In this drawing lesson, we’ll take a look at one of the most important fundamentals of drawing. This fundamental concept is called “construction.”

Construction refers to the practice of breaking complex objects down into basic shapes. The artist then pieces these basics shapes together to form the more complex shape of the object that they wish to draw.

Understanding the Concept of Construction in a Drawing

We can compare the process of drawing construction with that of constructing a house. A house needs a foundation and a structure before the finishing touches are added. Of course, all we see are the finishes, but a complex structure exists underneath. Without the underlying structure, the house would not stand.

Our drawings also need an underlying structure. And by starting with the structure, we can ensure that our drawings are more accurate.

Looking For Basic Shapes

The first step in construction is to identify the basic shapes that comprise our subject. This is a subjective process. You may see different shapes than someone else and this is perfectly acceptable. You can break subjects down in any manner that makes sense to you. But remember, simple shapes are easier to draw and easier to piece together, so it’s advised to look for the most basic shapes if possible.

Let’s see how this works with three different examples…

Example 1 – A Ketchup Bottle

We’ll start with a very simple example – a basic bottle of ketchup. This bottle is presented from a straight on view, so our shapes will be easy to discern.

Take a look at the bottle and see what basic shapes you may be able to pick out.

The most basic shapes are a couple of rectangles. These shapes are easy to see and it’s fine to start with these. But if we look a little closer, we’ll find that we can break this object down even further. We can still use rectangles for this.

Once we’ve drawn the basic shapes, we can draw additional elements. For example, we can add the slight diagonals that happen at the bottom and top of a few of the rectangles.

We can also draw the label using basic shapes as well.

Then, once we have the construction drawing in place, we draw the contour lines right over the top. If you wish, you can carefully erase any of the remaining lines to clean up the sketch.

Our drawing is clearly not a refined or finished drawing, but the overall shape is in place. If we wanted to, we could complete the sketch by adding shading or color and refine it further.

Let’s take a look at another example…

Example 2 – A Shoe

One of my favorite objects to use when discussing construction is a shoe. A shoe can be broken down into basic shapes relatively easily, but the shapes are slightly different from each other.

Let’s look at how to draw this shoe with basic shapes. First, take a look at the show and try to pick out a few basic shapes. Remember, we’ll all see things a little bit differently so the shapes that you see may different from the ones that I see.

When I look at the shoe, these are the shapes that I see…

We’ll draw the basic shapes first using light sketchy lines. It may be helpful to draw several loose lines instead of trying to draw the perfect lines with just one mark. Remember, this is just the underlayment. No one will see the lines that we draw at this stage, as long as we draw them lightly and erase any remaining marks.

With our loose sketch in place, we can add the contour lines. And since we have a nice foundation in place, we can draw these contour lines with a bit more confidence.

Now, let’s look at one more example…

Example 3 – A Bird

Next, we’ll look at a subject that is little more complex – a bird. Even though this subject is a little more complex, we can still break it down into easy to draw shapes.

We’ll start with head, drawing a simple oval. From there we can draw a shape for the main portion of the body, the tail feather, the legs and talons, the eye, and the beak.

Then, just as we did with the other examples, we can add the contour lines over the top.

Again, our sketch here is not a completed drawing, but it’s a good start. If we wanted, we could add shading to develop the texture and the illusion of form to complete the drawing.

Conclusion

Construction is basic principle of drawing. It helps us to plan out the subjects that we wish to draw and provides a framework for developing the rest of the image. Not only that, it also helps to ensure accuracy and increases our drawing speed.

The more that you practice this skill, the better you’ll become at deconstructing the objects that you draw. Pretty soon, you’ll be seeing shapes in everything.

Do you like owls? I believe these birds are truly amazing. Just think of majestic eagle owls with their serious look, cute little elf owls, or snowy owls. All of them belong to the order Strigiformes which includes a mind blowing, 200 species.

In this tutorial, we’ll walk through the process of drawing a barn owl. Hopefully, we’ll also learn a couple of fun facts about owls along the way!

First, we’ll sketch our bird with a graphite pencil to create an underdrawing. Then, we’ll complete the artwork with ink liners. I’ll be using three ink liners (numbers are 0.05, 0.1 and 0.2) on a relatively small, A4 paper size. You may use nib or dip pens, if you prefer.

