How to Draw a Viperfish
Viperfish are the stuff of nightmares. They lunge at prey with huge fangs in an effort to impale their victims. They can unhinge their heads to swallow larger creatures at depths up to 9,000 feet. Viperfish attract their prey with bioluminescent lures dangling from their dorsal fins. They have elongated, snakelike bodies with rows of glowing photophores along the sides, which are thought to be used for hunting and mating.
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Instructions
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Decide on the dimensions of the fish you want to draw. You can double the size of your fish by doubling the measurements you take from the photo.
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Use dots to indicate the main dimensions. Note the tapered shape of the body, with the head being the thickest spot. Mark the location of the eyes and the fins. Draw a line to indicate the lure, extending from the dorsal fin. The tip of the lure should look like a tiny balloon. Connect all the dots with a line to complete the outline. Use smooth, curved lines for the body and light lines for the fins. Draw lines in the mouth for the fish's long fangs.
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Draw the teeth getting progressively larger towards the front. Some teeth should be short and others near the front should be a little longer then the diameter of the eye. Make the front teeth the longest. Draw the upper front fangs pointing forward, almost parallel to the slope of the head. Draw the lower front fangs about twice as long as the upper set. The two upper and two lower front fangs are too large to fit in the fish's closed mouth. Make the jaw wide open -- about twice as wide as the length of the head -- for the maximum effect.
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Use a different texture to draw the head. Differentiate it from the scaly body by adding more highlights to create a more reflective surface -- like a hard, shiny shell. Craft lines between the head and body to enhance the texture differences. Add tiny dots on the skull, behind and below the eye. Note the rough edge along the bottom edge of the upper jaw, behind the fangs.
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Shade the body and the head. Examine the reference image closely to find the dark areas, such as the bottom of the fish. Shade up to the middle of the side and lightly shade the fins. Use a cloth to blend the shaded areas in order to give the fish a three-dimensional look. Graduate the shading, using a cloth, to softly blend the lines.
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Use reference close-up photos to guide details. Add details to the teeth, head and eye. Use two parallel lines to show rays in the fins. Blend in these lines with the cloth if they're too dark. Continue detailing the head. Take care to make the teeth look as accurate as possible.
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Use the tip of the eraser to rub out tiny spots along the body of the shaded fish to create the scales. Make sure these are evenly placed and sized to make them look as real as possible. Erase any smudges and retrace important lines to finish.
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References
- Photo Credit Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images
