How to Draw Realistic Marine Life
If you close your eyes and picture a fish in your mind, you probably envision a somewhat diamond-shaped creature with fins. However, fish actually come in an amazing variety of shapes and sizes. The same can be said for other sea life such as crabs, eels, and seahorses. Therefore, you should use a photo of your subject for reference when you draw any creature of the sea, in order to gain a greater understanding of a particular species' appearance and its basic components.
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Instructions
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Anything you draw can be broken down into a series of overlapping geometric shapes, and this includes your subject. Sketch the form of your creature using basic shapes such as circles, triangles, rectangles, and ovals. Use your reference photo as a guide. If you have problems, lay your drawing over the photo and hold it up to the light to see how well it overlaps. Any mistakes should quickly become apparent.
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Use the shapes you drew as a guide for drawing the outline of the creature. Work in short, steady strokes. Don't try to draw the entire outline without lifting the pencil from your page.
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Study the lighting in your reference photo. Determine from which direction the light comes. In most photos of marine life, sunlight serves as the light source as it filters down through the water. Place a dot on your page to serve as a reference for your lighting source.
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Erase the shapes you drew inside your creature. Begin to shade it. Remember where your light source is! The top of the creature should be the lightest part of the body and the bottom the darkest. Darker parts also include any recessed areas such as folds of skin, just under the mouth, and around the eyes.
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Draw in any markings your creature may have. Overlay them on top of your shading. If your creature has light markings, use an eraser to create them.
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Draw in the finishing details of your creature such as wrinkles, folds, chitinous knobs, and scales. Note that if you're drawing a fish, not all of them have scales. Some have bare skin.
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References
- Photo Credit scorpion-fish,fish,sea fish,sea,water,nature,anima image by Pali A from Fotolia.com