Research and Sketching

I usually suggest doing some preparatory work before proceeding to the final art. Learning more about the subject of your drawing often helps to get a more realistic and credible result. Moreover, it allows you to be more relaxed in the process because you’ve already gathered some important information and know exactly how this subject should look.

However, if you are confident enough or prefer being spontaneous, feel free to skip this part.

Quick research allows me to refresh everything that I know about owls – and common barn owls in particular. Here is a brief summary…

There is a considerable variation between the sizes and color of the approximately 28 subspecies of barn owls, but we can see some common features. The barn owl is a medium-sized bird with a slender body, long wings, and a short tail.

The plumage on the head and back is a speckled shade of grey or brown. The underparts vary from white to brown and are sometimes spotted with dark markings. The face is characteristically heart-shaped, resembling a flat mask, and is white in most subspecies.

I also examine many photos and watch some videos, observing the most popular poses and general behavior of the bird’s body.

I always like to see owls when I visit a zoo – a nice habit for somebody who spends a lot of time drawing animals. By the way, if you try to hoot near a real owl, chances are that it will answer you.

The more you observe owls, the more details you’ll notice. You’ll see that every individual bird, even inside one subspecies, is unique. That’s why this tutorial is an invitation to study owls, develop a genuine interest for them – and not a “one answer to all problems” on drawing an owl.

See also: How Step-By-Step Drawing Tutorials Can Lead You Astray

At this preparatory step, just learn anything about your subject that you feel is necessary. Also, you may find it useful to sketch whatever you like: poses, patterns, faces, eyes, feet, etc. Allow yourself to be curious, without any strict rules or expectations. If you make any preparatory drawings, there’s no need to show them to anybody – unless you want to.

My research was relatively extensive. It included various species of owls, not just barn owls. Some results are in the image below. When I’m drawing, I pay close attention to the face of an owl. It’s helpful to try and capture an expression, even the mood of the bird – in addition to the accurate facial features.

Drawing the Owl with a Graphite Pencil

I outline the general shape of the head. Its width and height are nearly equal. The height of the head shape fits into the height of the body approximately 2.5 times.

With the same rough lines, I add the body and the framework of the leg that is closer to the viewer. There are four toes, but one of them is facing backwards.

I refine the head, adding the characteristic heart-like outline. To draw the eyes and the beak, I help myself by marking a center line that divides the owl’s face into two halves. Later, we’ll add feathers around and above the beak, making it resemble a nose.

I also add the eyes. The distance between them is slightly greater than the width of a single eye.

Barn owls don’t have ear tufts. By the way, all owls have excellent hearing, but barn owls have even bigger advantage.

The heart-shaped facial disk, created by the feathers, form a hollow disk around the entire face. It operates as a satellite dish – capturing and locating the sound. Two ear openings are located at both sides of the disk. As it is for other owls, the ear openings are positioned slightly asymmetrically, which allows for greater accuracy in pinpointing the exact location of a sound.

I change the contour line of the body, making it smoother and more organic. Now we have graceful curves in the breast and leg areas.

This pose, with the accent on the long owl’s wing, is chosen deliberately. I mark out some feathers to emphasize the beautiful relief, which we’ll develop in future steps. Elongated feather segments, at the wing’s lower part, make the whole shape even more eye-catching.

The legs are long and slender. They’re covered with feathers, except for the lowest parts. I also draw the long toes with talons at the ends.

The toes on the leg that is hidden are still partially visible – so I include them in this step.

Of course, we could add some hints of the second wing and a short tail, but I decided to go for a simpler pose. The goal is to accent the distinctive face and the texture of the wing that is closer to the viewer.

Let’s proceed to the inking part.

How to Draw an Owl with Ink

The eyes are important. If drawn with care and attention, they can communicate the expression and convey the mood. This is true for portraits of all creatures – not only those of people.

With 0.1 liner, I darken the eyes, layering the ink hatches. There is a highlight at the upper part of both eyes, so I leave a small spot of untouched paper there. Also, I leave a thin, blurry line of reflexed light at the edges of the eyes. Varying the density of ink layers creates these slight variations of tone.

