Drawing and Painting Expressive Little Animals

Book excerpt: Drawing and Painting Expressive Little Animals presents practical and creative techniques for drawing and painting animals in a variety of mediums and styles, from realistic to cartoon. With accessible, encouraging guidance from Amarilys Henderson—artist, popular online instructor, and author of Drawing and Painting Expressive Little Faces—explore: Basic Supplies. Learn about the sketching and painting mediums you’ll use in your work, including watercolor, inks, gouache, and markers. Essential Elements. Discover the scope of animals’ sizes, shapes, and features, from nose to tail. Emotion and Expression. Learn how to adjust basic shapes, postures, and poses to convey a range of animal emotions and expressions, from sly and sneaky to angry to curious. Animal Tutorials. Draw and paint more than 30 animals—from favorites like horses, bunnies, and birds to exotics like cheetahs, rhinos, and koalas—and investigate 11 different “style twists,” including using color in unique ways, enhancing cuteness, and playing with other mediums. As you discover your creative options, you’ll find that working small is an easy way to relieve pressure and open yourself to play as well as to learning the techniques and approaches that Amarilys shares in this book. Find your favorite way to portray a variety of animals, from cute little critters to big, strong beasts, in Drawing and Painting Expressive Little Animals!