Drawing a simple pelican can be a fun and rewarding experience for both beginning and experienced artists. Pelicans are large water birds with distinctive beaks that make them easily recognizable. Their unique features like the large throat pouch and webbed feet can be captured through some basic sketching techniques. In this article, we will provide step-by-step instructions on how to draw a simple pelican in an easy-to-follow manner.
What You Need
Before you start drawing your pelican, you need to gather some basic materials:
Pencil | Eraser |
Paper | Black marker (optional) |
You just need a regular pencil, an eraser, and some blank paper like a sketchpad or drawing paper. Having a black marker can also help you darken the final lines but is not essential.
Step 1 – Draw a Circle for the Body
Let’s start with the basic body shape of the pelican. Lightly draw a circle near the center of your paper. This will represent the pelican’s main body mass and abdomen. Don’t make it too small or it will be hard to fit the details later. Leaving plenty of space around the circle for the head, bill, and legs.
Step 2 – Add the Bill Shape
The large bill of the pelican is one of its most distinctive features. To draw the bill, extend a long tapering shape from the center of the circle upwards. Start with a broad base where it connects to the head and slowly taper it to a pointy tip. The bill should curve down slightly at the end. Outline just the top part of the bill for now.
Step 3 – Sketch the Head
Pelicans have small rounded heads compared to their large bills. To draw the head, make a small half-circle shape above the body, overlapping the base of the bill slightly. Don’t make the head too big. Pelicans have fluffy feathers on their heads so you can fill in some rough texture.
Step 4 – Define the Neck
Connect the head to the body with an S-shaped neck. The neck should be proportionally thick to support the heavy bill. Start beneath the head with a thicker section of the neck that tapers gently as it curves down toward the body. Leave some space for details like pouch and feathers.
Step 5 – Add Legs
Pelicans have short and strong legs to help them swim and dive efficiently. To draw the legs, make thick vertical lines extending down from the body circle on each side. Bend the lines at the bottom for feet shapes. The legs and feet can overlap each other from this side view. Add webbing on the feet between the toes using U-shapes.
Step 6 – Draw the Wings
The wings will emerge from behind the body circle on each side. Draw them like outstretched arms with the top part of the wings overlapping the body slightly. Pelicans have broad wings with long flight feathers. Sketch the feathers using multiple lines fanning out from each wingtip.
Step 7 – Define the Facial Features
Time to add the finishing details on the pelican’s head. Draw small eyes above the bill with some eyelids. Add some feather texture around the eyes as well. Below each eye, draw a short line for thick eyebrows. Pelicans have a large throat pouch, so make a hanging pouch from the lower bill back toward the neck.
Step 8 – Refine the Outlines and Add Details
Go over all the initial sketch lines, darkening them and refining the shapes. Erase any unwanted pencil marks. Use smooth, curved lines for the outline, especially around the body. Add some details like the crest on the top of the head and scales on the legs. Texture the pouch and wings with wavy lines.
Step 9 – Shade the Drawing
For a simple shaded effect, use hatching. Add a series of parallel lines that follow the forms and curves of the body. Hatch in one direction on the wings, head, and back, and a different direction on the throat pouch and belly for contrast. Make the lines closer together for darker shading. Add simple shadows beneath the body.
Step 10 – Color the Pelican (Optional)
You can leave your pelican as a pencil drawing or use markers, colored pencils, crayons, or paints to add color. Pelicans are white with black-tipped wings. Their bills and pouches are yellow to orange. Add blues and greens for subtle feather textures. The finishing touches like highlights in the eyes will make your pelican come to life.
And there you have it – a complete step-by-step guide to drawing a simple pelican! With a little practice, you’ll be able to sketch these unique water birds from memory. Mastering the basic body shape and bill structure allows you to portray pelicans in various poses. This easy tutorial teaches fundamental skills like basic proportion, developing textures, and shading that will help you continue growing as an artist. Let your creativity soar by bringing pelicans and other coastal birds to life on paper.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions about drawing pelicans:
What pencils are best for drawing pelicans?
Regular graphite drawing pencils (2B-4B) work very well for lightly sketching the initial shape of the pelican and allow for easy erasing and adjustments. Darker pencils like 6B-8B can be used to refine lines and add deeper shadows and textures.
What paper should I use?
Smooth medium-weight drawing paper or sketching paper (80-90 lbs) provides a decent texture for graphite pencils. Heavier paper can handle darker shading. Bristol paper is ideal for inked illustrations. Avoid very rough paper that can make clean lines difficult.
How can I draw realistic pelican textures?
Pay attention to the unique textures of pelican feathers, pouches, and bills. Use various pencil techniques like cross-hatching, stippling, or blending to create realistic effects. Reference photos are great for observing textures closely.
What are some common pelican poses to draw?
You can depict pelicans standing, perched on one leg, swimming, diving, or flying. Interesting bill positions include tip down touching pouch, raised up, or opened. Try different head turns and wing positions.
Should I use any tools besides pencils?
You can use tortillons, blending stumps, or cotton swabs to smoothly blend graphite. Kneaded erasers can lift graphite for highlights. Ink pens add crisp dark lines. Watercolor washes tint drawings nicely. Let creativity guide your tool choices.
How can I build my skills for drawing pelicans?
Practice sketching pelicans regularly from reference photos to improve your observation skills. Study pelican anatomy and proportions. Pay attention to the textures and look for the shapes that make up each part. Tracing can help develop muscle memory for the curves.
Conclusion
Drawing pelicans is an enjoyable way to practice sketching birds while also creating beautiful art. Follow the step-by-step process outlined in this article to learn the foundations of capturing pelican anatomy. Develop an eye for proportions, textures, and shapes. With regular practice, you’ll be able to draw realistic pelicans in a range of poses, bringing these iconic water birds to life on paper. The basic drawing techniques presented here will boost your artistic skills that can also be applied to depicting other animals. Let pelicans inspire your creativity!