An owl’s eye color is an indicator of what time of day this bird prefers to be active. Most owls with orange eyes are active around dawn and dusk. Owls that have dark brown or black eyes (like our barn owl) typically are nocturnal – they prefer to hunt at night. The dark eyes allow the bird to camouflage themselves much easier than brighter-colored eyes.

I also mark the feathers around the eyes and the beak, using directional strokes to indicate the form. The direction and roundness of the longer ink hatches creates the illusion that the head is three-dimensional. Using short hatches and dots, I border the facial disk.

The barn owl’s face is white or very light in color, so don’t rush to cover it with ink marks right away. Let’s proceed to the bird’s body.

With 0.1 ink liner, I mark the darker spots on the wing and a subtle shadow on the leg.

Small groups of short hatches, applied to the body, lay the foundation for the texture. Again, the body, including the legs, is usually pale, so we have to be as delicate as possible here.

I also cover the snag under the owl with layers of hatching. The direction of lines helps to differentiate the horizontal and vertical planes.

With a 0.2 ink liner, I make the darker areas of the feathering darker, adding a bit of contrast. Both hatching and stippling are suitable for this texture. When separating and detailing the feathers, we should be mindful that the wing consists of small elements, but it is still a visually unified unit.

Wing feathers of a barn owl feature a peculiar pattern of small, white, slightly elongated spots that are bordered with dark color. These small spots are included as the texture is developed.

In the image below, you’ll see a close-up of the wing texture.

I continue working on the wing, using the same process of layering ink applications.

Avoid making the texture too monotonous. There should be irregularity since this better reflects reality.

I leave the upper part of the wing slightly lighter to indicate the light source.

With the thinnest 0.05 liner, I work on the white feathering of the owl’s facial disk. I want this area to be as eye-catching as possible, so I leave a large area of untouched paper here.

The head itself is usually darker than the facial disk, so we can apply more ink marks to this area.

I use short hatches and stippling. Both techniques can successfully imitate soft, short, fluffy feathers that look unified from a distance. At the sides of the neck, I add some cross contour hatching to give the bird more volume and accentuate its form.

See also: Improve Your Drawing and Painting with Cross Contour Lines

The wing will be our “measuring stick” in terms of value. We don’t want the face or the body to be as dark as the wing.

I accentuate the shadow under the lower part of the facial disk to suggest some relief. I also erase the pencil outline of the facial disk after the ink has dried. If you feel that any graphite marks are now unnecessary, feel free to erase them.

With a 0.05 liner, I work on the texture found on the body of our barn owl. Just as we did on the wing, we’ll gradually layer ink applications to slowly build up a range of value.

Hatching may be denser here and there, just to break the monotony of the texture. I use stippling for the lightest areas, particularly on the owl’s chest.

Ink marks made with a thin liner resemble a graphite pencil drawing from a distance. By switching from wider to thinner lines deliberately, we open a variety of possibilities and artistic effects.

It’s important to keep the edges of the owl’s body slightly ‘fluffy’ or ‘hairy’, without any solid contour. That’s why we didn’t start the work by outlining the contours. However, the wing usually has a sleeker texture than the rest of the body, so having a clear, readable contour here is justified.

There are small black spots on the underside of the barn owl, so I add them, using the 0.2 liner.

The drawing is close to completion, but we still have to work on the talons of the owl. Or, to be precise, one foot and a part of another. I use the 0.1 liner for this step.

Rounded contour hatches that go from one side of the talon to another help to accent the form. The same principle applies to individual claws – with the exception that lines are shorter. I add some stippling to vary the pattern of ink marks and strengthen the core shadows.

In general, the feet are darker than the plumage found on the legs.

As a finishing touch, I work on the wooden texture of the snag, revealing the organic pattern of the bark and darkening the cracks. I also add some moss with spontaneous circular motions of the ink liner.

We’ll also add a hint of shadow on the top of the wood, strengthening the illusion of the light source within the scene.

See also: Drawing With Ink Liners: Natural Textures

Conclusion

Congratulations – we’ve done a great job! I’m happy with the result. Hopefully, you enjoyed every moment of this creative journey, too.

