly or wet and slimy. A furry lamb has short, coarse
tufts of fur; a lion’s coat will never get tangled.

Got a furry creature on your hands? Notice these details:

Thickness of each strand
Fullness of the fur
Straight or curled
Variances in areas
Mane (long hair)
Direction of growth
Color
Spots, stripes, patterns

See these distinctions among skin types:

Smooth or dry
Pattern of cracks
Wet or coated
Coloring
Bumps
Apparent texture
Wrinkles or skin bunching
ACTIVITY:

DRAWING FUR, HAIR & SKIN TEXTURE

How do you take what you’ve seen with your eyes and
interpret it? Hair and fur can be so full: we can render each
strand or we can selectively sketch hints of it. For either
approach, apply more pressure to the base of each hair and
taper your hand pressure if it thins to the ends. If the fur is
thick and coarse, you won’t need to let up much. If the hairs
are thin, use light pressure. Notice the direction the hair
grows, curls, and waves, working in rows as you fill in areas.
A few strokes of fur here and there may be all you need to
suggest texture.

Dry

Hexagonal
 Fluffy

Have you noticed how the covering of an animal can

provide an added defense? Think of a protective hard shell,
or fur that adjusts its thickness as the climate shifts, or
color-changing skin. If it’s important for them to have it, it’s
important for us to note it!
NOSE & WHISKERS
Some animals, such as pigs, are known for their funny
snouts, but we may never have noticed a seal’s subtle
nostrils. I enjoy how animal noses can get dark and
pronounced. We have little allowance for flamboyance for
the nose of a human compared to that of a baboon!
ACTIVITY:

DRAWING NOSES
Draw a few noses and reflect on the comparisons below.
Draw a set of nostrils or the entire snout. A nose by any
other name is still a nose. But have you considered these
options?
Wet or dry
Smooth or porous
Flat, angled, or curved
Round or long nostrils
Large or small in overall size
Protruding
Simply nostrils

Whiskers add a lot to the animal’s cuteness. They may

look full or sparse, dark or light, long or short. They’re
commonly along the sides of the nose, but notice them
above the eyes, chin, or toward the outer edges of the
cheeks . . . and sometimes in all those places on a single
animal!

Monkey
Tiger

Pig

Dog

Walrus
Goat
FEET
Paws, claws, toes, and talons! They’re often rugged to
withstand a walk in less-than-smooth surfaces and could
have several textures rolled into one small area.

When drawing feet, look out for these features:

Toes
Paw pads
Claws
Nails
Furry or fleshy
Soft or rough features
Hooves
Clefts
Thumb-like parts
ACTIVITY:

DRAWING FEET

Cat paw

Hoof

Penguin
Dog paw

Bird foot

Frog
 STYLE TWIST: PLAYING WITH MOVEMENT

Animals are in constant movement! A flamingo flings its knee backward. A horse
gallops. An animal may jump, stand, sit, strut, and sway in its own particular way.
It’s time to put those parts together! To focus on posture and movement, we give
ourselves tight parameters as we sketch:

1. Select a medium that’s quick to sketch with and can suggest differing widths in line
weight (without any additional steps such as shading). Sketch with a brush dipped in
ink or watercolor, a brush marker, or a pencil with soft graphite like a 6B.

2. Do quick sketches, forcing yourself to grasp the movement of an animal without

worrying about proportions or accuracy for now. Set a timer for one to two minutes
per sketch.

3. No erasing. If you don’t like how a drawing is going, make your next line darker or
move on to the next sketch. You’ll get to adjust them later if you’d like.

I did my sketches with watercolor. I like to use wild colors to throw away my
expectations for accuracy! See how I was trying to capture the movement of a bunny, the
weight of its rear half and the elegance of its ears. I later added blushy cheeks and a
few dark lines to finalize its look.

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EMOTION & EXPRESSION

Animals show what’s going on in their minds quite readily.

Observe a family pet and you’ll notice they’re not always an
even keel of emotion. Watch a group or herd and notice how
personalities pop up among the group.
Note that expressiveness in an animal is rarely limited to
its face. The entire body plays a role in communicating
attitude and intent—body language is often a precursor to
what an animal will do next!
SLY & SNEAKY (GREEN)
Being sly and sneaky isn’t just for those up to no good. A sly
or sneaky face may have shifty eyes, quizzical eyebrows,
and a menacing smirk. Its body may walk ever so delicately
so as to not be detectable. A cat may be perched low, ready
to pounce with large, black eyes focusing on its prey. A
snake may show its tongue, detecting smells it gains
through it to savor a taste of its next victim.
HAPPY-HAPPY (YELLOW)
Have you tried to draw a sad sloth? It’s pretty tricky with
their smiles that can’t help but curve upward. Or give a
frown to a dog with an open mouth—they look irresistibly
happy! Like us, a happy-looking animal has a grin moving
his cheeks upward to squinted eyes. The body looks relaxed
and may even appear a touch eager.
FUNNY GRINS (ORANGE)
It may be particularly tricky to give a llama a scowl or a
camel a look of anger, and it’s likely best to simply
emphasize their personal quirk. Let those uneven bottom
teeth shine with that trademark underbite, and play up a
few laugh lines or peculiar whiskers. I adjust the posture to
have one leg up as a quizzical gesture that offers a clue that
this animal may not be altogether stable or planted firmly
on the ground like the rest.
ANGRY (RED)
As a child, I’d watch cartoons and it seemed like animals
were always fighting for something or against each other!
Those cartoons informed me on how to make one mad
animal communicate that he’s been pushed too far. Eyes
relay a fiery fury, becoming squinted to pierce the target. A
fold of the skin pushes one or both of the eyes down.
Nostrils flare and teeth may show as a sign of fierceness.
The body is stiff and prepared for attack, and we may even
see claws slice through paws as ready weapons.
EVER CURIOUS (VIOLET)
Curious animals remind us of the wonder in the world: a bird
quickly shifts his head or his body with a jump or a few
curious meerkats run and abruptly stop, standing straight
up. We instantly question, “what are they looking at?”
Showing this character trait or mood is a subtle mix of
relaxed and pert body parts. Depending on the animal, their
body may be at a stiff halt or carry an inquisitive curvature.
The head may be straight and laser-focused, or an animal
with mild curiosity may tilt his head in puzzlement. The eyes
are always wide and the mouths are not often open.
GLUM & UNAMUSED (BLUE)
Unamused animals have my heart. Their droopy eyelids are
like a half-exercised eyeroll, as if they’re just too indifferent
to even finish the entire loop. They may simply be sleeping
or about to fall asleep like a sighing dog on a cool floor on a
hot summer afternoon. I love a good paw over the eyes to
block the light or the world around them. A standing animal
may just have eyes half open or a sideways glance to show
slight disapproval.

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OceanofPDF.com
LONG & STRONG

These animals instantly suggest elegant strength. Watch a

horse-lover’s movie choice or thumb through a unicorn-
loving girl’s sketchbook and you’ll notice the combination of
beauty and strength. The zebra does so with the exotic twist
of its striking stripes. And the deer, though common, is
elusive and lovely.

LONG & STRONG HIGHLIGHTS

» POSTURE. This set of animals requires us to focus on

posture.
» MASKING FLUID. I’ll introduce you to masking fluid, a
medium used to guard the paper from paint and water to
later reveal white areas.
» SHORT FUR. We won’t spend a lot of time depicting the
texture of their short fur; it’s fun to pat but you can’t run
your fingers through it.
Deer
Horse
Zebra
 DRAWING

These three animals have small heads, strong necks, large

body mass, and four legs. The legs have three joints: where
they spring from the torso, bend at the halfway mark, and
flex at the foot. Their hind legs often jut backward, making
the “knee” feel more like an “elbow.” The combination of
these joints working together, independently and yet in
harmony, make their running movements enchanting to
watch. Note their common head shape and notice the long
snout and pronounced cheek, particularly when the face is
in profile.
Draw the Deer
1 Draw an oval for the head.

2 Draw two ears, each half the size of the head.

3 Add eyes and nose.

4 Draw the neck extending down to the belly.

5 Sketch the long body and small tail.

6 Draw a long leg that tapers at the foot.

7 Draw the second front leg.

8 The hind leg juts backward at the joint.

9 The second hind leg peeks from behind.

10 Add a hint of speckled spots and tufts of fur on his head
and ears.

11 The finished deer.

Draw the Horse
I chose a dynamic pose for the horse because I like its
humble majesty.
1 Begin with the horse’s trademark head shape.

2 Facial parts such as ears, eyes, and snout are next.

3 Draw the curved neck.

4 Draw the front leg cocked forward.

5 Draw the second front leg behind.

6 Sketch the oblong body curving backward.

7 Sketch both hind legs rounding into the body.

8 The mane and tail add the final touch.
9 The finished horse.
Draw the Zebra
1 Begin by drawing the head.

2 Draw two lines extending outward to form the neck.

3 Draw round ears, eyes, and nostrils.

4 Draw his long, round body.

5 Sketch two legs, one poised forward, one straight.

6 The forward-facing hind leg is active.

7 Draw the other hind leg firmly on the ground.

8 Draw his tail and mane.

9 It’s time to fill our zebra with stripes!

10 The finished zebra.

 PAINTING

Our Long & Strong animals require washes where you’ll rely
on the body of the brush, as well as pointed, small features
that are best rendered with the tip of a good brush, so you’ll
want a nice, sharp round brush, one whose hairs are
collected nicely. While the palette is mostly neutral, punch
up our brown and blacks with a few brights.

Paint the Deer

COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 26B Golden Brown, 46D Sunrise
Pink, 28B Sepia
Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen-White
Mijello Mission: Burnt Umber
RESERVING WHITES; INITIAL WASH
1 Our white-tail deer has characteristic white spots on his
back. Place enough masking fluid to create a bump: Too
little won’t cover the paper or lift off properly; too much
will take long to dry. A plump little bead will do it! And
don’t worry about creating perfectly rounded spots. Let
some spots bleed together, as they do in nature. The
deer’s belly is white, so use more as you progress to the
underside (A).
 WORKING WITH MASKING FLUID
The brightest white of a watercolor painting isn’t painted; it’s the white of the paper left
untouched. Masking fluid allows us to work freely to create smooth washes while
retaining white areas. It goes on the paper much like glue. For the deer I used masking
fluid that dispenses from a pen, but it’s usually sold in bottles or pots and applied with
a brush. Use a small brush that’s easily replaced, as you’re painting with a glue-like
substance! Be sure to let masking fluid dry completely, then rub to remove and reveal
the bright white.

2 Using a round brush size 8 or larger, paint a brown wash,

starting at the deer’s back and fading the color as you
stroke it downward. Painting on the bumpy texture of the
dry masking fluid beads will feel strange, and you’ll need
more paint and water to glide over them.
3 Drop in color, perhaps a warm golden brown, into wet
areas. Finish coloring in the base areas of the deer’s body,
legs, head, and ears. A hint of pink works well in the ears
and along the neck, where the fur is lighter in color (B).
ADDING SHADOWS
1 Highlight those trademark hindlegs. Add a touch of
shadow with a darker brown. Glide your brush down the
fronts of the deer’s legs with a 1:1 mix of water and paint.
Paint in dark hooves. Use a wetter mix for shadows on the
body: the ridge of the hind leg or hip, the underbelly, and
a touch of dark to define the features of the face (C).
Small patches of medium dark sculpt the snout, ears, and
head (D).
2 When the paint is dry, gently rub the masking fluid away
to reveal the spots of white paper left untouched. We
aren’t finished yet, but the final steps of polish will come
easily!
FINAL TOUCHES
All the deer needs is a tiny bit of white dabbed on each eye
and small lines on its fur. Continue the theme of tiny dashes
with dark and warm browns on the deer’s coat. Place lines
over the white areas that were masked before. It will feel
more natural to give an all-over treatment. Define detailed
areas such as the hooves, nose, and tail (E & F).
Paint the Horse
COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 26B Golden Brown, 46D Sunrise
Pink, 28B Sepia
Mijello Mission: Burnt Umber
PAINTING A SOFT COAT
1 Using colors similar to those in the deer painting,
combine them to portray both shadow and the feeling of
a soft coat. A wet surface is critical for creating a
seamless blend. Notice how water is used: While the
surface is undeniably wet (note the light sheen), the body
isn’t a puddle. Select a main color—I used golden brown—
and begin at the head. As you continue to paint toward
the belly, select a darker color. Optionally, use a third
color to serve as a middle shade. I used Sunrise Pink.
2 While still using a large brush, paint with the very tips of
the bristles to create the hairs of the horse’s tail. Each
brushstroke depicts a small tuft of hair, flicking and
waving in the wind. Use the same technique for the
mane, but with shorter strokes, as you work your way
down from the top of the horse’s head.
SHADOWS TO SHOW POSTURE
1 Use less water as you pick up a darker brown to lay down
shadows. Outline the hip of the legs down to its hooves.
Cast thick, dark lines under the belly and along the neck.
Consider what else falls below the underside of the horse
and make the legs that are farther back, visually, look
slightly darker (A).

2 Finally, two important features of a horse are its jawline

and the eye. Paint them in that order as you’ll find that
the jawline curves around to guide us to the eye (B).
FINAL DARKS
1 The whites of the legs and hooves need an added shadow
with a light wash of brown on the back sides (C).

2 Time for our small brush! Line areas of the horse’s body
that may not have been smooth or need a touch of
darkness. Focus on the hair and the hooves, adding a thin
line of dark at junctions where different forms meet.
Create hints of short fur texture with tiny dashes. Darken
the nostril and eye. Give your horse a smile, if you’d like
(D).
Paint the Zebra
The zebra is one of my favorites in this book! My love for
color runs deep, but the special challenge of bringing color
to black and white is an aspect of painting I enjoy. Let me
show you how.

