How to Draw Coral Animals
Corals are marine organisms found along reefs and in colonies. Coral is extremely colorful and comes in a variety of shapes. A single coral is made up of many polyps, which are cylindrical in shape and culminate in a rounded head. These many polyps are so close together they appear to be one organism. The brilliant colors and simple shapes required to draw coral make them ideal for beginning artists who want to refine their drawing skills while drawing something colorful and interesting.
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Instructions
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Sketch out the outline of your coral first. Coral can take on any shape, so be creative. You can draw star-shaped coral, cactus-shaped coral, or any other shape you desire. Consider using a reference photo as a guide. Don't worry about making the lines perfectly straight. Since coral is made up of many tiny polyps, you want to have lines that are slightly wavy. This will allow you to work some details in to give the coral its customary textured appearance.
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Sketch in cylindrical shapes with a tiny bulb at the top of each. Angle the bulbs in different directions to give them the look of movement you might see if they were moving with he ocean current. Sketch these all along the inside of your coral outline. Add a little shading in between them to add depth around the cylinders.
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Color your finished coral with color pencils. Use any colors you want, since coral comes in a variety of colors and is typically very bright. Even one piece of coral may contain many colors. Stick with bright colors and try exotic combinations such as bright green, yellow, pink and red. Place one color at the bottom of your coral and add another that overlaps the first, then use your eraser or finger tip to smudge the colors together.
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Tips & Warnings
Draw several coral in various sizes, shapes and colors to sketch an entire coral reef.
References
- Photo Credit coral image by Vanesa Boullosa Lopez from Fotolia.com