What do you think – maybe we should expand this feathery topic by creating an additional tutorial on drawing an owl of another species?

Again, thanks so much for joining me through the whole process. I wish you much inspiration and luck in your journey of mastering ink techniques and drawing in general.

In this drawing lesson, we’ll take a look at creating a realistic drawing of a glass of water. This is a great exercise for recognizing value relationships and creating the texture of reflective and transparent objects. It’s also a great study of light and how it reacts when it passes through glass and water.

Materials for Drawing a Glass of Water

Value is important to consider in any drawing that we create. Value is the darkness or lightness of a color and is one of the seven elements of art. Creating a full range of value in a drawing is easier when we work on a toned surface.

Toned Drawing Paper

Working on toned drawing paper allows us to begin with a middle value or mid tone and “push” the values outward. We can add lighter values and darker tones while relying on the surface tone to help with the mid tones. For this reason, we’ll work on toned gray paper.

Graphite Pencils

Graphite pencils are applied to develop the dark values as well as some of the mid tones. The graphite pencils used in this drawing include:

• H
• HB
• 2B
• 4B

We’ll start with the lighter pencils and progressively work towards the darker pencils, gradually broadening the range of value and contrast in the drawing. (The H pencil is the lightest pencil, while the 4B pencil is the darkest.)

You may find that the 4B pencil is not quite dark enough for your drawing. This may be the case if you naturally place less pressure on the pencil. If this applies to you, then you may choose a darker pencil for the darkest shadows. A 6B pencil may be a good substitute.

A White Charcoal Pencil

Highlights are especially important in a drawing that features a highly reflective surface like glass. In a typical drawing on white paper, highlights must be preserved or avoided while graphite is added. But since we’re working on toned paper, we can add the highlights with a white medium. In this case, white charcoal is used to develop the highlights and lighter values.

Although graphite and charcoal are different mediums, we can still use them together with success. But, the order in which we apply the media is important. White charcoal doesn’t cover heavy graphite applications easily. Graphite can be applied over white charcoal applications with better success, but the reverse of this is not suggested. For this reason, we’ll address many of the highlights early in the drawing process, before darkening the areas of darkest shadow.

If you don’t have a white charcoal pencil, a white colored pencil can be substituted. It should be noted, however, that we use blending stumps to blend the white charcoal applications. Since colored pencils do not blend in the same way as a powdery material like charcoal, you’re likely to see different results in your drawing.

Blending Stumps

We also use a blending stump to blend applications. Using a blending stump allows use to smooth transitions of tone and value which often leads to a more representational result. However, not all of the applications are blended. The blending stump is reserved for areas where there is a clear transition of value, which happens frequently in this particular subject.

It is advised to use a blending stump or even a rolled up piece of paper instead of using your fingers. Using your fingers to blend doesn’t provide enough control or precision. It can also make you drawing appear dirty, since the oils from your fingers mix with the graphite and charcoal. This leads to inconsistencies and areas that are difficult to erase and clean up.

The Photo Reference

I’ve created a photo reference for this drawing by setting up one defined light source, originating from the upper left corner. A singular light source is chosen for simplicity. Multiple light sources would produce two different areas of cast shadow, which would affect our composition.

Here’s a look at the photo reference…

It’s important to study the reference photo before making any marks. Analyze the light and dark shapes and consider how you’ll depict them in the drawing.

How to Draw a Realistic Glass of Water

Here are the basic steps that we’ll take to create our realistic drawing of a glass of water. Remember, since we’re combining graphite with charcoal, the order in which we apply the mediums is important.

1. Draw a contour line drawing.
2. Add light mid tones.
3. Develop the strongest highlights and light values with white charcoal.
4. Develop the darker tones and shadows.
5. Refine the drawing and add a cast shadow.

Draw a Contour Line Drawing

We’ll begin the drawing with a contour line drawing using the H graphite pencil. This means that we’ll concentrate only the outlines that we observe from the subject. These contours not only include the lines that define the boundaries of the glass, but also the shapes of different values that we see.

To ensure accuracy, we can use measuring techniques. Using your pencil as a measuring tool, you can make comparisons between different areas of the drawing. Look for opportunities by comparing larger shapes first.