COLORS

Mijello Mission: Orange and Opera Pink

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 8A Turquoise Blue

CHROMATIC WASHES
Paint the entire body of the zebra with water. Mix very light
colors with your watery brush. I chose pink and orange.
After laying on some areas of this light coral, mix a watery
blue and paint it into the wet areas. Alternating these
pastel-colored areas may look strange at first, but we’ll be
covering much of it with stripes.
COLORFUL BLACK
Mix the three colors we’ve used so far—orange, pink, and
blue—to make a dark tone. Add more colors if it’s not dark
enough. Using a mid-sized or small brush (sizes 4–8), paint
the zebra’s stripes, working your way along the body. Notice
how the stripes rarely go all the way from top to bottom.
Some stripes are triangular, and some ends cut short. Hold
closely to your reference picture, but remember that no one
will be counting those stripes, either! Use this black to add
stripes to the main and dark areas such as the snout, tail,
and ankles (A).
QUICK DEFINITION
1 Line areas of the zebra that are left white and cast a few
shadows with the blue. Focus on where parts overlap,
such as the legs and where the head hangs over the
neck. Add a touch of the blue to areas that are your
richest darks: the underbelly, tail, and ankles.
2 Paint the eyes with your rich black mixture, creating two
small almond shapes and perhaps a few lines to define
the bulge of each eye.
 STYLE TWIST: FANTASTICAL COLORS

Color is one of the most basic ways to alter our appearance. Trading neutrals for
saturated colors transforms animals into fantastical creatures we only wish we could
meet.
Our DEER takes on a romantic feel with warm tones in pinks, oranges, and yellows. To
replace its white spots with a smattering of heart shapes, use masking fluid or paint
them as a final step with opaque white (A).

The HORSE becomes a winged unicorn or alicorn with the simple addition of wings
and a signature horn. Nothing says mystical like blues and violets, so here the brown
coat is tinted with washes of Turquoise and Ultra Blue. The real hero in this
transformation is opaque white (Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen-White), which covers part of
the mane to add wings (with details painted in blues) and creates gleaming
highlights on the body (B).
For the ZEBRA’s stripes, rather than mixing the colors to create a rich black, use
them to paint a rainbow! Use jewel tones, classic rainbow hues, or cotton candy
colors for a fresh take that creates a slightly holographic effect. Keep the eyes,
snout, hooves, and ears dark to ground all that color. Only the stripes, which extend
through the mane, shine through like a spectrum (C).

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SMALL & CUTE

What’s fluffy, tiny, and adorable all over? These three

critters, of course! After living in a very dense, urban area, I
remember feeling exhilarated every time I’d see a little
animal hopping across the backyard. Sometimes it’s more
difficult to paint something you’re enamored with: The
higher hopes of capturing whatever captivates us can make
for an easy fall. Take these animals in the same stride you
would any other subject: a step at a time and checking your
reference to get the elements down right.

SMALL & CUTE HIGHLIGHTS

» CUTENESS FACTOR. Noticing what small details hint at

these different flavors of cuteness.
» FLESHY TOES. Furry bodies with fleshy toes should
appear distinctive in texture.
» A STRIKING STRIPE. The chipmunk’s stripe is high-
contrast, but not overpowering.
» FAN BRUSH. For a fun twist, we use the fan brush for our
hedgehog.
Bunny
Chipmunk
Hedgehog
 DRAWING

Each of the animals featured in Small & Cute has a different

charm about it. While every part of them is very rounded—
though a spikey fellow, the hedgehog has an underlying
round shape—not all cute animals are chubby. Cuteness has
more facets to it than that, but this commonality is no
coincidence.
Draw the Bunny
1 Outline the basic elements: body, legs, muzzle, cheeks,
head, and ears.

2 Define the ears.

3 Unify the head, muzzle, and cheeks, adding fur to their
edges.
4 Add details for the eye, nose, and mouth.
5 Outline the edges of the body with fur.

6 Refine the front legs and feet.

7 Refine the back legs and feet.
8 Add fur to the body and whiskers to the face.

9 The finished bunny.

Draw the Chipmunk
1 Outline the head with a jagged line for a furry texture.

2 Add the ears, eyes, and nose.

3 Outline the body with a furry texture.

4 Add the legs, feet, and toes.

5 Outline the bushy tail.

6 Add striping to the nose, eyes, body, and tail.

7 Add whiskers.

8 The finished chipmunk.

Draw the Hedgehog
1 Anchor the face, placing the eyes and nose in a triangular
shape.

2 Outline the muzzle and ears and add silky fur around the
eyes.

3 Outline the head, the ruff, and the lower body with a long
furry texture.
4 Add the legs, feet, and toes.

5 Add the spiky spines, outlining the body first, then

applying the same texture within the shape.
6 Add the whiskers.

7 The finished hedgehog.

 PAINTING

After sketching the three animals, transfer or re-draw your

favorite onto watercolor paper. Make sure your sketch lines
are light, as most of the paint colors are light as well. Use a
small round brush with a nice, sharp tip, which will come in
handy for making furry edges.

Paint the Bunny

Very light colors heightened with pretty pastels make our
bunny feel like spring.

COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 15B Daffodil Yellow, 16B Amber
Yellow, 37C Ice Pink, 26B Golden Brown, 22B Slate Blue
Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen-White
Mijello Mission: Ivory Black
WATERCOLORS WITH PUNCH
1 Achieve softness with water. Begin painting from top to
bottom with a very wet yellow, taking breaks to bring in
more color to support the various shapes. If colors get too
saturated, add water to make the effect gentler (A).
2 Rather than using a darker yellow for shadowed areas,
use orange (Amber Yellow) to add punch.
3 For the insides of the ears, create a soft pink gradient by
painting with water first, then dropping pink into the area
closest to the head.
COLORFUL NEUTRAL OUTLINES
1 Picking up Amber Yellow, paint a few defined and furry
edges. To balance some of the color, add a few sharp
details with a yellow ochre (Golden Brown) (B).

2 Rather than using long lines to define the body’s shapes,

a few lines to show a tuft of fur will add texture and
interest. Add touches of shadow under the chin and over
the eye (C).
3 Finalize the basic facial features, alternating between the
orange and ochre colors, by making a light outline of your
initial sketch lines. Add a few dabs of texture in the fluffy
cheeks.
COOL WHITE
1 Brighten up the bunny’s features using black or a very
dark brown and a final round of cool white. A small brush
with a pointy tip can add a touch of value to the inner
nostrils, the opening of the mouth, and line the eye and
lashes.
2 Mix opaque white with a little watercolor blue for a cool
white. It may look jarring at first alongside all the warm
hues, but the contrast of warm and cool is a time-honored
artistic tool that really catches the eye (D).
3 Use the white mixture to add tufts of fur along the
bottom of the head and touches of highlights along the
fur where the rolls of bunny fat gather.
Paint the Chipmunk
This little critter packs a lot of color and even more contrast
with the stripe on his back! Fill color areas of his body to
easily understand his form in consequent steps.

COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 37C Ice Pink, 16B Amber Yellow,
44D Sunset Orange, 42C Antelope Brown, 28B Sepia
Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen-White
BRING ON THE FUR
1 Starting with pink and blending to Amber Yellow, begin
with the nose and then flow into the small channel to the
forehead. Wet the brush, then fill the cheeks and body
with the remaining color. Add a punchy color in the fur at
the crouching leg. Tip the ears and toes with pink. Use
brown to paint the stripe, starting at the tip of the tail and
working toward the body, then the tail’s edge. To paint
the double stripe, start at the neck and follow the spine’s
shape, making sure the ends of the double stripes meet.
Add a wash of brown with a slightly jagged edge to the
underbelly; use brown to line the eyes with a mask (A).
2 Use a small brush to apply a light wash of brown in short
strokes to create furry edges and add hints of texture
here and there on the body. Outline the white of the stripe
with yellow, and use brown to paint the nose, eyes, and a
little mouth in a curved W (B).
3 Line the inner eye with very dark brown or black; add
hints of the same color in the nostrils, within the brown
stripes, and along the fold in the hind leg. Applying paint
in short strokes, use opaque white to add a few bright
hairs in the ear, whiskers, and the fur. Add a little glimmer
of light in the eye (C).
Paint the Hedgehog
With the hedgehog, we volley between two textures: soft
and fleshy and prickly spikes.

COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 10A Violet, 27B Mahogany, 37C Ice
Pink, 26B Golden Brown
Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen-White
TIGHTEN TINY FEATURES
1 Mix violet and brown to create a muted purple. Take care
to keep it light; bear in mind that watercolors are darker
when wet. Begin with the triangular muzzle, then use the
muted purple as the base color for the legs and feet;
while wet, dab a touch of punchy pink on the toes. Repeat
with the ears, working inward to create a zigzag edge that
implies ear hairs. Use a large brush and dark brown to
paint the spines. Start at the V-shaped hairline with short,
dense strokes, spacing them farther apart toward the
edges. Repeat throughout the body with a lighter brown.
Rather than outlining white areas or applying washes for
shadows, paint short strokes along the edges with a warm
brown, clustering them in shaded areas (A).
2 Paint the eyes with a violet-brown mix that’s a bit more
brown. Leave an area in the upper half of the eye white.
Paint the square nose. Add hairs on the snout and outline
the toes and inner ear with a warm yellow-brown. Follow
the edge of the ear, allowing a small margin of white (B).
 STYLE TWIST: SIMPLY ADORABLE

Turn up the cute factor with even curvier lines to create chubbier critters! A simple
silhouette created with a collection of ellipses provides a simple backdrop for minimal
marker embellishments. The key is to reduce an animal’s features to their essential
elements.
1. Use these examples to draw the animals with simple shapes (A).

2. Fill your simple silhouettes with light watercolors. You may choose the same hues as
the paintings on this page–here or try other pastel colors. Let dry. Draw basic,
minimal features with markers, using only lines, dots, and small shapes. Opaque
paint markers, such as Posca Paint markers, are a great option, as you won’t be
limited to using colors that are darker than the initial watercolor layer (B).
TIP: Draw inspiration from Japanese animal characters. Their cute designs don’t require
any shading and employ very few lines.

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WILDLY UNIQUE

Artists can relate to the idea of uniqueness: my introduction

to the word came when feeling left out at as the new kid at
school in second grade. What’s funny is that I never ran with
the big pack, even before that move. These animals know
what it’s like to look different from those around them. Their
special features often make them the subject of special
attention, and I think they’ve become quite used to it!

WILDLY UNIQUE HIGHLIGHTS

» MARKINGS. Giraffes have nine pattern types according to

where they live. We’ll be painting a pattern more like that
of the West African giraffe.
» PATTERN VERSUS SHADOWS. How to simultaneously
represent pattern and shadow.
» DIFFERING TEXTURES. The camel has patches of long
fur and short fur, even curled and straight.
» COLORFUL GRAYS. We take the gray colors of the
rhinoceros and interpret them colorfully.
» MONOCHROMATIC. The camel and rhinoceros aren’t
known for their colorfulness, but we’ll learn to introduce
hints of different hues.
Giraffe
Camel
Rhinoceros
 DRAWING

The body forms of the giraffe and camel vary widely in

width, with skinny necks and limbs attached to large torsos.
The rhino has a large, muscular torso with short legs and a
rather large mouth. These are sketched in profile to better
appreciate their unique build. We won’t be seeing a lot of
physical similarities among these—but they do all walk on
four legs!
Draw the Giraffe
1 Begin by drawing his head as almost a beak shape.

2 A hint of eye, nostril, and mouth help establish the

giraffe’s face.

3 Draw the giraffe’s trademark ossicones and an ear.

4 Draw the long neck with a few wrinkle lines at the base.
5 Sketch the body with just three lines to allow for legs.

6 Draw the hind legs with knobby knees.

7 Draw the front legs with square knees.
8 Color in a dark, short mane.
9 Add spots with angular edges within the top portion of its
body.
10 The finished giraffe.
Draw the Camel
1 Draw the head of the camel with a snout that is narrower
than its jaw.

2 Add the facial features of the eye, nostril, mouth, and

ears.

3 Draw his U-shaped neck, capped with an area of tufted

fur.

4 Draw the body with his hump.

5 Sketch both front legs with large triangular feet at the
bottom.

6 Draw both hind legs, but angle the forward-facing one to

imply movement.
7 Draw his small but long tail.

8 The finished camel.

Draw the Rhinoceros
1 Begin with the peanut-shaped head.

2 Add a nostril and an eye with tired wrinkles.

3 Draw the curved, fleshy ear.

4 Top the snout with a horn or two.

5 Add wrinkles on the face.

6 Create the contour of the body with wavy lines.

7 Draw the front leg with large toes and sagging skin.

8 Draw the back leg with a protruding bump.

9 Draw both remaining legs angled towards each other.

10 Finish the sketch with a skinny tail.

11 The finished rhinoceros.

 PAINTING

These animals are largely monochromatic with yellows and

browns or cool grays. You likely need only two brushes: one
for large washes and one for details. Select a brush with a
pointy tip, particularly for the small details of the face.

Paint the Giraffe

The giraffe is so stunning in person, a living marvel to
watch. We’ll be using yellow and warm browns.

COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 54D Indian Yellow, 27B Mahogany
Mijello Mission: Yellow Ochre, Red Brown, Burnt Umber
Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen-White
LIGHT YELLOWS
This first step is simple as the varying pattern shapes will
overlay it. Paint your giraffe silhouette with water only, then
place paint with a brush loaded with yellow. Use less paint in
areas that will have more details, such as the face, so you
have a lighter canvas to work on. Add a touch of a darker
color such as orange or ochre to shaded areas.
GIRAFFE ELEMENTS
1 Paint the giraffe’s short mane by creating a zigzag line at
the top and a flat line underneath. Use a warm brown,
such as mahogany or raw umber.
2 After that warmup, you’re ready to paint the pattern of
hexagon-like spots on your giraffe. You may draw them
with pencil first: begin with a main shape and create
radiating shapes around it (A).

3 Then move to another area of the giraffe’s body, creating

more groups until your entire pattern is formed, covering
the body from face to knees (B).
4 With your small brush, paint in the entire shape of the
eye, hooves, inner ear, tail, and a light wash over the
mouth. Add a few long lines where the skin folds. These
are where large body parts attach to the body mass,
around legs, and at the base of the long neck.
DARLING TOUCHES
1 Grab a dark brown and paint the darkest areas. Begin
with beautiful eyes, making the tiniest flicks for lashes.
Darken the inside of the nostril and ear, and add a smile.
Outline the bottom of the giraffe’s face to highlight the
curved jawline (C).

