How to Draw a Real Picture of a Rabbit

A rabbit similar to the one Albrecht Durer drew

The most famous rabbit in the history of art is Albrecht Durer's brown rabbit created in 1502. It is drawn so convincingly that it looks like it is going to hop right off the page. If you want to draw a rabbit, do what Albrecht Durer did. Study rabbits and watch how they move. Borrow a real rabbit from a local farmer or 4-H member and draw the rabbit from life. The next best thing--if you can't find a rabbit, get a copy of Durer's rabbit drawing and copy it.

Things You'll Need

• Light tan paper, 16 by 20 inches, semi-smooth surface
• Drawing board, 16 by 20 inches
• Gray conte crayon
• Light brown pastel stick
• Sepia-tone conte crayon
• Black conte crayon
• Black conte pencil
• White conte crayon
• Facial tissue
• Kneaded eraser

Instructions

1. Sketch in the basic shapes of the rabbit with the gray conte crayon. Look closely at the print of the Durer rabbit. The first thing you will probably notice is all the detail. Don't worry about that now. Just look at the shape of the rabbit. Notice how the body is oblong like an oval, as well as the head and ears. Notice how the ears come straight up and form a thinner, pointed oval.

2. Sketch in the rough shapes of the smaller forms such as the paws, back legs and the areas where the fur has puffed up. Keep the drawing loose. Don't add fine details or rich blacks at this stage.

3. Fill in the basic tones of the drawing with a light brown pastel stick. Draw in a circular motion while gently pressing down on one edge of the pastel stick to achieve darker tones representing the darker fur on his back as well as the rabbit's paws underneath which are in shadow.

4. Squint your eyes as you compare your drawing to the Durer drawing. Look to see where the tones of your drawing do not match the tones in the old master's drawing. Use the facial tissue to wipe away any dark tones that should be lighter. Use the kneaded eraser to remove dark tones from smaller areas.

5. Sketch in the fur hairs on the rabbit with the sepia conte crayon, beginning with the back area. Draw the hairs in the direction that they grow on the rabbit's body. Draw lightly at first, working to shape the form of the back and the hind quarters. Follow by working on the head, ears and the paws.

6. Draw in the final black details with the black conte crayon. These areas include the creases in the fur on the rabbit's back, the variegated fur tones, shadow areas of the paws including the claws, the eyes, nose and the tips of the ears. Use the black conte pencil to draw in the whiskers. When drawing whiskers, do not draw every line in the same thickness or darkness. If you look at the master drawing you will see that some whiskers are lighter, shorter and thinner.

7. Sketch in the final white details with the white conte crayon stick to finish the drawing.

Tips & Warnings

• Try not to overwork the drawing by applying color, erasing it and applying more. Layering color tones is important, but if it is done too much the drawing will lose its vitality. If that happens, start over.

• Do not use commercial fixative sprays to seal your drawing. Fixative sprays dull the color of the drawing. They are also dangerous to use because of the toxic chemicals being sprayed in the air.

References

• Drago Art: How to Draw a Rabbit
• Enchanted Learning: Durer

Resources

• Easy Art: Durer Hare