In this case, the drawing that’s created is the same size as the printed reference photo. This means that we can measure on the photo reference and use the exact measurement on the drawing surface.

Using measuring we can draw the basic shape of the glass, including the ellipse that represents the opening at the top. Ellipses are a distortion of a circle. In many cases, an ellipse is simply an oval. But depending on the angle, an ellipse can be more complicated.

We’ll also add the shapes of value that we observe within the glass and the water. Look for contrast when you draw these shapes. If you find it difficult to see these shapes of value, try squinting at the subject. By squinting, we simplify the details and often easily recognize the larger shapes of darks and lights.

Add Light Mid Tones

Sticking with the H graphite pencil, we’ll begin developing the lighter mid tones. As we do so, we’ll also add this lighter graphite application over the areas that will eventually be the darkest areas on the glass and within the water.

To create an even application, moderate pressure is added. A circular stroking pattern is used as the pencil is applied. This does not mean that small circles are visible on the surface. Instead, the pencil is lightly pressed while your hand moves in a circular direction.

Be sure to preserve the areas where you see the lightest values. We’ll apply white charcoal in these locations in the next step.

Develop the Strongest Highlights and Light Values with White Charcoal

Next, we’ll concentrate on developing the lighter values and highlights with white charcoal. Make sure that your pencil is nice and sharp and begin making applications where you see the lightest values.

Since glass is both transparent and reflective, you’ll notice that some of these highlights are found in areas that you may not expect. We’ll see the highlights in standard locations, like on the side of the glass that is closest to the light source. But we’ll also see them on the opposite side, within the glass, and in areas within the water.

The best practice is to simply observe the reference photo and note the shape and locations of these lighter values and place them in the same locations in your drawing.

After the highlights have been added with the white charcoal pencil, we can use the blending stump to smooth some of the applications. The blending stump can also be used to tone down the intensity of the highlights if necessary.

Develop the Darker Tones and Shadows

With the highlights in place, we can begin darkening the values with softer graphite pencils. We’ll start with an HB pencil with moderate pressure. As the values become darker, the contrast also increases, making the highlights appear lighter.

Developing the darker tones requires additional applications over areas that were covered with the H pencil previously. We don’t cover all of these areas again, however. Some areas of the lighter graphite are allowed to remain visible.

This is a process that requires patience and since we’re making several passes with different graphite pencils and white charcoal, it may feel as if you’re drawing the subject several times. This is to our advantage since each time we add a slightly darker application, we may find errors that should be fixed or opportunities to make the drawing more accurate. Take your time and be patient. This slow and layered approach is essential for developing realism in drawings.

After the HB pencil has been applied, we can use the blending stump to smooth transitions of value. Here again, the blending stump is not used everywhere. It is just used in areas that have a transition or in locations where the tooth or texture of the paper is a distraction.

Now it’s time to push the values even darker, broadening the range of value and contrast. We’ll switch over to the 2B pencil and again make another pass over the drawing. Here again, we’ll allow some of the H and HB pencil applications to remain visible. This creates more variety in the values.

Again, this application is gently blended in areas with the blending stump.

We’ll now concentrate on the darkest values on the value scale and develop the remaining areas of darkest tone and shadow. Using our darkest pencil, 4B, we’ll go back into the drawing and darken the areas of darkest shadow in the glass and within the water.

Refine the Drawing and Add a Cast Shadow

The glass and water are nearly complete. We’ll now need to add a cast shadow underneath and behind the glass. But as you’ll notice from the reference photo, we’re not dealing with an ordinary cast shadow.

The glass and the water are transparent objects. Light passes through them, instead of being reflected back towards the light source. The light actually becomes more intense as it’s refracted, resulting in an area of very light value where we’d expect to see the darkest shadow.

Before we develop the darkest areas of cast shadow, we’ll first need to define the shape of this strong light. We’ll first define the outer edges of the shape with a 2B pencil.

Then we’ll use the white charcoal pencil to fill in the shape with a heavy application.

A blending stump is used to smooth this application and work the material into the texture of the paper. This results in a more natural and consistent shadow.

We can then extend the area of darkest tone to fill in the remainder of the largest area within the core shadow. You’ll notice that there is primary area of cast shadow. This is a shape that resembles a skewed version of the shape of the glass. This area of darkest value is called the occlusion shadow.