2 Look out for any other dark areas such as under the belly
and the split in the hooves. Perhaps add a touch of dark
between the legs to differentiate them. Use a red brown
to paint small dashes within the mane to add texture.
Finally, a twinkle of opaque white in the eye makes our
giraffe irresistible.
Paint the Camel
The big body mass attached to skinny legs, the trademark
hump—or two—and the permanent, goofy smile make the
camel a comical friend.

COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 54D Indian Yellow

Mijello Mission: Yellow Ochre, Red Brown, Sepia

WATERY YELLOWS
Paint your camel with water and add yellow in darker areas
—the back of the neck, the legs, and the underside of the
belly. Go even darker with yellow ochre in shaded areas.
This helps create a visual division between the limbs.
TEXTURE NOTES
1 Add texture notes with a heavier application of yellow
ochre. Several dabs grouped together create a patch of
textured shadows. Let your brush go dry to see the
different effects that you can create or try the same
technique with a smaller brush. Paint these textured
patches in areas of shadow and to give hints of fur along
the neck, hump, and chest (A).

2 Layer on the lines of the face, beginning with ochre and

then pumping up the color with a red-brown. Notice how
the eye is hooded, the cheek is shadowed, and the smile
is hooked at the end. Add other similar details to the
knees and hooves (B).
REAL DARK
Look for the very dark areas—they are few, but still critical:
eye, nostril, under the belly, between the legs, and at the
crook of the hump. These areas only need a small dab of
dark brown, but the tiny notes will keep your camel from
looking washed out (C).
Paint the Rhinoceros
It’s easy to want to paint popular animals, but what about
the understated rhinoceros? He has funky horns, a demur
gaze, and dinosaur-like features. He’s built like a tank, but
seems largely unassuming. We’ll take his desaturated grays
and interpret them as muted mint greens with a dash of
violet.

COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 35C Jungle Green, 27B Mahogany,
13A Saddle Brown, 54D Indian Yellow
Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen-White

WET AT ITS BEST

Mix contrasting colors to create plenty of a rich black to use
as the base hue and the shading color. I used Jungle Green,
a violet-like mahogany, and a bit of brown to darken it
further. Begin by painting with only water, creating a surface
where the paint will bleed into. Drop paint at what will be
the darkest area and extend its reach with your brush until
the rhino is filled in with a light wash. Finish by filling the
horns with a touch of yellow (A).
SHADOWS
Use the rich black to paint shadows, beginning at the
darkest area to allow our fresh brushstrokes to be heavy-
handed. Paint the underbelly shadow. Extend wrinkle lines
from the bottom up so the paint fades as it trails upward.
Shade the face and draw in facial features. If you feel your
dark is too dark, simply add a bit of water. You may also
want to reach for a dry brush to soak up excess paint (B).
WHITE MIX
Mix white with the rich black mixture or, if you prefer, one of
the paints in the mixture, which ensures a harmonious color
scheme. Dab small markings to hint at dry pores. Use a few
touches of pure white for highlighted areas. Add a twinkle in
the eye and touches of light along the edges of a limb and
between wrinkles (C).
 STYLE TWIST: BOHO STYLE

The style known as “Boho”—short for Bohemian—is all about combining colors and
textures, a fun way to interpret creative influences from all over the world. It serves our
exotic animals perfectly with its unique expression.
The CAMEL is often decorated with such embellishments. So the underlying
watercolor work would still be visible, I adorned my camel with a net, easily drawn
with opaque paint marker. Pepper the net with small asterisks that give the feel of
felted or yarn pom-poms, layering them to add depth. Add more embellishments to
dangle from his reins (A).

The RHINOCEROS is a quirky canvas for a few feathered belts. Draw a line for the belt
in pencil or gel pen that wraps him from top to belly. Use a paint marker to draw two
belts, about three marker strokes in width. Use a small brush (size 4 liner) and
gouache to paint the feathers, finishing each by adding a white quill down the
center. Add interest to the belt by placing a few studs, threads, or rhinestones down
the center (B).
Our pretty GIRAFFE gets dolled up in African threads! These fabric designs vary
widely, from floral to geometric, but their rich colors are a common anchor. You may
work with gouache or acrylics, something opaque that will cover much of the giraffe’s
patterned body. If you give her a headwrap as I did, avoid covering the ears and
horns. Once the paint of the fabric base color is dry, embellish with fine lines to
create the patterns (C).

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FEATHERED FLYERS

Birds! Painting birds has become quite a fun pastime for me.
They’re beautiful, symbolic, varied, and display any color
imaginable. My book Color Birdz displays the spectrum of
colors, but I’m excited to show you how to paint a few
favorites in this section.

FEATHERED FLYER HIGHLIGHTS

» BEAKS. A unique snout found only in this section. We’ll

practice a slender one, a stout one, and a large one!
» FEATHERS. We’ll practice feathers—both short and long.
» BLACK SHEEN. We’ll use a strategy to portray the
toucan’s slick, black coat.
Cardinal
Toucan
Hummingbird
 DRAWING

I’ve enjoyed drawing faces from a young age, but drawing

birds hasn’t always come easily. A bird’s anatomical makeup
is so different from that of a person. The proportions felt
bizarre and the body rather undefined. Embrace the
simplicity of the bird’s body! You’ll find three main masses:
the head, the body, and the wings. The head often looks like
a circle sliced off at the bottom. The body is like an oval,
and the wings are like half of a leaf-shape. Add a beak and
tiny feet, and you’re there!
Draw the Cardinal
1 Begin by drawing its unique shape with a long front edge
and tufted short lines.

2 Add his cute beak and eye.

3 Draw the outline of the body leaving space for the wings.

4 Draw the bottom portion of the wings as stacking lines or

check marks.
5 Add soft plumage at the top of the wings.

6 Draw his tail feather and add lines for texture.

7 Draw the second wing extending outward.

8 Fill darker color around the eye and beak.

9 Draw tiny feet as a collection of banana shapes.

10 The finished cardinal.
Draw the Toucan
1 Begin by drawing the large beak and his small eye.

2 Create the contour of the body and add a few notes of

texture on the belly.

3 Draw the wing as a leaf shape with lines within.

4 Outline the unique area of coloring around the toucan’s
face.

5 Draw his tail feathers as elegant scallops.

6 Add legs and feet.

7 Add a bit more texture to the unique beak and a ring
around the eye.

8 Shade the large portion of his body as well as the wing,

tail, and legs.
9 The finished toucan.
Draw the Hummingbird
1 Draw a rough sketch of the elegant shapes of the
hummingbird.

2 Refine the lines of the outline of the body.

3 Draw the tail feathers.

4 Outline the beak, long and curved a little.

5 Fill in the eye and add a few notes of his markings around
the eye.
6 Draw the elegant wing by beginning with the upper line
and tapering its width and height.

7 Draw the wing angled away from you.

8 Add specks of texture, larger at the belly and smaller on
the face.

9 Draw the tiny feet.

10 The finished hummingbird.
 PAINTING

The three birds in this section vary in proportion and in color

styles, from brilliantly monochromatic to neutral to a small
smattering of bright color. The hummingbird requires lots of
textured strokes, and the toucan relies more on sleek
highlights. Start by painting the one you feel most
comfortable sketching. By the end, you’ll learn something
from each one.

Paint the Cardinal

The cardinal is known for its punchy color, but it can be
difficult to recreate what takes us aback in nature. A
cardinal’s stunning red is jarring simply because it’s so
vibrant compared to most other animals. Remember to
focus on the details to push the “real” factor: the angular
“haircut” and the masked face will add up to the cardinal’s
trademark look.

COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 5A Scarlet

Mijello Mission: Orange and Ivory Black
Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen-White
SCARLET BLEEDS
1 Ah, the beauty of wet-on-wet painting! Paint with water
and then drop in a red color. Don’t blend it in completely,
as the paint will continue to bleed into untouched areas,
leaving translucent variations of your wash. Leave the
masked area of the cardinal’s face blank. Allow the red
wash to dry by filling in smaller details that don’t touch.
The beak and feet can be painted as orange silhouettes
(A).

2. When all is dry, paint the cardinal’s dark face marking.

Outline the outside of the eye with black, then fill the
area above and below the beak with that same paint. It
should appear light. Make the lines jagged as they meet
with the red feathers (B).
BRINGING THE CARDINAL TO LIFE
1 Fill the eyes with black, leaving a white dot of twinkle.
Outline around the eye leaving a margin around the eye
and recover the black part of the cardinal’s face. Layering
creates depth (C).
2 Use your watered-down black to line the opening of the
beak. This color and a purer application of red works well
to create lines to show shadows and lines in the feet and
between feathers. Notice how the feathers in the wings
have a few layers that vary in length and shape, from
small wisps to curved scallops (D).
3 Add a few lines of red shading on the beak, focusing on
the edges to create a curvature.
WISPS OF WHITE
A few wisps of white on the feathers go a long way to
express texture. Paint dashed lines on the head and tummy,
curved lines along the top quarter of the body, and long
highlights along the wing feathers. You may also mix the
white with black to create less jarring light gray highlights.

Paint the Toucan

The combination of colors on the toucan’s big beak uses the
most basic of paint palettes. The black on the body provides
an opportunity to make colors pop and find a new way to
create highlights.

COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 1A Lemon Yellow, 5A Scarlet, 34C
Chartreuse, 21B Ultra Blue
Mijello Mission: Orange, Peacock Blue, Ivory Black, Vandyke Brown
Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen-White
BASE WASHES
1 Beginning with the lightest color—yellow—place your first
washes along the beak and into the chest. Add green to
the beak, dropping paint from the center of its smile and
extending around the eye. Paint a light wash of black on
the body to the tail feathers. Add a deep blue to the
center of the tail feathers, a touch to the belly, and the
feet. Once dry, paint a medium-dark layer of black, this
time outlining tail feathers and focusing on the belly. The
wing will look distinct and lit from above (A).
2 Once the dark layers are dry, it’s time to block in the
other touches of color: the red blotch on the tip of his
beak and wing feather, and the orange and blue splashes
on his beak.
DEFINITION
1 Using a small brush and dark brown, outline the opening
of the beak, its dark marking along the side, and the
scalloped ridges on his mouth. Use this same color to
draw lines to define the wing feathers and notch a few
details along the chest feathers. If this color isn’t dark
enough, mix with the Ultra Blue you used for the base
wash in step 1 above (B).
2 Create a light orange shadow under the beak: have
watered paint on only the tip of your brush and let it go
dry as you glide downward. Use pure paint in Chartreuse
or Lime green to line the outer edge of the eye. Line the
top of the beak with orange while lining the entire bottom
of the beak with Peacock Blue. Use blue on the white tips
of the wing feathers, defining them one by one but not
necessarily letting your line touch the top, black edge (C).
3 We’ll bookend this stage of definition by returning to the
dark brown to add tiny dashes of texture on the neck and
shadow lines along the feet.
A SLICK FEEL
Mix white with blue to create a toned-down highlight that
works well on black feathers. This color creates a sleek look
for a healthy, shiny coat. Paint lines along the feathers
you’d like to have this feel. Be careful not to go overboard—
it’s easy to get hooked! Apply brighter white along the top
edges of his features: the top of his head and the top line of
his beak, a glimmer in his eye, and anywhere else you see
fit.
Paint the Hummingbird
This hummingbird has its wings open and fluttering. You
may want to paint one with a different palette—there are so
many varieties! I chose this muted version to show you how
to have a little fun with grays and browns.

COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 48D Fuchsia, 56D Coffee Brown,
25B Olive Green, 32C Hyacinth Blue
Mijello Mission: Vandyke Brown
Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen-White
KEEPING IT LIGHT
A basic key in watercolor is to use more water when you
need your painting to stay light. Water is the vehicle of the
paint and the interpreter of its value. Here, we’ll use plenty
of water on our base wash and then add a small touch of
fuchsia to the bottom of the neck, extending the color down
the belly. Each feather is lined with a slightly more saturated
application of brown using a single, broad brushstroke.
Brown also colors the tips of the tail feathers. Moving further
into increasingly saturated applications, place a lime green
along the left edge (its back), tapering into white space.
Finally, a blueish gray fills the beak (A).
FINDING FORM
1 It’s nice to feel like your subject is looking back at you,
cheering you on. Give our hummingbird an eye with a
dark brown, then place a few shadows along the neck,
belly, and base of the wings with a watered-down coffee
brown. Flicking your brush in quick, upward strokes
creates a triangular shape, like the tip of a feather (B).
2 Small, dark strokes of dark brown create a pattern on the
top of the head and extend down the back into the green.
Repeat a similar effect along the lighter, right side of the
bird. Define the feathers of the wings and tail with long
lines of warm brown (C).
3 Use dark brown to add a rich finish to the base of the
neck and draw in feet (D).
FINAL TOUCHES
We’ll add another color to spice up our hummingbird: Ultra
Blue. It acts as a dark and is placed lightly about the bird to
define its beak, cast a small shadow at the base of the tail
feathers, and accentuate the peppered pattern on its green
coat (E). Swoops of white create highlights on the graceful
wings and some of the feathers (F).
 STYLE TWIST: BIRDS ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS

Imagine what these birds might be up to! Have fun giving your birds something to do. It
may take a moment to see what they might like and how a posture can lend itself to an
activity.
The CARDINAL is used to effortlessly making evergreen wreaths festive by plopping
down his pop of red (A).

Our HUMMINGBIRD is a natural singer, crooning into a microphone (B).

The tropical TOUCAN takes waves on his surfboard (C).

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FIERCE FELINES

Big cats are a big deal! With their elegant fierceness, they’re
interesting to watch—so calculative in their every move.
They boast strong muscles kept lean and agile. While the
species of big cats abound, we’re focusing on a popular set
of three: the cheetah, lion, and tiger.

