With an incredible variety of adaptations that allow them to occupy highly specialized environmental niches, birds are among the most cherished subjects for artists. Birds are everywhere in artwork – playing a central role, or playing smaller bit parts, like perched in trees, flying by in the sky, or floating on a pond in the background. As a science illustrator, my work requires that they be accurately portrayed, and a good working foundation of bird anatomy is critical.
This workshop will focus on bird anatomy and how to render it correctly. Using diagrams, taxidermy specimens and articulated skeletons, we’ll take a close look at birds. We’ll focus on sketching them in pencil with the goal of learning the key anatomical points that you always want to get right in your artwork. What you learn will be applicable to your bird illustrations regardless of the medium you work in.
Suggested materials (Don’t feel obligated to buy a bunch of supplies, just a basic set of pencils, an eraser and some drawing paper will be fine for this workshop. If you love working in graphite, these supplies listed below are ones you might want to have.)
- Drawing pencils. My favorites are the Staedtler Mars Lumograph pencils, which you can buy in a 12 pack; gives you a very good range of pencils.
- Pencil sharpener. Lots of different ideas on what’s best, but I have settled on buying less expensive ones and replacing them frequently as the blades dull quickly
- Blending stumps and sandpaper pointer, like those in this little set
- A clear ruler
- Erasers. I work with both a kneaded eraser and a plastic (hi-polymer) eraser, and I love my Tombow Mono Zero eraser.
- Drawing paper. I like to have a sketch pad to work out ideas, but I also like to have some nice Bristol board paper for projects that are more special. Here are suggestions.
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- Strathmore 300 or 400 sketch pads for initial sketches (available in lots of sizes)
- Canson XL Bristol pads (also available in lots of sizes, the vellum surface is awesome for graphite, don’t buy smooth unless you want to work in pen and ink)
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