How to Bring Your Wildlife Sketches to Life
Connection and curiosity - always
I think you all know by now that I think art making is a form of magic. Making marks on a surface to depict something that was not there before - I mean, really!
I have also been thinking about exactly what it is that we do between pencil and paper and heart and mind to make our drawings feel like they depict life.
Have you ever finished a sketch of an animal or bird or bug or a tree and felt like something was missing? That quality that makes a drawing truly come alive, but that you can’t quite put your finger on how to get on the page?
Spoiler alert. That essence? It comes through your connection to your subject, and the relaxation of expectation (and dare I say perfectionism) in favour of curiosity.
I want to share with you one of the most powerful techniques I've discovered for capturing the essence of wildlife in your art: gesture drawing.
“Finding Shapes” drawing is the art of capturing the overall movement, energy, and basic form of your subject in just a few quick strokes. It's not about creating a detailed, finished piece, but about understanding and conveying the core of your subject. It is essentially gestural drawing, with a focus on understanding the edges and larger anatomy of the being you are studying. This invaluable when sketching animals, as it helps you capture their dynamic nature and spirit.
Here's a simple exercise to help you explore finding shapes:
The 30-Second Animal Essence Practise
Gather your sketching materials and find a comfortable spot.
Choose a reference photo of an animal. They can be still or in motion. Or you can be really fancy and watch a wildlife video while they are moving around (or maybe pause it too!).
Set a timer for 30 seconds.
When you start the timer, begin sketching. Look at your subject more than you look at your page. Keep your pencil on the paper and move lightly and loosely, repeating your lines to find those shapes. Focus on capturing the overall shape and movement of the animal with as few details as possible.
When the timer goes off, stop drawing.
Repeat this process 5-10 times with different animal poses. Staying on the one animal to do this with is such a good idea - as you work through the poses you will begin to understand their form a little better. Remember that the more we see, the more we see!
The key is to focus on the big picture – the flow of movement, the main shapes, the energy of the pose. Don't worry about details or perfection (there is no perfect AND everything is perfect, so try and let that one go). These quick sketches might look messy or incomplete, but they're incredibly valuable for training your eye and hand to capture the essence of your subject.
As you practice, you'll likely notice that your shapes become more confident and expressive. You might start to see the unique personality of each animal coming through in just a few lines. This is the magic of really seeing your subject, and noticing their edges, their form – it helps you move beyond mere representation to capture the spirit of your subject.
Prioritising finding shapes to start your drawing in your regular practice can dramatically improve your ability to create dynamic, lively wildlife sketches from scratch. It's a wonderful way to warm up before a longer drawing session, or to quickly capture ideas when you're short on time.
Remember, the goal isn't to create finished pieces, but to develop your observational skills and your ability to quickly capture the essence of an animal. Embrace the process, enjoy the freedom of these quick sketches, and watch how it transforms your approach to wildlife art.
For a deeper dive into gesture drawing and four other essential techniques for capturing animal essence in your sketches, I have written a whole bunch more which you can read here. You'll find additional tips, insights, and exercises to help you breathe life into your wildlife art.
Keep sketching, wild heart! You have a beautifully unique artistic voice, and we need to see that! It is waiting to be discovered, and celebrated, and the wild world is ready to be your muse.
Want to know more about bringing your sketches to life? I’ve got the scoop! Come this way…