FIERCE FELINES HIGHLIGHTS

» FUR PATTERNS. Learn to create realistic stripes and

spots.
» FELINE FACES. Get familiar with the feline face with its
pointy eyes and angled snout.
» IN MOTION. Tackle the three big cats with different
postures: sitting, walking, and striding.
Cheetah
Lion
Tiger
 DRAWING

Draw your animals as shapes first. Notice how angular their

features are—from their eyes to their hips. The most
curvaceous areas of their bodies give way to pointed angles
that describe their movements.

Draw the Cheetah

1 Draw light circles of the cheetah’s form.
2 Draw the face with a jagged edge.
3 Add ears.
4 Draw the eyes, mouth, and markings that extend from
one to the other.
5 Draw in the nose and small marking between eyes.
6 Follow the lines of the body with a furry edge.
7 Draw front legs. They are long but show a bit of the ball
joint at the top.
8 Draw the hind legs and the tail.
9 Add spots all over the body.
10 Add details such as whiskers and a few more dots on the
head.
11 The finished cheetah.
Draw the Lion
1 Beginning with his strong head, draw the outline of the
lines of his face and his broad nose.

2 Fill in the eyes with deep corners.

3 Draw the nose and mouth.
4 Create the mane around his face using a collection of
lines.
5 Create a second outer ring of his mane.
6 Draw the body with two lines for top and bottom.
7 Draw his bent front paw angled inward.
8 Draw his other front paw and back leg angled in the same
direction.
9 Outline his hind leg jutting from his back hip.
10 Draw a small tail with a furry tip.
11 The finished lion.
Draw the Tiger
1 Sketch in the rough forms that make up the tiger’s body.
2 Place the almond-shaped eyes, triangular nose, and
mouth to give it an instant feline feel.
3 Draw the tiger’s ears pointing outward.
4 Outline the head of the tiger with a furry, jagged line.
5 Similarly, outline the body mass.
6 Draw the front legs and draw a small claw in each toe.
7 Draw the hind legs with their large paws.
8 Outline his curvy tail.
9 Add stripes by sketching tight zig-zag lines that vary in
width. Notice how they wrap around the contours of his
body.
10 The finished tiger.
 PAINTING

Big cats are fun to paint. All three are similar in color
scheme, ranging from light yellow to bright orange. Brown
tones will be our shadows, and pink adds a touch of punch.
We’ll begin with the simple cheetah and move to the most
complex of the three: the tiger.

Paint the Cheetah

Cheetah spots aren’t placed at regular intervals and their
fur is fairly simple. As long as we get the trademark eye
markings, we’re in good shape to re-create this fit feline.

COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 54D Indian Yellow, 12A Juniper
Green
Ecoline Pastel Red
Mijello Mission: Yellow Ochre
Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen-White
A BASE FOR MORE
1 A silhouette of washes in golden yellows with a touch of
pink make a soothing backdrop for our cheetah. Keep
these colors light, as we’ll continue to add color and value
(A).
2 A yellow ochre painted everywhere shadows land will
serve as a medium dark. This is your chance to give the
cheetah some real definition, paying attention to the
curvature of the hip, a line shading the front legs, and the
facial features. This dark yellow also serves as a prelude
to darker areas such as the cast shadows under the neck
and body (belly). Consider it a base for darker shadows
we’ll layer on in the next step.
THE BIG MOMENT
1 Go straight for the darks with a small brush. The mouth is
darkened with a very dark brown as are the eyes and
nose. Connect the eyes to the mouth with a slightly
lighter shade. I chose a blue for fun! Lightly line the faces
with a jagged line to suggest fur (B).
2 Place your cheetah’s markings by continuing with the
blue adding a touch of brown to alternate. His face has
small dashes and extend through his spots. To avoid
ending up with a polka-dotted cheetah, do patches of
areas of the body to break up your painting rhythm. (C).
OFF-WHITE
Create a pastel that will show on white paper: mix an
opaque white medium with one of the colors you’ve used.
Paint a few whiskers and add any other small touches of
light to your cheetah (D).
Paint the Lion
It’s no wonder this majestic creature is dubbed “the king of
the jungle.” Half our painting time will be spent on his
stately mane.

COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 54D Indian Yellow, 56D Coffee
Brown, 55D Tiger Yellow, 12A Juniper Green, 36C Tobacco Brown
Ecoline Pastel Red
Mijello Mission: Yellow Ochre, Rose Madder, Sepia
GOLDEN BASE
1 We want to treat the body and the mane differently so
the lion doesn’t look flat, with both areas similar in
texture and color. Paint the body and face with a light
blend of yellow and pink. Avoid mixing these colors into
orange by dropping them in at different areas along the
body and allowing them to bleed together (A).
2 Paint the base layer of the mane with a light, bright
yellow. Begin with the first round of fur surrounding the
head so the next round of hair can layer behind. Place a
collection of short dashes to allow furry edges to emerge.
Continue with the next ring of mane fur using Yellow
Ochre. Once this color is finished but still wet, drop in a
darker brown at the edges. You should now have a
gradation of three colors. Use the same brown mix to
accent the mane, painting small lines representing its
length (B).

3 Rinse your brush, leaving a faint residue of brown. Use

this color to place subtle shadows that give the lion’s face
definition. Begin with the nose, placing lines around it and
a patch of shadow above the dark tip. Paint defined
shadows at the base of the face with the tip of the brush.
Create softened edges of shading by pressing your brush
down and using its body of hairs to smear and wring out
the color.
COOL & WARM
1 Create a colorful shading color by mixing Coffee Brown
and Juniper Green. Define light areas such as the paws by
outlining them. Use an irregular line to suggest where
heavy shadows land. Emphasis on line quality gives the
lifted paw a touch of depth. Throw his hind leg backward
by starting with a wide line near the hips that narrows to
a thinner line as it extends down the leg. Some parts may
call for a slightly darker yellow rather than a cool blue—
alternate the colors of your shadow lines. The Yellow
Ochre used in the previous step is a fantastic middle
ground (C).
2 Have some fun with that mane again! Load your brush
with Coffee Brown and create lines to depict fur.
3 Add warmth with lines of pinks or heightened oranges to
create interest and color harmony. Give him rosy cheeks,
then carefully fill in the eyes with yellow. Let dry
completely, then place dark pupils (D).
A FURRY FLAT BRUSH
1 Short dashes show texture on the body, and longer
strokes continue on the crown. Take a shortcut with a
twist: Use a flat brush to add lines, but not with
brushstrokes. Gather paint on just the tip of the bristles
and dab the brush onto the mane perpendicularly. Work
around the face, making these textured lines in a
starburst formation (E).
2 Add final dabs of darkest darks to the nostrils, mouth,
and eyes. Include a few touches of dark between paws or
at the base of each foot (F).
3 Add touches of highlight with white whiskers and a thin
line of white along the left side of the face (G).
Paint the Tiger
After sketching this tiger’s intriguing posture (see here),
you’ll be ready to paint the main washes. The stripes are the
next challenge, and they’re pretty fun once you get the first
few on. The tiger is painted in—you guessed it—Tiger
Yellow! And his fresh stripes are painted in an electric blue.
Just as our tiger takes a stealthy step forward, so will we
take on this big cat one step at a time.

COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 55D Tiger Yellow, 21B Ultra Blue,
19B Wild Rose
Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen-White
TIGER JIGSAW
1 Paint the large main areas of orange, applying the most
color to his legs and the center of his face. Allow space for
his white paws, and don’t worry about making the paint
taper gently. The tiger’s colors are well-marked.
2 The next part of this puzzle is the white areas. Though we
won’t paint them, creating an outline with a neutralized
blue will feel like placing a piece of the painting together.
The color I’m using is a quick mix of blue and a touch of
orange. Keep it light by using more water than color.
Outline his cheeks, ears, paws, and furry face patches
using a jagged line.
3 The tiger’s nose is painted to shine with a bright pink. You
can use this same color to shade areas of his orange fur. I
placed it on the bridge of his nose and used it to line the
top of his head. It’s also used to create small patches of
shading on the joints of his legs (A).
TRADEMARK STRIPES
1 Use a fine brush with a pointy tip to paint the stripes. I
began at the base of his ears while I got acquainted with
my brush. I moved up the center of his face, noticing that
the stripes get thinner as they meet in the middle. The
shapes of the stripes and shadows around his eyes
require attention to detail. Imagine them as brackets
around his eyes and a little hook above each. The stripes
on his cheeks almost provide a parenthesis shape
following the frame of the face, and a few dashed lines
show the bottom edge of his chin.
2 As you gain confidence, continue applying bright blue
stripes down the tiger’s body, paying special attention to
your photo reference. You’ll notice they wrap around his
torso like a belt and that they often taper in width. Use
the same blue to draw his paws and perhaps even some
claws peeking through. Don’t forget the stripes on his tail
(B).
DRY BRUSH WHITE
Our furry friend just needs a bit of white to assure our
viewers he is indeed a kitty. Add a twinkle in the eye, a few
dots of white on his porous nose, and some whiskers. You
may continue using white to show a touch of texture,
refraining from adding any water. This dry brush texture can
be applied to his tummy, create a line of jagged sheen on
his tail, and along his back hip (C).
 STYLE TWIST: ANIMAL PATTERNS
Be inspired by these animals to create beautiful textile patterns. This exercise is a great
way to explore their markings while exploring your brushes and paints. Create lines with
great variation in line quality to make stripes. Change up the coloring of delightful spot
patterns, or layer the spots. These are all great ways to slow down and learn from
simple, meditative practices. Feel how much pressure to place on your brush or how
much water to load into a color. Experiment with layering and creating color harmonies
(A).

Once finished, you may even want to hang them with your big cats to create a
cohesive arrangement on a gallery wall. Paint a background to match by adding a flat
color of gouache or acrylic around your main subjects (B). It gives the painting a
finished look while pulling in a color theme for your collection (C).
OceanofPDF.com
COLD-BLOODED CREATURES

All cards out: I’m happy to report that the tree frog isn’t the
only fun and cute critter here! Even the rainbow snake has
its mesmerizing ways. These three have surprisingly
attractive skin; it’s a colorful covering that is used to protect
them. Look at reference photos for these species to open up
your color choices and alter the instructions to cater to your
fresh palette.

COLD-BLOODED HIGHLIGHTS

» VARIETY OF SKILL LEVELS. The tree frog is great for

beginners to paint. The chameleon is a challenge for those
who enjoy color puzzles.
» HIGHLY PATTERNED. The chameleon and the snake are
canvases for lots of pattern. Learn to attack these areas
systematically.
» STRANGE EYES. The eyes on these three differ greatly
from the other animals in this book. Learn new approaches
for painting eyes.
Chameleon
Snake
Tree Frog
 DRAWING

These body compositions all have interesting curves. The

chameleon is curled together creating a simple silhouette
with intricate inner workings. The tree frog has distinctively
angular body folds, his legs bending like retractable rulers
yet ending with very curvy toes. The snake is
unquestionable loopy and even hard to keep track of as you
draw! Try drawing an inner spine line before tackling the
contorting contours.

Draw the Chameleon

1 The forms on the chameleon are unlike that of past
animals we’ve drawn, so pay close attention to these
unique shapes. Draw the head, similar to a beak. Add the
crest on top.
2 Draw a half circle with a zigzag line to outline its back.

3 Draw a spiral to form the coiled tail.

4 The long legs of the chameleon are thin. Notice how the
front leg is bent, though not the back leg.

5 Draw the chameleon’s funny eye and smile.

6 Shade in areas to show its markings and add a few dark
spots.

7 The finished chameleon.

Draw the Snake
1 The only way is to begin at the head with this one! Draw
the angular face of the snake. Add an eye and nostril to
his profile.

2 The snake is thinner near the head, draw his curvy body
beginning to swerve.

3 As the width of the body gets wider, create a tighter

curvature.
4 Wind the body curvature wider, angling upward.

5 Loop your snake’s body upward one more time.

6 Finish drawing the body with the last portion of the snake
winding downward.

7 Add a few stripes to his head.

8 Draw the markings of the snake. They are a collection of
ovals, some of which are broken up.

9 Erase along the center of the snake’s body to show a bit

of sheen.
10 The finished snake.
Draw the Tree Frog
1 Sketch the forms of the frog to better understand his
folded limbs.

2 Start by drawing his head, essentially, his mouth! Add

nostrils too.
3 Drawing the frog’s unique eyes will instantly give it
personality. Notice the leaf-shaped pupil.

4 Outline the contour of his body.

5 Draw the front legs.

6 Draw the back legs. They bend at the knees and then
bend forward again, extending all the way back to the
knees.
7 Enjoy drawing the feet, each with four toes!

8 Finally, draw the markings on the tree frog, lightly

outlining the parts that differ in color.
9 The finished tree frog.
 PAINTING

These colorful animals require a palette with lots of variety

—they simply won’t be themselves with any less. You also
need a small, precise brush for the intricacies of the snake
and the chameleon, which are both great subjects for those
who enjoy a paint-by-number approach. The tree frog is
much more straightforward with its distinctive markings.

Paint the Chameleon

When it comes to such detailed subjects as this, we must
decide to either stylize the specifics or render each one. In
this tutorial, we show lots of small features. If you’d like a
freer approach, follow the “twist” tutorial (see here).

COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 40C Ice Yellow, 23B April Green, 17B
Tangerine, 8A Turquoise Blue
Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen-White
SMATTERING OF COLORS
1 Begin with the lightest color: yellow. The yellow spots on
my chameleon fall on its mouth, a few around his face,
and several along the upper ridge of the body.
2 Add slightly larger green spots close to the yellow ones.
Allow some colors to bleed a little for some smooth
transitions, while keeping other color divisions crisp (A).

3 Add red, beginning with the eye. Paint many small spots
along the bottom half of his body, rhythmically distanced
(B). Your chameleon will look strange and sickly for now!
We’ll move on once it’s dry.
TAKING FORM
1 Our painting process now becomes reminiscent of filling
in a jigsaw puzzle once the edges are all laid out.
Carefully paint around the yellow, green, and red parts of
the chameleon with blue. Switch to a smaller brush if you
need to for more control. Notice how the dorsal crest
along his back has pointy ridges. Paint the sections of
blue one body part at a time (C). It will help to take a
visual pause as you look at your colorful but unfinished
piece.

