Drawing animals

El siguiente texto es un extracto del libro Drawing animals: A simple method for capturing elegance, balance and movement (ISBN: 9798899569210) Conocerlo, entenderlo, interpretarlo y ayudarlo, escrito por Roberto Fabbretti, publicado por de Vecchi /DVE ediciones.

Foreword

This work provides step-by-step instructions for drawing a series of domestic and wild animals selected from among the most common and interesting from the point of view of drawing technique.

Very different from one another, some have been drawn since ancient times, such as the deer or the bull, which appear in cave paintings dating back to prehistoric times. Why were they drawn? Perhaps for magical or propitiatory purposes, or perhaps, who knows, simply to satisfy a whim or for pure pleasure. We will never know, and we can only speculate.

When it comes to statuettes from the Egyptian period depicting human figures with the heads of eagles, lions, or bulls—as well as their reproduction in paintings—the symbolic value of these representations is quite clear. In ancient times and throughout the Middle Ages (with the exception of symbolic animals such as lions, eagles, bulls, and other rarer species that appeared in biblical and sacred scenes or were included in bestiaries describing real or imaginary creatures representing vices and virtues), no specific interest or hidden intention can be observed in the representation of animals.

In Christian art, for example, the lion symbolises mercy, royalty, and the resurrection of Christ; each animal has a specific meaning.

It was not until the Renaissance that the first realistic reproductions of animals appeared, along with the first tentative attempts to draw exotic specimens. In this regard, I cannot fail to mention Dürer’s Rhinoceros, which appears to be clad in a warrior’s armour. This approximate, unrealistic representation—typical of drawings of exotic animals, which were uncommon at the time—clearly stems from the impossibility of spending long periods in distant lands to observe these animals in situ and up close.

Today we no longer have this problem, and even though it is not very common to draw a tiger in its natural environment or an eagle in flight, we have countless documents that we can consult to take notes and study the shapes and morphological characteristics of many animals.

Drawing Animals

Drawing animals is an exciting exercise that combines observation, technique and sensitivity. Each species has its own distinctive proportions, movements and characteristics, and learning to capture them is a stimulating challenge for any artist.

In this book, you will discover a clear and progressive method based on the simplification of geometric shapes. Ovals, rectangles, triangles, and circles serve as the initial structure for constructing each figure with balance and precision. From these simple foundations, the drawing evolves step by step until it achieves a natural and expressive result.

The goal is not to copy mechanically, but to understand the internal construction of each animal. When you understand the structure, the drawing flows with greater confidence and freedom. With practice and attention to detail, you will be able to represent everything from the strength of a lion to the elegance of a swan.