But the cast shadow itself extends outward a little further. This area is slightly lighter, but still considered part of the cast shadow. Since this area is lighter, the HB pencil is applied and gently blended with the blending stump.

The occlusion shadow is not a uniform value. While it’s quite dark, some areas are slightly darker than others. To address these areas of the darkest value, we’ll revisit the shadow with our 4B pencil in areas.

The location of darkest value within a cast shadow is often found right underneath and just behind the object. As the shadow extends away from the subject, the shadow may become slightly lighter. This is true for our subject as well. The area of darkest tone within the cast shadow is found right underneath the glass, where it makes contact with the surface.

Again, this application is blended with the blending stump to eradicate any visible texture produced by paper.

Lastly, any last touch ups are handled with graphite and/or white charcoal to complete the drawing. Here’s the completed drawing…

Conclusion

It may seem difficult to create the illusion of transparency and reflection in a drawing, as we see with our glass of water. But this illusion is not as difficult as it may seem. We simply need to remember to start with general shapes and their relationships, develop the contours, and then patiently develop a full range of value with our drawing medium of choice. It does require patience and of course – close observation. But this is true for any subject we wish to draw in a realistic manner.

This project is dedicated to falcons – majestic predatory birds that are known for their strength, maneuverability, and speed – in addition to incredible intelligence. Our culture has a special place for falcons. Just as an example, these birds work at the airports. Their task is to drive nuisance birds away from landing and departing airplanes.

Interesting to know: a falcon is any species in the genus Falco. There are about 40 species of falcons worldwide. The Latin word, falco is believed to derive from the Latin, falx (“sickle”) because of the shape of the birds’ wings.

The feathering of falcons features a peculiar combination of light and dark areas, so it’s a great chance for us as artists, to study the values and textures on a truly beautiful specimen.

I’ll be using three ink liners (the numbers are 0.05, 0.1 and 0.2) for a relatively small drawing. A nib pen, instead of liners, is a great option for this drawing, too. A graphite pencil and an eraser will be helpful for creating an underdrawing.

Researching a Falcon

Before diving into the process of making marks on paper, it’s useful to do some research. Learn more about falcons by reading several articles or watching videos! Additional knowledge about anatomy, special characteristics, and the life of the bird may help to make your art more realistic.

For example, it’s quite difficult to draw a flying bird without understanding how its wings work. Of course, you don’t have to go too deep into specifics. Being familiar with the general structure is often sufficient. But, researching your subject may give you some inspiration.

Here’s one of my exploratory sketches. I focused on the eye, with a thin ring of bare skin around it, and its position on the head.

By the way, falcons can see up to 8 times more clearly than the sharpest human eye.

I believe that nothing compares with drawing from life. But, observing a live falcon is likely not a possibility. A quick image search may help you to better understand the structure of this bird. I’d recommend looking at many photos from different angles.

Creating Miniature Sketches

At this stage, I draw several quick mini sketches. The purpose of this exercise is to help me decide which angle and composition will work best for this particular drawing.

These sketches are rather stylized schemes so they don’t have to be absolutely correct from an anatomical standpoint.

Let’s treat this concept as not just a generic falcon, but as one with its own emotions and unique features.

Please keep in mind that a miniature sketch is just a guideline for your final artwork. The process is flexible, so change your initial concept as many times as you feel necessary. 

In the very beginning of the process, I was leaning towards a dynamic pose where the wings are open, taking up a relatively large portion of the paper.

But, after observing my quick sketches, I decided to go for a more static option. First of all, the size of paper for our final artwork feels too small for a dynamic, expansive pose. We could fit the wings into this format, but sacrificing details isn’t something I really want to do.

Another reason for this decision is the impression created by the pose. A “calm” pose, where the falcon is sitting on a piece of wood, with its head in profile, accents the attentiveness of the bird’s look and presents the falcon in all its majesty. I feel like the bird is ready to dart off at any moment!

Creating a Pencil Underdrawing of the Falcon

I sketch the falcon with light pencil lines, presenting the figure as a set of simple shapes, also marking the wings and tail feathers. The talons are just a framework of lines. 