2 Chameleons have an orbital crest—much like an eyelid—

that wraps all the way around the eye. Carefully paint this
in with a rich black created by mixing the colors used thus
far. Give his outer edges a double outline. Add a few,
 minute circles of texture on the red with what’s left of
paint on your brush (D).

3 Use rich black to add definition to the chameleon,

beginning with his parietal crest around his head. A thin
line separates it from the rest of the body. In the same
way, create lines to define the legs, tail, and bottom
edges where shadows typically fall. Look out for any
wrinkles or texture details you may want to add, painting
them in a watered-down dark color so as to not compete
with your shadow lines. Add a little bit of subtle shading
to the face from the eye to the nose (E).
HIGHLIGHTED SKIN
White is used to form the chameleon’s body. The ridge along
his back isn’t actually his back, but it runs along the top of
it. Watery white helps define where the lateral line of the
chameleon falls—almost halfway down his body. White dots
show the bumpy texture of his skin while offering a design
motif. To get a soft highlight, wet your brush and place white
paint only on the tip. As you drag your brush, the paint
spreads outward as the water from the body of the brush
distributes and blends with the paint. This technique is often
called “floating” (F).
Paint the Snake
This snake is another colorful puzzle! Its body loops around
so much that it offers a fair bit of artistic license. Find
comfort in knowing that a rhythmic pattern will look
unnatural. Just make the face angular and easy to read,
showing an eye or two.

COLORS

Mijello Mission: Raw Sienna and Opera Pink

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 16B Amber Yellow, 11A Grass
Green, 8A Turquoise Blue, 21B Ultra Blue
Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen-White
LAYING THE PATTERN
1 The snake gains all the structure we need in this step.
Once you’ve drawn the outline, create a line of ovals.
These can veer from the center to either side of its body;
they can also vary in size and connect (A).
2 Fill areas of the main body in orange, allowing a little
crease of white to surround the spots just painted. It’s like
painting a puzzle! Use a small brush to paint all those
hard-to-reach areas (B). Add a few strokes of green to
serve as iridescent shadows.
BLUE & GREEN
1 For the stripes on the snake’s face, we alternate blue and
green to add a feel of dimensional color. Continue
painting with this combination as you outline the spots
and even add a few more spots of blue in the center of
the ones that creep up from his underbelly (C).
2 A few dabs of orange on the beige spots give the snake
some texture and complete the pattern on his skin (D).
MORE COLOR
1 Fun, bright pink shadows are introduced in this step. The
shadows fall along one side of the snake, ebbing in and
out within curvy nooks. You may feel the need to make it
a step darker with a dark red (E).
2 Highlights are also tinted with additional color—blue and
green—creating a cool sheen along one side of the snake
and right on top. Add a twinkle in the snake’s eye and a
few specks of light where you see fit (F).
Paint the Tree Frog
With his distinguishing markings, it’s easy to give this tree
frog his signature look. The lime green, the red eyes, the
orange toes are all simple—and adorable—shapes! Mark the
outlines of these blocks of color lightly before painting.

COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 34C Chartreuse, 21B Ultra Blue, 5A
Scarlet, 2A Orange, 1A Lemon Yellow
Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen-White

COOL COLORS
We’ll start with green! The green sections connect all the
body parts together. Next, blue serves as shading and holds
its own patch on the body. The belly is blue and white; the
blue is a curvy, disconnected zigzag motif. A few dots are
near the bottom as the color dissipates. Let dry (A).
WARM COLORS
1 Who can resist painting those bright red eyes? Paint the
orange toes with a small brush by outlining them within
the lines of the feet. You’ll be left with a bit of white
within. A wet brush is used in these pockets to connect
the color to the page, creating a softer color and sleek
skin. A little bit of yellow transitions the green into the
white belly area.
2 We’ll go full circle back to green and use it in its purest
form to add shading lines around the legs, smile, and
nostrils. If green is too light, use blue. Outline the edges
of the green areas (B).
A FEW TOUCHES
Paint a dark pupil or two in a leaf shape and line the eye
with a dark brown created with your existing colors. Mix in
more red to shade the bottom sides of his toes. Optional:
Mix white with this color to add a line of highlight on the
legs and the eye (C).
 STYLE TWIST: TIE-DYE WATERCOLOR SILHOUETTES

OPTION 1: MASKING WITH OPAQUE PAINT

1. Draw the animal’s silhouette in pencil. Paint its skin or coat colors in heavy
watercolor washes (A). Let dry.

2. Paint the negative (outside) spaces with a flat coat of gouache or acrylic paint (B). If
desired, add details such as eyes or foliage in a second, contrasting color.
OPTION 2: WORKING DIGITALLY
Start with step 1 for the Draw & Paint option. Take a photo with your digital device.
Erase or cut out the animal’s silhouette with an image-editing app on your computer,
tablet, or phone, such as Photoshop, Procreate, or Affinity. Use digital brushes to add
main features, such as the eyes and mouth. Select the layer to paint concentrated areas
of green and white without going over the edges of the form. Add a few shadows as well
where the hind legs fold. Select a contrasting background color (C). Give your animal a
slight drop shadow, if needed.

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ASIAN FAVORITES

Don’t you love how each continent has its own take on
terrain, fashion, and yes, animals? Asian flavor will always
be dear to my heart, as it’s been infused into our family
culture after living in China and adopting a son from there.
The giant panda and red panda share some similarities, and
the golden monkey has a unique blue face and fluffy fur.

ASIAN FAVORITES HIGHLIGHTS

» FINDING TRADEMARK FEATURES. Identify and

highlight the most striking feature in an animal.
» BLACK AND WHITE. Learn to handle black and white
with watercolor . . . the colorful way.
» GOLDEN HUES. Translate the shine of a golden coat with
color and intentional brushstrokes.
Giant Panda
Golden Monkey
Red Panda
 DRAWING

Fur and small eyes may be the only commonality in drawing

these animals. The giant panda has very rounded features
topped with a slightly angular head, almost like a pentagon.
The red panda is like a bear that squirms like a fox or a
squirrel. The golden monkey, perched with hands clasped, is
rounded but with long limbs. His head is small compared to
his body, especially his face.

Draw the Giant Panda

1 Begin by drawing all the main forms of the panda’s body.
2 Outline the head with a jagged line to imply fur.

3 Add ears. His left ear is turned backward while we can

see the opening to the ear on the right.

4 Draw the panda’s unique eyes, nose, and mouth. Don’t

forget the oval markings around the panda’s eyes.
5 Draw arms for the panda with small zigzag lines. His paw
has claws peeking through.
6 Draw the panda’s legs and feet. The bottoms of the feet
are visible.
7 Sketch the remaining contour of the panda’s back and
belly.
8 Shade in the panda’s dark areas including his eye
markings, nose, arms, and legs.

9 The finished panda.

Draw the Golden Monkey
1 Draw the basic forms of the monkey. This is especially
necessary with crouching position.
2 Outline most of the body with a jagged line to imply fur
texture.
3 Draw his arm, noting the long elbow and how his long fur
hangs off the forearm. Draw a hint of the other hand
behind this one.
4 Draw his tiny ears with dark sockets.
5 Define this crouched leg with an oval shape and a bit of
his shin and foot beneath.
6 The monkey’s long tail has fur drawn downward.
7 Define the area for the monkey’s small face. Add a few
hints of fur texture surrounding it.
8 Add a nose and mouth.
9 Darken in his round eyes.
10 Add fur texture throughout his body, avoiding the face.
11 The finished monkey.
Draw the Red Panda
1 Draw the ellipses of the red panda’s body. He is small but
husky.
2 Define his head with jagged lines, avoiding the ears and
snout.
3 Draw the body form, avoiding his limbs.
4 The red panda’s ears are triangular with long tufts of fur.
5 Draw the panda’s nose and round fuzz-lined eyes.
6 Draw the snout as a wide U-shape meeting at the nose.
Draw a smaller U-shape beneath to define the lower jaw.
Add a tongue within.
7 Follow your predefined body blueprint, but now defining
the paws and claws at the ends. Consider the toes and
add a claw to each.
8 Draw the panda’s raccoon-like bushy tail.
9 Add stripes to the tail and shade his underbelly.
10 Add a hint of stripes to the middle area of his body. This
texture can be achieved with closely knit hatch marks
within a striped area.
11 Add long, curling whiskers.
12 The finished red panda.
 PAINTING

Your small brush will show fur, paint tiny eyes, and outline
tiny claws.

Paint the Giant Panda

You may feel apprehensive about getting the giant panda’s
proportions and coloring just right. His limbs aren’t
extended; the overlapping parts may seem difficult to
properly represent. His coloring—stark black and white—is a
challenge in watercolor. But consider this: The rounded parts
of the panda make for organic swoops that are fun to draw!
I’ll walk you through my special tricks for handling black and
white in watercolor. Look at him as a furry jigsaw puzzle and
feel those apprehensions slip away.

COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 54D Indian Yellow, 55D Tiger Yellow,
38C Tropic Gold, 17B Tangerine, 20B Cyclamen, 22B Slate Blue, 36C Tobacco Brown,
56D Coffee Brown, 28B Sepia
Ecoline Pastel Rose
Copic White
MAIN AREAS
1 Fill in the pale areas of the panda with a watered-down
peachy pink. Don’t use too much color or he’ll appear
dirty. I dropped in pink for the cheeks, but it’s purely
stylization. The most important step in painting our panda
is mixing all the colors to create a rich black—or at least a
dark violet. Dip your brush into several paints one at a
time, wring it out in a mixing well, then swoosh around to
combine. Use this color to paint in the dark areas of the
panda: the arms, legs, ears, and trademark eye sockets.
2 Show furry edges by etching in tiny lines as a border
before filling in the mass of color. Outline claws and other
non-black parts to ensure that you can avoid them. I like
to add brown to the bottom of the paws, be it because the
coloration changes or because they get dirty (A). Paint a
small, flat triangle for the nose.
SMALL BRUSH DETAILS
1 Use a small brush and a light blue to create outlines
around the white areas of the panda. A furry zigzag line is
just right. Drop more paint into a few of the wet lines to
make the line appear to ebb in and out with color. Use
this same color to create little lines to indicate fur on the
belly, hips, and around the cheeks. Color over the nose is
used to show its protrusion along with the snout.
2 Use a dark brown for the round eyes, filled in as small
circles with a tiny bit of white left. Outline the dark lips of
the mouth and, if needed, add more darkness to the eye
area (B).
RICH BLACK OUTLINES
The rich black we created in step 1 applies even more
depth. Add outlines and touches of fur texture, as well as
small line segments along the blue bordering the white. This
is your last step to tighten up and darken the panda’s
edges.

WHITE ON BLACK
Tiny touches of white are added as tiny dashes to indicate
the sheen of the black fur. These highlights are best used
along one edge of the panda; note his arms have white
details along the left side. Feel free to use the opaque white
on his light portions.
Paint the Golden Monkey
The golden monkey’s blue face caught my eye. His limbs
are long like that of a spider monkey’s, making him able to
swing and jump freely between trees. The nose is reduced
to nostrils, the eyes to tiny beads of black, and the mouth to
a simple slit. We’ll spend most of our time filling his body
with brushstrokes of fur in varying shades of color.

COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 54D Indian Yellow, 55D Tiger Yellow,
38C Tropic Gold, 36C Tobacco Brown, 8A Turquoise Blue
Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen-White
CREATING A GOLDEN COLOR
1 Paint long brushstrokes of yellow in rows. Add more
yellow color and brown to the bottom tips to paint
shadows within them. Allow white between the rows of
fur; these appear as bright highlights. Extend this
patterned approach to the tail (A).
2 Paint the face with a watery yellow. Drop in richer yellows
and golds. Reserve the middle of the face to be filled in
blue (B).
QUICK DEFINITION
1 I applied a second coat of blue to make the face more
saturated. Use orange-brown to paint within the ears and
details of fur. The blue and orange are mixed to create a
black, used to paint the facial features (C).
2 White is mixed with golden tones to create a light yellow.
This color provides a subtle highlight throughout the
monkey’s body. It also adds highlights to the face and
defines the protruding mouth (D).
Paint the Red Panda
The red panda’s colors have obvious appeal. The orange
coupled with the rich black complement each other well and
offer a harsh contrast that’s a clue to this animal’s
personality—feisty! We’ll have the slight challenge of
painting white fur, but it’ll be easy. We’ll lay down those
beautiful colors first and then create the fur and details that
make this little guy so eye-catching.

COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 55D Tiger Yellow, 38C Tropic Gold,
17B Tangerine, 20B Cyclamen, 22B Slate Blue, 36C Tobacco Brown, 56D Coffee Brown,
8A Turquoise Blue, 28B Sepia
Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen-White
Ecoline Pastel Rose
ORANGE BLEEDS
1 We begin with a wet-on-wet application of orange. Once
the silhouette is painted in, add jagged stripes with
tangerine. Angle your brush toward its fur so the tip of the
brush creates textured stripes. Drop in a darker red
sparingly within the bands. Continue painting orange on
the areas of the face. Using a cool color such as green or
blue, outline the white areas of the red panda’s face (A).
2 Combine many colors to create a dark black or blue-
violet. Paint the bottom half of the red panda with this
color, using the tip of your brush to dab the border with
texture. Outline claws and leave them white (B).
RICHER DARKS
1 Turquoise Blue is used to add a few lines within the red
panda’s ultra-furry ears. A dark pink is a shading color for
orange areas. Small dashes collected in a line define the
fur around his cheeks; these dabs taper as they progress
within the body. Other details of the face are painted with
brown: tiny dashes of fur surrounding the eye, filling the
nose, and the brown fur around the snout. Darken to
define the hind legs. Paint the inside of the mouth pink,
then outline it with brown (C).
2 White mixed with yellow brings back any muddled areas
that need to be brought forward, in particular the cheek
fur that protrudes on the head. Paint the teeth and curling
whiskers a pure white. Add any small details of white
where you see fit (D).
 STYLE TWIST: CHINESE CUT PAPER

This is a great way to appreciate the intricate art of paper cutting, an artform seen in
many cultures. Chinese paper cutting is done exclusively in red. Draw and paint a
design, or cut paper if you’re able to wield the tools safely. Here are a few steps to get
you going.

