HowToDrawWildLife.Com

Man of the Jungle

Many times people comment on how detailed my work is and are amazed at how I manage to do that with pencils and pastels yet sometimes I do struggle to see all the detail that I know is necessary to make my drawing look realistic.

Again, this is another ‘expectation’ that I sometimes put on myself and it’s not because my eyes are failing; it’s because I tell myself that my drawing ‘should’ look perfect. Sometimes I get stuck in certain areas and it feels like I am going ‘cross-eyed’! That is the point when I need to take a break.

After I come back from my break I even leave that area that I was struggling with before and start on a new area. Once I begin the new area I can see the area that I was struggling with in a whole new context because there are now new lines, shadows and forms that helps me see it in the right perspective and balance. For example I may be struggling with the position of a left eye, yet if I fill in more detail by expanding on the nose and the ears, the eyes have somewhere to ‘sit’ and are not an isolated area that I was trying to get right just on it’s own.

Something that I practice when I look at my drawing and it feels like nothing is coming together, is to walk away from my drawing completely and go outside. This is where I not only involve my eyes but more of my other senses. When I look at a flower or leaf for instance, I truly study it. I notice the form, the shape, whether there is symmetry and how many shades of one particular colour there would be. I look at how the sun shines on it or though it and where any shadows would lie. As well as that, I focus on the scent of it, listen to what’s around me and feel the texture of the petals or the leaf. This practice may seem a bit silly to some people yet it is wonderful for developing the skill of observation, which is essential for drawing detail.

There is also something innate that is a part of the detail yet goes beyond it and it is that ‘something’ that I aspire to capture in my drawings and help you develop.  By practicing the observation technique mentioned above, not only for when you become stuck but even before you start a drawing you are sure to develop that all important  “6th sense”. Drawing is not only about seeing but also about feeling.

Regards,
Geri

Hi and welcome to my blog.

I would like to share with you some of my insights and challenges in my experience as a wildlife artist so that I can help you along your journey of drawing wildlife. My mission is for you to enjoy your drawing as fully as possible.

I believe that if you truly love doing something that you will do it well anyway. Sure, there are going to be challenges yet I view them as something to ‘get through’ rather than a wall that stops you from going any further. From my experience of drawing animals I have noticed that when I do persevere through the challenges the whole process of drawing flows almost to the point of becoming ‘second nature.’

Although I have spent many years perfecting my techniques and developing my career I prefer not to focus too much on the time or how long it takes or where it is I need to ‘get to’. In hindsight I can truly see my experience as a wildlife artist as being an adventure rather than a destination, with each step unfolding in the perfect stage of my personal development.

I have learned that it’s fine to have goals with my art but not to the extent that my expectations take over from the actual process and then losing out on the full experience of drawing. I find that when I drop the expectation of how my drawing may look when it’s finished and stop worrying about what others might think, I end up with a better drawing anyway, sometimes way beyond what I ever “expected”. It’s like when you observe children playing. They just enjoy playing and that’s all there is to it.

Whenever I draw I choose to bring that childlike sense of wonder that brings me even deeper into the process. My wish is for you to allow yourself to experience that childlike wonder and be open to the experience of drawing and thereby establish a deeper connection to the animals that you draw and that will show in your finished work of art.

Regards,
Geri