Are you looking to improve your animal drawing skills? One of the most critical parts of any animal drawing is the eye. The animal’s eyes can convey emotion, personality, and mood, making them a crucial part of any animal drawing. This step-by-step guide will provide clear instructions and techniques for beginners to draw realistic animal eyes.
Materials You Will Need
- Pencil or mechanical pencil
- Erasers
- Paper
Step 1: Deciding Which Animal to Draw
The first step of drawing any animal eye is to decide which animal you want to draw. Observe several reference images from different angles to identify significant characteristics and features of the animal’s eye.
Step 2: Drawing Basic Eye Shape
Start by drawing a circle or ellipse for the basic shape of the eye. For example, if you’re drawing a cat’s eye, elongate the circle to an almond shape. If you’re drawing a rounder eye of a frog, start by drawing a circular shape.
Step 3: Adding Highlights
Now, add the highlight on the eye. Lightly add the highlight or reflection and create a small white circle or arc around the pupil. The position and size of the highlight will depend on the eye’s shape, size, and angle of the light source.
Step 4: Drawing the Iris and Pupil
Start by drawing the iris around the pupil with lighter pressure. The iris’s size should be proportional to the eye, and it should not touch the corners of the upper or lower eyelids. Draw the pupil in the middle of the iris and make it a dark circle. This center black part of the eye varies in size depending on the animal,
Step 5: Adding Detail to the Eye
Draw the texture in the eye, such as lines and reflections. Use light pencil strokes to create simple shapes around the eye. In this step, you can add eyelashes, eyebrows, and eyelids to give the eye a realistic look. The eyelids around the eye should follow the curve of the eyeball.
Step 6: Shading the Eye
Start to add the tonal values to your drawing to make it appear more impressive. Begin by lightly shading the iris’s outer edges and building up the shading by starting at the top and working your way down. The pupil should be the darkest part of the eye, and the shadows should be gradually blended outwards.
Step 7: Adding Depth and Contrast
Add some depth and contrast to the eye by analyzing the brightness and darkness of your reference image. Work outward from the pupil, using lighter pressure and a softer pencil to add shading to the iris until it meets the outer edge. Don’t forget the darkest reflection in the pupil.
Step 8: Finishing Details
Now that the basic eye is drawn, add any finishing details that will enhance the drawing, including stray hairs, wrinkles, and highlights. Keep the shading and highlights accurate to the direction light source is hitting the eye.
Step 9: Sign Your Work
After spending time and effort, sign your name to the drawing with light-colored pencil, graphite dust, or a fine point pen. This signature shows ownership and pride in the final product.
Step 10: Practice Regularly
Finally, it is essential to practice regularly to master eye drawing skills. With each new drawing, you’ll improve your accuracy and technique, so never give up, and enjoy practicing.
Frequently Asked Questions for Animal Eye Drawing
Q1. Can You Overdo the Shading in Animal Eye Drawings?
A. Yes. Overdoing the shading will cause the eye to lose contrast, so it is essential to find the right balance of contrast. The less contrast in a drawing, the flatter it will appear.
Q2. Can I Draw in Black and White, or Should I Add Color?
A. Yes. It is up to your preference to draw in black and white or to add colors to your animal drawing. Start with black and white, then try colored pencils to add depth, texture, or more details.
Q3. Which Materials Are Best for Realistic Eye Drawing?
A. You can use any materials you feel comfortable or can purchase; however, using colored pencils, different lead hardness graphite pencils, smooth and erasable paper is best for drawing animal’s realistic eyes.
Q4. How to Add Glare to the Eye?
A. Adding glare to the eye is a crucial part of creating a realistic animal eye. Add the glare to the eye by using a white-out pen or a white-gel pen to create tiny dots or arcs of bright light in the eye.
Q5. How Do You Make the Eye Look Round?
A. To make the eye appear round, you will need to add shading and highlights. Use a darker tone of pencil at the edge of the iris, then use lighter tones of pencil while moving outward to the eye’s edges and blend it evenly.
Q6. What Are Some Tips for Drawing Animal’ Eyes in Motion?
A. To draw animals’ eyes in motion, you need to understand the body positions. Place the animal’s head in different positions and determine the shape of the eyes. Draw the basic structure, then add the detail, and lastly, the shading.
Conclusion
Animal eye drawing requires patience and attention to detail. With the right techniques, supplies, and practice, you can create impressive and realistic animal drawings. So, don’t forget to practice regularly, be careful about the contrast, and keep adding finishing details until you are proud of your work.