1. Trace the silhouette of your animal’s sketch onto another sheet of paper. Use red
paper if you’ll be cutting it out. Use white paper if you just want to draw the design,
and we’ll color it in the last step.

2. Mark important features such as eyes, nose, mouth, ear sockets, or stripes on the
tail. Treat shadows as cut lines to help identify body parts.

3. Draw a circle around your animal to frame him. Add embellishments such as flowers,
bamboo, or even a written Chinese character!

4. Color your design red, or cut your paper with scissors and a utility knife.
OceanofPDF.com
SOUTH AMERICAN DENIZENS

Being a Latina—though not from South America—I love the

variety of animals that live south of the equator. They’re
thought to be fun-loving, and tropical vibes are always in.
This section has favorite animals of the moment: the sloth,
the cotton-topped tamarind, and the llama. Painting their
quirks and adorable features is a shortcut to a smile.

SOUTH AMERICAN HIGHLIGHTS

» PAINTING WHITE. White fur can be a challenge, but

you’ll learn how to take on the task lightly.
» VIBRANT BROWNS. The browns of the sloth become a
vibrant array of warm tones.
» LONG FUR. The fur of the tamarind monkey and the sloth
differ greatly from previous animals we’ve painted. Show
it with brushstrokes.
Llama
Sloth
Cotton-Topped Tamarind
 DRAWING

These animals don’t have highly distinguishable body parts:

the sloth with its dangling limbs and the llama with a wide
body and short legs. They all rely on their unique features to
distinguish them.

Draw the Llama

1 Draw the main proportions of the llama. Notice its large
body mass and small legs.
2 Outline the llama’s neck and head, including his long
ears. Use a jagged line to show fur.
3 Draw the tiny facial features of the llama and add a little
tuft under the chin to imply the protruding snout.
4 Draw the body with curly and zigzag lines, noticing in
which direction the fur would angle.
5 Draw the legs. The front legs are in slight motion while
the back legs echo each other’s form. Fur tapers at the
knees.
6 Finally, add the llama’s fluffy tail.
7 The finished llama.
Draw the Sloth
1 Begin by drawing the sloth’s round head. Use longer lines
at the chin to show his long fur.
2 Draw the sloth’s long arm, topped with long claws.
3 As you draw the arm extended forward, foreshorten the
arm and show more of his long claws that look like shears.
4 Outline the body of the sloth with sharp, jagged lines.
5 The sloth’s leg that is wrapping around a vine only shows
as a long oval. Draw the other leg’s foot peeking forward
from behind. Again, add long claws.
6 Draw the sloth’s face markings by outlining the
boundaries of the face as well as the darkened eye area.
7 Draw the sloth’s face, including a round nose with
obvious nostrils.
8 The finished sloth.
Draw the Cotton-Topped Tamarind
1 This animal is especially furry but establishing a few basic
shapes will help orient us all the more.
2 Outline the face area, leaving the bottom untouched. Add
tufts of fur at the brow.
3 Draw the nose and mouth.
4 Draw round, small eyes.
5 Draw tiny ears that jut from either side of his head.
6 Mark his mane with long lines to depict his long hair.
7 Sketch in the second layer of hair that comes out from
beneath the white crown just drawn.
8 Following the first forms drawn, outline the body in
greater detail. The tamarind’s feet have long fingers
topped with long claws. The tummy is especially furry as
the hair points downward.
9 Shade in the dark areas of the face and second layer of
hair crown.
10 The finished cotton-topped tamarind.
 PAINTING

Our top priority will be drawing out the one-of-a-kind charm

of these exotic creatures. Our greatest challenge will be to
wait until the last steps to paint those cute faces! Be sure to
have a small brush with pointed bristles to make these small
details.

Paint the Llama

Admit it: Some of you picked up this book thanks to the
llama. He’s one part elegant and one part goofy, adding up
to a very adorable animal.

COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 28B Sepia, 22B Slate Blue, 54D
Indian Yellow, 36C Tobacco Brown, 56D Coffee Brown
Ecoline Pastel Rose
Copic White
LIGHT START
This llama is so light, we need pencil lines that are even
lighter, so erase them gently. White animals also call for a
light application of paint. Fill the llama’s body with water
and drop a small amount of pinks, browns, and blues. It’s
our cotton candy llama! Use slightly more color to add
shadows along the belly and under the head (A).
A CUTE FACE
Outline the furry llama with a desaturated blue. Use tiny,
short brushstrokes rather than smooth lines. Use a heavier
application of color on darker areas in the legs and
underbelly. Fill the eyes and snout with a dark application of
blue. Fill the inner ear shape with water, then drop pink at
the bottom so the color fades as it moves upward. You may
use this pink as a light shading color around the face (B).
BRIGHT WHITE
White is placed in squiggly lines to highlight bits of fur
throughout. Don’t forget a few lines in the ears! Add tiny
details in a light blue where the face needs further defining
(C).
Paint the Sloth
The sloth is unlike any other animal in this book! His body
curls and hangs with its long limbs. You may get
overwhelmed at the many long whips of the brush that this
body requires, but don’t give up!

COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 54D Indian Yellow, 36C Tobacco
Brown, 56D Coffee Brown, 28B Sepia
Copic White
BROWNS
A wet-on-wet application—in which we paint with water and
then drop color in—is used for the sloth’s body. With varying
golden and reddish browns, paint the entire body this way
except for the face. Paint the face in a very watery
application of sepia. Line one side of the sloth’s claws.
GETTING HAIRY
1 The sloth’s essential eye markings are painted in a
golden brown. Paint the darkened shape of the nose and
mouth. Use a dark brown to add textured details to the
body of the sloth, beginning with his face. Be watchful
and paint these lines toward the fur, considering his
winding limbs. Add another line of shading on the claws,
this time with yellow (A).
2 Paint simple facial features with a small brush and a dark
brown. Beady eyes, a line for the mouth, nostrils, and the
bounding edges of the nose are all that you need. Paint a
final round of lines over the claws with this dark brown
(B). Need any other hairy details? Add them now.
SWINGING
Show fur highlights with a few strokes of white (C). This
keeps our sloth from falling flat, as do a few vines, painted
with a flat brush. This brush makes these ropes with one (or
two) strokes. Add a few decorative leaves (D).
Paint the Cotton-Topped Tamarind
Many animals require color filling before moving on to
details and texture. Not so with the tamarind. His white fur
throws us right into texture, while his tiny face and claws
call us to our small brush.

COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 22B Slate Blue, 36C Tobacco Brown,
56D Coffee Brown, 14A Black, 8A Turquoise Blue
WHITE (& BROWN) FUR
1 Drawing with your brush, use a light blue to line strands
of hair to define the cotton-topped tamarind’s white body.
Focus on the outlines and shaded areas; fill them with
several blue lines of varying lengths. Apply a watery
shadow of blue where the chest bends and the legs
overlap each other.
2 Use a true blue to paint the face. There are no smooth
lines on this tamarind, as he’s so covered in fur. Make
jagged lines and fill them; this creates more accurate
shapes. Avoid the highlighted eye area and the outlying
fur of the snout (A).
3 Apply brown in various, long brushstrokes, coming out
from under a furry, white headdress. Use this same brown
to fill the eyes (B).
LOTS OF LINES
1 Use a tiny bit of black for pupils and a few thin lines of
brown for the smile and nose. Use turquoise blue to paint
deep recesses of the face such as hooded eyes, the
eyebrow area where the face juts from the furry body,
and the inner ears (C).
2 A few more dashes of blue add texture throughout.
Outline those fierce claws too (D).
 STYLE TWIST: FLORAL HEAD WREATH
Everyone looks good with flowers on their head—especially animals. Here are a couple
of ways to paint flowers on a finished piece.

1. Draw your floral head wreath with opaque markers for the most control. I drew a line
across to show me where these flowers needed to land.
2. I then drew the leaves. Leaves are great fodder for florals and serve as a backdrop to
the bright colors of blooms.
3. Want to add more color and texture? Try gouache! Using a tiny brush, I painted
daisies with tiny, radiating petals. Flowers resembling roses or ranunculus are shown
as big circles with small, radiating lines within. Top with yellow daisy centers and
lines through your flat, green leaves. As long as your second medium is opaque and
not translucent like watercolor, you’ll be able to achieve the head wreath even if you
hadn’t planned it.

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BARNYARD ANIMALS

Perhaps you, like me, think of those on a farm when

someone says the word “animals.” I think of movies with
these barnyard animals talking to each other. The three
animals in this section are typical of that nostalgia. We’ll
paint a stoic cow, a trotting Yorkshire pig, and a colorful
rooster. Their snouts are different, as are their eyes, feet,
and ears—if seen at all!

BARNYARD ANIMALS HIGHLIGHTS

» VARIETY. A variety of forms, textures, and postures are

shown.
» BLACK AND WHITE. We paint our cow with a color-rich
black.
» FEATHERS. Though not a detailed approach, we’ll learn to
re-create the look of feathers.
Rooster
Cow
Pig
 DRAWING

These animals have little in common. Notice their differing

proportions and limb lengths, the obvious outsider being the
big bird.

Draw the Rooster

1 Sketch in the body of the rooster comprised of his neck,
tummy, and back.
2 Add a small beak and a large crown.
3 The rooster’s face is outlined, and the small eye holds its
expression with a single dot.
4 Draw the rooster’s tail feathers by beginning at the top
and allowing the feathers to droop downward halfway. Fill
with a line behind to imply fullness.
5 Mark the end of the top layer of feathers with a zigzag
line along the neckline.
6 Outline the middle section of feathers that are colored
distinctively.
7 Draw the final section of body feathers that grow longer
towards the end of his body.
8 Draw the wing with two sections, angling their scallops
upward.
9 Outline the rooster’s legs. A wide base attaches skinny
bird legs to the body.
10 The finished rooster.
Draw the Cow
1 Let’s begin with the head, outlining the snout as well.

2 Top it off with the horns and ears.

3 Refine the head shape by adding the mouth and bottom
lip.

4 Place a bit of hair, eyes, and nostrils on the face.

5 Draw the cow’s large body and don’t forget the udders!
6 Sketch the front leg, larger at the top half.
7 Draw the front leg behind it, echoing the same shape.
8 Draw the cow’s hind legs. They’re skinny and bend back
at the knees.
9 Draw the tail, skinny with a tuft of hair at the end.
10 Shade in the spots of the cow.
11 The finished cow.
Draw the Pig
1 Draw the pig’s long body and face shape, allowing space
for his ears and legs.
2 Draw his wide and pointy ears.
3 Draw the pig’s forward-facing legs, being sure to add the
pointy hoofs.
4 Add a tail and its two remaining legs.
5 Sketch the pig’s snout that curves into a smile.
6 Draw his two eyes.
7 The finished pig.
 PAINTING

As with the Long & Strong group (see here), this selection of
animals has one that’s exclusively black and white: the
Holstein-Friesian dairy cow. Conversely, the rooster is full of
colors that shouldn’t bleed together. Allow time for each
layer to dry before beginning the next step.

Paint the Rooster

Our rooster is decorated in jewel-tone feathers—a vibrant
yet elegant look.

COLORS

Mijello Mission: Yellow Ochre and Raw Umber

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 8A Turquoise Blue, 10A Violet, 18B
Crimson
Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen-White
COLOR CLUSTERS
1 Select a brush with a tip that is the width of a feather’s
end. I’m using a size 8. Alternate two warm browns such
as an ochre and a raw umber. If the wet washes touch,
they blend, so we are painting these groups like puzzle
pieces. Paint the chest to head, back, and tip of the wing.
Painting the rooster’s feet and beak in a dull pink helps to
allow our paint to dry before adding the cool-colored
areas (A).
2 Radiant Turquoise Blue and Violet cover the remaining
areas. Don’t simply fill in the tail; instead, follow the lines
of the feathers so these two colors take turns creating the
collection of feather forms. This is the first layer, so go
easy on applying color. Blues and violets can get dark fast
(B).
LINES, LINES, LINES
1 The rooster’s face, comb, and dangling wattle are
carefully filled with red to complete all the base layers.
Variations of red are used to define the yellow and brown
feathers (C).
2 Simple lines that vary from short on the neck to long near
the back help define the different sizes of feathers on his
body (D).
3 The blue feathers also receive some linework, but in long
slender brushstrokes. The patch of blue on the chest and
underside are shorter in appearance (E).
4 A watered-down Raw Umber gives our rooster a tiny
smile with a simple line along the center. Lines also serve
as shading for his skinny legs. Place these lines along the
bottom and only on one side of the leg. Finally, apply a
few dabs of rich red within the base of the comb and on
the wattle (F).
WHITE MAGIC
Using each stroke of the brush to render the feel of the
surface, paint on white as if in broken lines or as a pattern.
This is to hint at the pattern of the feather’s hairs curving
downward. Tiny dots highlight the bumpy pores of the
wattle (G).
Paint the Cow
This rectangular cow is full of interest thanks to a new and
colorful twist on the traditional white and black. The high
contrast of the humble cow is striking, making this an
unexpected favorite.

COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 17B Tangerine, 8A Turquoise Blue,
1A Lemon Yellow
Mijello Mission: Viridian
Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen-White
DREAMY WHITE
1 When an animal has a few select parts that aren’t its
overall color, I like to take care of those first. Here, it’s the
cow’s fleshy pink parts. These are also light and can be
addressed loosely: don’t feel like you need to “stay in the
lines” (A).
2 For the white body, I mix a touch of emerald green with
blue and add a lot of water. This creates a wash color that
shines through as shadows. Apply this liberally, but allow
patches of the paper white to stay intact. Remember that
shadows fall on the underside—under the head, under the
body (including much of the legs), and along one side of
the head that may not be receiving direct light (B).
RICH BLACK
Create a rich black by combining all the colors used thus far.
This color goes beyond a bland black and shows the colors
it’s made of in certain parts. Frame the center area of the
face with black patches. These spots are artistically used to
show the head’s dimension. Place a small wash on the
peach snout, showing how it curves downward. Paint lightly
but apply a heavy dose to the area beside the head so it
recedes visually. Continue placing spots on the cow, letting
the brush create painterly edges rather than crisp ones (C).
DEFINING BLACK & WHITE
Paint the black of the eyes. Create lines along the edges of
the cow, using dark black and a watered-down black for
white areas. Bring definition to the tuft of hair on its head
and around the edges of the face and ears. Little lines along
the eyes and at places around the body make our cow less
pristine. Do the same with opaque white. Add a little white
to the eyes, too (D).
Paint the Pig
Painting this Yorkshire pig is a great study of values—
utilizing the same color in varying intensities.

COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 17B Tangerine and 1A Lemon
Yellow
Mijello Mission: Sepia
Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen-White

SOFT PINK
Place your darkest pinks first: the ears, snout, and tail. As
we paint quickly with a wet-on-wet application, these areas
seamlessly blend into the body of the pig while remaining
slightly darker. Fill the entire body with a watery wash of
coral pink (A).
DARK PINK
Adding yellow to a full-bodied dose of the pink we’ve used
gives us a richer color that’s slightly different. Use this color
to place lines around the eyes using a small brush. Line the
darker shadowed creases along the back of the legs and
under the tail and body. Add a few bumps to suggest the
pig’s teats. Define the pig’s hooves, inner ears, and a slight
shadow under the head. Tiny dashes placed in crescent
formations suggest a few bristly hairs on his fleshy skin.
Dark brown finishes this step, filling in the eyes and nostrils
(B).
FOUR STROKES
White isn’t entirely necessary, but a little note of cool white
doesn’t hurt. One line along either right side of the ears and
a dash under each nostril gives the sense of reflecting light
(C).
 STYLE TWIST: ANIMAL FOLK ART
This is inspired by carved wooden figurines painted with simple motifs. You’ll find these
mini-statues in Swedish, Polish, Mexican, and African folk art traditions.
Draw your animal simply. If you find it difficult to draw in this way, first draw your
animal as usually do, and then straighten or broaden your lines. Chunk body parts
together, such as reducing four legs to two, or even to a platform. Dismiss small
details such as tails or nails; those can be drawn in later if you choose.
Paint your animal’s silhouette in a single color or two similar colors. Folk art revolves
around colors found in their purest form in nature. Think of true reds, blues, greens,
and yellows.
Select an opaque medium to embellish your animals. You may like paint markers,
gouache, or acrylic paint, or you may prefer to draw digitally on a tablet as I did.
Draw or paint the animal’s important features. Our rooster must have an eye, a
crown, and a wattle.
Fill your animal’s silhouette with simple motifs. These are organic rather than
angular shapes. Try flowers, clouds, and simple swoops that give hints of wings.
OceanofPDF.com
SURFERS & SWIMMERS

These three favorites give you a taste of the amazing

creatures of the sea! Notice that their bodies suit their
environment, slick and easy to swim with. You may find it
strange to draw a shark or a dolphin after drawing so many
animals with four legs. Embrace the simplicity of their form
and go with the flow.

SURFERS & SWIMMERS HIGHLIGHTS

» SKIN TEXTURE. The varied texture of the turtle helps us

play with patterns.
» DIFFERENT BLUES. The hues of the dolphin and shark
make different impressions—one warm and fun, the other
cool and uninviting.
» FINS. Fins, flippers, and tails replace legs and feet.
Dolphin
Turtle
Shark
 DRAWING

The proportions of these animals may feel like unfamiliar

territory, but these are perfect subjects to practice what we
learned about finding basic shapes. These have angular
shapes. Notice, too, where the body shapes round and thin
at the ends. Watercolor brings the aquatic magic to your
sketches of these animals.

Draw the Dolphin

1 The dolphin’s basic shapes are drawn first. Notice the
division of body, tail, fin, and beak.
2 Draw the dolphin’s cute smile and eye.
3 Follow the curvature of his back and belly.
4 Draw the tail and outline a little notch in the middle of
the back fin.
5 Add the dorsal fin and a front fin.
6 Draw the blowhole and lightly place a line in the middle
to hint at its color.
7 The finished dolphin.
Draw the Turtle
1 Beginning with the head, sketch the profile.

2 Add a large eye with wrinkles around it.

3 Draw nostrils and a smile.

4 Draw the shell, curved at the top and flat at the bottom.
5 Draw the turtle’s limbs using unfinished polygonal
shapes.
6 Shade in the angular spots on his shell, fins, and face.
7 Shade the remaining middle section, leaving a few white
spots.
8 The finished turtle.
Draw the Shark
1 Draw an ellipse with angled corners.
2 Add the three fins that show us the shark’s orientation.
3 Add a pointed back fin.
4 Draw the eye and a slit for the nostril.
5 Draw the shark’s mouth and many teeth.
6 Shade a bit of the division of color along the middle of
the shark.
7 Add fierce gills.
8 The finished shark.
 PAINTING

The method of painting the turtle is fairly simple with lots of

impact. Just allow layers to dry in between. For the shark
and dolphin, work quickly while the paper is wet to create
the smooth skin. Draw your animals on watercolor paper—
the thicker, the better.

Paint the Dolphin

Friendly, playful dolphins hold a special place in our hearts.
Their temperaments are so easy to relate to, and their
antics are so fun to watch. Their coloring is closer to gray,
but I pump up the saturation to blue. A violet could work,
too! Heavy washes make for a smoother surface, something
necessary to express their slick skin.

COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 51D Ice Blue, 33C Norway Blue, 32C
Hyacinth Blue
Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen-White
SLICK FIRST LAYER
1 Spread water in one area of the dolphin at a time so lines
appear smoother as one area dries before the other. I
began with the underbelly. Drop in a light blue and spread
it into the watery areas.
2 Do the same with the top half of the dolphin, but with a
slightly darker color (A).
3 When dry, fill the fins with blue (B). Keep a clean, dry
brush handy for when unwanted bleeds occur. Rubbing it
into those areas will absorb the excess paint and help
blend color transitions.
A FEW SHADOWS
1 Use a small brush and a heavy concentration of blue to
glide a line along the back. Do not make it uniform; allow
the line to get wider in darker areas (C).
2 If your dolphin is feeling flat, add dimension by creating a
large wet area with your brush, then drop paint within the
center. I created a darkened ridge along the center of the
dolphin with this method (D).
3 Finish by filling in the eye.
WATERY WHITE
1 White is used to give the eye more dimension. For a cute
look, line the eye with a crisp line. For a more natural
effect, fade the edges to blend into the blue. Add a touch
of shading to the mouth, creating a shadow line where
the head meets the beak. Paint in the blowhole with a
dark blue.
2 Add touches of white splashes and water beads with
white, if you like.
Paint the Turtle
This turtle has highly patterned spots that cover a loose,
wet-on-wet application of paint. It’s the best of both worlds
—colorful bleeds and meditative marking. The colors range
from yellows to greens with a dark brown to ground them.
The final step adds a surprising touch of cool pastels.

COLORS

Mijello Mission: Permanent Yellow Light, Permanent Yellow Deep, Orange

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 36C Tobacco Brown, 50D Ice Green,
56D Coffee Brown
Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen-White
FLUID FIRSTS
A fluid silhouette is painted while keeping values in mind.
Those dark and light spots are represented through a
variety of colors within a harmonious color range. Paint each
area by sections. I began with the flipper closest to us.
Working your way through the body, notice how he is darker
on the top of his shell, under his protruding head, and on his
flipper folded downward (A).
DARK SPOTS
1 Begin with a few important shadows in orange. These will
be covered by the pattern, an important step but one you
needn’t feel pressured to perfect. These fall on the tip of
his nose, the wrinkles where his flipper juts out, along its
edge, and just under that flipper as a sort of cast shadow
(B).
2 Use a small brush and brown to create spots. I used two
browns as it feels more natural and it’s more fun for me!
The trick to keeping your spots from looking too patterned
is to place them in a rhythm; place a few spots spread out
and then fill in the gaps between them with more. Notice
how some spots appear angular as they reach the ridge of
the flipper, while the turtle’s underbelly has more
negative space than positive. Create tiny circles that
interconnect; their touching and bleeding create a bonus
effect (C).
TIGHTENING THE TURTLE
Add a few final dark spots, including filling the eye and
nostrils and lining their wrinkles. Mix white with orange. The
pale peach color creates a highlight on the mouth and
flipper. A similar mix but with green creates interesting
minty highlights. Small lines are used to tighten the
appearance of the turtle and shore up details that make him
feel lifelike. Search for any areas that need a touch of
brightening or darkening (D).
Paint the Shark
The fierce shark had to make it into our repertoire. This
Great White is painted in blues. Feel free to use grays
instead. The shark is such a recognizable animal: Our minds
have a large backlog of shark images to reference. The most
fun part of painting this shark? That touch of pink around his
mouth. Creepy, yet pretty!

COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 51D Ice Blue, 32C Hyacinth Blue,
14A Black
Ecoline Pastel Red
Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen-White
WONDERFUL BLEEDS
1 Aquatic animals must be among the best subjects for
watercolor—the bleeds are so perfectly suited! Fill in the
bottom section of the shark with water. This is a light
color, so apply the blue faintly. While still wet, rinse your
brush, then load some pink on it. The shark has a fleshy
color surrounding his mouth opening, but the red tone
could also lend itself to common shark narratives (A).
2 Once the bottom is filled, do the same with the upper
half; paint wet-on-wet, but with a stronger blue. The blue I
used has purple undertones. All three fins closest to the
viewer are this strong blue. The inside of his right fin
shows both colors (B).
A SHOT OF BLACK
Rather than painting his signature bite, we fill the dark
inside of the mouth with black. Use a small brush and notice
how the negative space is essentially a zigzag line. Allow
the line to meet and give way to just a few gaps near the
corner of the mouth. Paint the eye a light black; we’ll add a
dark black pupil when dry. Water your brush to create
shadows on the shark. Focus your lines along half of the
edges. Add details such as gills, pores, nostrils, even battle
scars.

GREAT WHITES
Add a few white lines on the edges of his body, a gentle
outline around the eye, and any other echoes of existing
dark lines to help give dimension.
 STYLE TWIST: WET WATER ANIMALS

Create salty sayings on watercolor silhouettes of the dolphin, shark, and turtle.
Simply paint the entire shape of each animal with all the colors used to paint them
in this section. Allow your painting to have lots of water so the colors blend. You may
even add more color in droplets or in specific areas as it dries (A).

Sprinkle salt on when it is almost dry. The purer the salt, the more effective it’ll be
at repelling the paint.
Think of some fun inspirational sayings while the paint dries. Once dry, write them
within the silhouette of the animals (B, C, D).
OceanofPDF.com
AWESOME AUSSIES

Australia boasts some dazzling creatures. The classic koala

and kangaroo were obvious choices, and in the interest of
variety we have a croc. These three from down under have
a few surprises for us. Notice the koala’s double dose of
thumbs, the diverse patterning of the crocodile’s scales, and
a bonus kangaroo popping his head up to say hello.

AWESOME AUSSIES HIGHLIGHTS

» PAINTING VIVIDLY. We replace the koala’s gray coat for a

violet one, while the kangaroo has a blue sheen mixed
with browns.
» TOOTHY GRINS. The crocodile’s teeth seem almost
never-ending. Stylize teeth while showing their sharpness
and abundance.
» NEUTRAL AND VIBRANT. We’ll intermingle a warm
brown with a cool blue for the same coat on the kangaroo.
» UNIQUE SNOUTS. Both the koala and the kangaroo have
unusual snouts, while the crocodile’s is also unlike any
previous animals.
Koala
Kangaroo
Crocodile
 DRAWING

The distinctiveness of these animals commands us to

sharpen our eyes to see their features. We can’t presume to
know how hands and feet look when the koala has thumb-
like fingers and the kangaroo has one protruding toe in the
center. Observe your reference photos carefully and use
others to help supplement.

Draw the Koala

1 Draw the koala’s main forms loosely.
2 Outline the unique snout with its large nose.
3 Draw the eye.
4 Draw the head with a jagged line to imply fur.
5 Sketch in fur on the inside and outside.
6 The arms and legs all stagger on each other. Begin with
the forearm facing us to orient you as you draw the other
limbs. Notice those fingers!
7 A furry chest and a round body complete the form of the
koala.
8 Add details of fur and sketch the tree limb he’s on.
9 The finished koala.
Draw the Kangaroo
1 Sketch the kangaroo’s main forms quickly for later fine-
tuning.
2 Refine the edges of the body of the kangaroo.
3 Outline his head and optionally add a light circle for the
cheek.
4 Add the front arms, giving a hint of fur at the top.
5 Draw the jumpy legs. Notice how long the feet are.
6 Add the tail.
7 Draw the two large ears angled outward.
8 Draw in a dark, boxy nose.
9 Sketch in eyes and hints of eyebrow bone.
10 Peek-a-boo! Mimic momma’s head when drawing the
kangaroo’s baby.
11 Add details of fur.
12 The finished kangaroo.
Draw the Crocodile
1 The crocodile is a complex body form, so outlining its
main body parts with rugged ellipses will help us build our
drawing.
2 The bottom jaw is an important feature, so sketch it first
with its ring of jawline flesh, tongue, and teeth.
3 The upper jaw has a snout form at its tip and a curved
bottom edge lined with teeth.
4 Draw the main portion of his body with its jagged ridge at
the spine.
5 Draw the two legs showing and a hint of the hind leg
behind the tail.
6 Follow the curvature of the tail, adding spikes all the way
to the tip.
7 Add a few details of spikey texture along the body.
8 Draw a net-like collection of circles to show the texture
along his belly.
9 Draw the eye and nostril.
10 The finished crocodile.
 PAINTING

These are my first paintings of these three animals! I was

nervous to give them a shot, but I got through those initial
fears and I’m confident that you can, too. Notice how their
ears and their feet have nothing in common. Each painting
is new, a fresh start at an Australian classic.

Paint the Koala

Are they wild animals or cuddly creatures . . . or am I the
only one who used to dream of having a pet koala? Make
sure your koala has its trademark nose, ears, and posture,
and you could virtually paint everything else in any color or
style.

COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 39C Tropic Pink, 53D Iris Blue, 42C
Antelope Brown
Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen-White
BODY COVERING
1 Paint the parts that are distinct from the majority of the
body, namely the ears, chest, and some small areas on
the face. Pink ears always pump up the cuteness, and his
furry chest has hair longer than the rest, painted with a
light brown (A).
2 Time for the body! Place water in the shapes that will be
filled with the body color. I mixed Iris Blue with pink to
create this lovely violet. You’ll notice that at times it looks
well-mixed, while some areas appear much more pink or
blue. I’m using a small, size 2, brush so my paint
application looks like fur even before I add details to
accentuate it. Create intentional pockets of darker color in
shaded areas under the head, at the crook of the arm,
and where the leg overlaps (B).
TAKING SHAPE
1 Using the violet in its purest form (without adding water),
place shadows that speckle like deep recesses within
thick fur. Do this throughout his coat, noting the direction
in which these hatch marks should fall. Give the ears a
little jagged outline and paint the dark centers. Define the
nose of the koala by lining its sides and inversely the top
and bottom of the mouth (C).
2 The silhouette of the eye is painted in a light brown and
two lines mark the ridge of where his eye socket meets
his eyebrow area and cheeks. Using a yellow-green to
contrast with the red-violet, paint the branch. A touch of
the same dark brown we’ve used before helps unify this
part back to the whole (D).
DEEPER & LIGHTER
1 It’s so satisfying to place the dark pupil of eye and
breathe life into our koala. Use that same dark brown and
water it to add depth to the center of the koala’s fluffy
chest. Add small lines in varying lengths to the tree
branch for interest (E).
2 The final touch of white brings in the hair wisps in the
ears, tiny details of texture on the nose and chin, and
throughout the body. Look for highlights—along one side
of the arms and on dark parts of the body (F).
Paint the Kangaroo
Do we show the kangaroo in rapid, jumpy flight, or celebrate
the momma pouch? I obviously couldn’t resist the thought
of painting a mini kangaroo popping out!

COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 22B Slate Blue, 20B Cyclamen, 56D
Coffee Brown
MINGLING COOLS
1 Begin with blue! The light areas on this kangaroo happen
to be hitting the chest and arms—the body parts facing
us. That also includes one ear and the feet. A touch of
blue is also placed on the top of the head. A little violet is
lightly added to keep the color from looking flat. We’ll
then use this violet in a shaded area just where the hip
overlaps the body. This leads us into the safety of our
brown hue (A).
2 A warm brown is added as the next step of darkness on
the kangaroo—medium dark. Add it below the
overhanging head on the shoulder, along the ridges of
legs and arms and on much of the head. A different brown
is used to paint the base color of our baby kangaroo.
TWO KANGAROOS
1 We’ll go straight to dark shadows so our beautifully
colorful bleeds from the last step keep shining through.
Once the first layer is dry, use a small brush to apply dark
shadows with a rich brown. Define the snout (which is
simply a smooth horizontal line), the outlines of the ears
and arms, and a quick fill of the eyes (B).
2 Continue with the lower body by defining the legs and
their three toes, alternating your lines from smooth to
jagged to better relay furry textures (C).
3 Fill the shape of the tail with a muted blue. While we
allow the tail to dry, focus on the little ’roo. Light lines
define his ears and markings with violet and brown. We
return to the tail to give it a darker shade of brown along
its bottom edge (D).
4 Take a final look at your kangaroo for any more shadows
that are needed.
TINY DETAILS
1 Select a small brush to ensure your brushstrokes are as
cute as the kangaroo’s details. Combine all the colors—at
this point a violet and brown—to create a rich black. This
black is used in the pupil and upper line of the eyes, small
dots of texture, and within pockets of existing dark areas.
Do the same for junior.
2 Our kangaroo needs a hint of texture, added by a watery
application of the colors used thus far. Apply short lines as
liberally as you like. White is hardly used, only on the
baby to keep him from looking too dark.
Paint the Crocodile
We end with He Who Grins Wide Open! His rough skin is a
thick collection of small plates he wears as flexible armor,
and his teeth are many. Now we face painting this croc
head-on.

COLORS

Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrated Watercolors: 29C Tapestry, 42C Antelope Brown,
39C Tropic Pink, 36C Tobacco Brown
Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen-White
YELLOW-GREEN
1 The colors of a crocodile can vary from yellows to greens
to browns and even maroon tones. Select two similar
colors and one darker tone. Fill in the body with the first
two, alternating for interest and avoiding the mouth
opening.
2 As you find shadows, drop in your darker tone with the
brush while the paper is still wet. This creates softer
transitions rather than harsh shadow lines. Use your
colors to help differentiate one body part from another;
the leg can be more yellow while the body skews green,
for example.
DEFINING THE BEAST
1 Paint the inside of the mouth with pink. Add definition to
the edges and darker shadows with a brown. Use thicker
lines where the shadows are larger and thinner lines for
outlines (A).
2 Add details of texture. Make small flicks of the brush to
follow the pattern of the crocodile’s skin, winding to its
tail. Angle your brush so the tip provides a clean line
while the bottom edge looks raspy. Experiment with using
less paint or less water (B).
3 Finally, paint the outline of the eye and teeth. Place a
light shadow within the back of the mouth with the brown.
GOING DARK
1 We have a croc on our hands, but now it’s time to reel
him in. Add dark notes with a small brush. Where are the
crocodile’s darkest darks? His eye, his mouth opening, the
places where body parts fold and hang over each other
(C).
2 And just for fun, doodle a few circles on his underbelly
where the pattern on his skin changes (D). A final bit of
white defines the eye and highlights the upper jaw.
 STYLE TWIST: MODERN STORYBOOK

Sometimes the best way to make something interesting is by saying little and letting the
color and shape brag for itself! This is a throwback to our first principles of breaking the
animal proportions into small shapes like a jigsaw (see here). The simple expressions
and overlapping colors make for a quick visual read that is winsome and ageless.
Paint the most prevalent body part—often the torso or the head. Build parts from
there, comparing proportions and using slightly different colors. It takes little to
bring these shapes to life, but this step is important. A few claws, an eye, and some
decorative details shape our animals. I used paint markers, just one or two for each
one (A).

Inspired by Australian Aboriginal dot painting, we can make the background a

modern quilt of pattern and color, emphasizing organic shapes. The background is
painted in fragmented pieces, being sure to avoid our animal with a thin,
surrounding outline. Markers are used to draw motifs in each section. Circles with
radiating dots are often used in native Australian artwork. See how many textile
designs you can think of placing in each area (B).
OceanofPDF.com
FINAL THOUGHTS

I hope you’ve had as much fun as I have painting all kinds of

animals! When we understand their forms—breaking them
down into shapes and noticing their features—it’s easier to
shed how overwhelmed we feel. As you gain confidence
with this majestic subject, you may partition animal bodies
into smaller and more detailed parts that make up an
intricate whole. Or you may really enjoy stretching the
personality of the animal, be it by way of their stereotypical
nature or an expression infused by the artist.
I hope you lost yourself creating many animals. You have
no doubt learned a trick or two, just as I do when watching a
fellow creator work in their own particular way. Perhaps you
feel more comfortable with watercolor and working with wet
on wet. You may even find yourself pulled deeper into
colors, watching them combine and play with each other.
I can’t wait to see these animals pop up on paper! Share
your work with us on social media outlets with the hashtag
#expressivelittleanimals.
OceanofPDF.com
RESOURCES

ART SUPPLIES
Tube watercolors: Mijello Mission Watercolor Paints
mijello.com

Fluid watercolors: Dr. Ph. Martins Watercolors

www.docmartins.com

Gouache paints: Arteza arteza.com

Watercolor paper: Canson XL Watercolor Pads

MORE INSTRUCTION FROM AMARILYS

Easy access to more classes can be found at:
amarilyshenderson.com. Find more than twenty short
classes on Skillshare by Amarilys, including ones featuring
animals at: skillshare.com/r/Amarilys or download the
Watercolor Devo App for deep dives. More classes added
regularly.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Just as the pages of this book bind many thoughts together,

I too have a long train of people to recognize as contributors
to them.
The Family. Ryan—my strong pillar and my creative
springboard—you enable me to live a life in full color. Thank
you. And to our boys: Ezra and Silas. I had little time to look
at animals before you. I didn’t stop to wonder, and I
certainly didn’t have to be prepared to respond to questions
regarding my favorite animal or who would likely win a
battle or why they have those claws. You make me look
closer. You challenge me to think about things that at first
seem inconsequential but then leave me refreshed with a
bit more awe.
The Maker. As I keep exploring, I keep finding You. Thank
you for creating creatures for us to enjoy and continue
marveling at with every discovery. Your fingers lead the way,
and it is more than enough to follow.
And finally, thank you to the team at Quarto—creative
partners who come alongside to share lessons in creative
growth. I am proud of this project and thank you for
encouraging me to do it! Thank you for your trust in me and
my work.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amarilys Henderson is a
watercolor illustrator
originally from Puerto Rico.
Her upbringing had her live
in several states, and then
ultimately overseas as an
adult. With her sketchbook
and art supplies always in
tow, Amarilys can’t
remember a time when
creativity did not play a
regular role in her life. Her
path ultimately led her to
major in illustration at the
Savannah College of Art and
Design and begin illustrating
in books and publications in
2003.
She has since enjoyed bringing the dynamic vibrancy of
watercolor to everyday products from paper to porcelain as
a surface designer and illustrator. Her business, Watercolor
Devo, came from her creative renaissance catalyzed by
newfound motherhood and refreshed faith. Her creative
Christian expressions (coined watercolor devo’s) drew
Amarilys back to the joy of depicting truth, life, and beauty.
Her experience as a commercial artist coupled with her
welcoming teaching style has opened the way for Amarilys
to teach several successful online courses.
You’ll find this boy-mom curled up like a cat in her
Minnesota studio, lattes, and brushes at the ready. See more
of her work on amarilyshenderson.com.
OTHER BOOKS BY AMARILYS

Expressive Little Faces

Color Birdz

BOOKS ILLUSTRATED BY AMARILYS

I Am a Little Lady
God’s Christmas Promise
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INDEX

A
Acrylic paint, 11

B
Birds
drawing, 61–63
painting, 64–69
Boho style, 59
Brushes, 10
Bunnies
drawing, 41
painting, 44–45, 49

C
Camels
drawing, 52, 59
painting, 56–57
Cardinals
drawing, 61
painting, 64–65, 69
Chameleons
drawing, 81
painting, 84–85, 89
Cheetahs
drawing, 71
painting, 74–75, 79
Chipmunks
drawing, 42
 painting, 46–47, 49
Color, using, 39
Cotton-Topped Tamarinds
drawing, 103
painting, 108–109
Cows
drawing, 112
painting, 116–117, 119
Crocodiles
drawing, 133
painting, 138–139
Cute, making animals, 49

D
Deer
drawing, 31
painting, 34–35, 39
Digital mediums, 12
Dolphins
drawing, 121
painting, 124–125, 129

E
Ears, 17
Emotions & expressions, 26–28
Eyes, 20–21

F
Feet, 25
Fins, 19
Fur, 22–23
G
Giant pandas
Chinese paper cutting, 99
drawing, 91
painting, 94–95
Giraffes
drawing, 51, 59
painting, 54–55
Golden monkeys
Chinese paper cutting, 99
drawing, 92
painting, 96–97
Gouache paint, 11

H
Hair, 22–23
Head mass, 16
Hedgehogs
drawing, 43
painting, 48, 49
Horses
drawing, 32
painting, 36–37, 39
Hummingbirds
drawing, 63
painting, 68–69

I
Inks, 9

K
Kangaroos
drawing, 132
painting, 136–137, 139
Koalas
drawing, 131
painting, 134–135, 139

L
Legs, 19
Limbs, 18
Lions
drawing, 72
painting, 76–77, 79
Llamas
drawing, 101
painting, 104–105, 109

M
Markers, 12
Masking fluid, 11, 34
Mouths, 17
Movement, sketching, 25

N
Noses, 24
Noses, 17

P
painting shape-based animals, 15
Paper, 9
Pigs
drawing, 113
painting, 118–119

R
Red pandas
Chinese paper cutting, 99
drawing, 93
painting, 98–99
Rhinoceros
drawing, 53, 59
painting, 58
Roosters
drawing, 111
painting, 114–115, 119

S
Shape-based animals, 13–15
Sharks
drawing, 123
painting, 128–129
Single-shape animals, 13
Skin, 22–23
Sloths
drawing, 102
painting, 106–107, 109
Snakes
drawing, 82
painting, 86–87, 89
Snouts, 17

T
Tails, 19
Tigers
drawing, 73
painting, 78–79
Toucans
drawing, 62
painting, 66–67, 69
Tree frogs
drawing, 83
painting, 88–89
Turtles
drawing, 122
painting, 126–127, 129

W
Watercolors, 8
Whiskers, drawing, 24
Wings, 18

Z
Zebras
drawing, 33
painting, 38–39
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© 2021 Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc.
Text © 2021 Amarilys Henderson

First Published in 2021 by Quarry Books, an imprint of The Quarto Group,

100 Cummings Center, Suite 265-D, Beverly, MA 01915, USA.
T (978) 282-9590 F (978) 283-2742 QuartoKnows.com

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without
written permission of the copyright owners. 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. We apologize for any inaccuracies that may
have occurred and will resolve inaccurate or missing information in a
subsequent reprinting of the book.

Quarry Books titles are also available at discount for retail, wholesale,
promotional, and bulk purchase. For details, contact the Special Sales Manager
by email at specialsales@quarto.com or by mail at The Quarto Group, Attn:
Special Sales Manager, 100 Cummings Center, Suite 265-D, Beverly, MA 01915,
USA.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

ISBN: 978-0-7603-7074-2

Digital edition published in 2021

eISBN: 978-0-7603-7075-9

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available.

Design and Page Layout: Megan Jones Design

Illustrations and step photography: Amarilys Henderson

Credits
Outdoor photography of Amarilys © Lu Mackey Photography www.lumackey.com
Photography of Amarilys in her studio © Betsy Wall Photo www.betsywall.com
OceanofPDF.com