I refine the contours of the falcon’s head and mark out the contrasting pattern of dark and light areas. Some species of falcons, like Peregrine Falcons, usually have a black malar area (so-called ‘cheeks’) and a black ‘cap’.

I also mark the pattern on the bird’s body. There are small dark spots on the belly and thin stripes on the chest. The falcon’s tail feathers also feature lateral stripes.

The beak is relatively short, sharp, and strongly hooked. Falcons’ beaks are equipped with a tooth, which is a sharp triangular-shaped ridge on the outer edges of the beak.

Falcons have three forward claws and one back claw. The claws are long and sharp. 

How to Draw a Falcon with Ink

Now we’re ready to move forward with ink. I start inking with the 0.05 liner, gently outlining the main contours of the bird. It’s necessary to be careful with the contours, especially where the lighter parts of the body are – for example, in the neck area. The lines should be thin. Make gaps in the contour line, if necessary, or replace it with a set of short hatches.

Also, I darken the pupil, leaving a small area of bright highlight, and touch a few marks on the area near the eye.

I feel like developing the eye to an almost complete stage at the beginning of the work is important. The eye will become a focal point, so it often makes sense to start here.

With groups of hatches, I mark the darker areas and create a subtle differentiation between the wings and the body. 

Now we’re ready to start developing the texture of the wings. But how should we do this? When it comes to hatching, there are some options to choose from.

Hatches can be parallel – or almost parallel. Or, there can be some variation in their direction. When used alone, parallel hatches look somewhat unified, like a pattern. That’s why I’ll be using mostly parallel hatching to create patterns of the falcon’s feathering.

In some cases, this technique may accent the distance between the depicted subject and its viewer. Or, make the artwork rather schematic or stylized.

The variation in direction makes the hatches feel more spontaneous and natural. By varying the stroke, we can work an area of thinner and softer feathers. Leave open gaps between hatches deliberately. This open space can create the illusion of spots or stripes.

I recommend experimenting with speed and pressure while drawing. Try to create lines, varying their length, layering new lines on top.

With the 0.1 ink liner, I create the pattern on the falcon’s body. The small spots on the belly and chest and the wide stripes on the tail feathers are addressed. I vary the pressure placed on the pen from light to medium. The lines accent the ‘flow’ of the bird’s body, conforming to the cross contours.

Also, I mark the most prominent features of the texture underneath the bird.

See also: Drawing With Ink Liners: Natural Textures

I increase the contrast in value, using the 0.2 ink liner. The darker areas, including the wings, become even darker. Since we’re placing light pressure on the liner – new hatches, especially their ends, look fine and harmonious. Changing the direction of the hatching slightly also adds variety.

I continue adding hatching, using the 0.1 liner, gradually layering ink hatches to create a uniform, dense, and smooth covering. In the image below, you’ll find a close-up of such hatching.

To give the falcon more volume, I use contour hatching in the head and neck areas. The upper part of the head should be a little lighter to reflect the light source, so I make sure that there are not too many ink marks.

See also: Hatching and Cross Hatching

I darken the tip of the beak, using thin hatches and dots.

The wings have a subtle pattern of relatively large darker spots. I develop this pattern with groups of parallel lines. The relief is created by thick feathers on the wings. Creating some diversity here by including both denser and less dense areas of ink marks.

Some areas of our falcon’s body are in shadow. For example, the legs and the belly are areas of core shadow. At the same time, those parts are white or light gray with a contrasting pattern of dark spots.

To darken the “light” areas without losing the impression that they are actually light, I’ll use the finest 0.05 liner at minimal pressure. If necessary, I strengthen the dark spots in the feathers to keep the pattern clearly visible. As a result, we get a beautiful contrast between the thinner and wider lines.

Working with fine hatching has an advantage. It can unite the drawing visually, making it look more harmonious. Also, thin hatches can appear as graphite shading from a distance.

Pay attention to the contrast of the pattern on the body. The more shadow, the lower the contrast will be. Usually, we don’t notice many contrasting details if there is insufficient light.

I add some curved contour hatching to the sides of the bird’s figure to give it more volume. 

The artwork is close to completion. But now it’s time to work on the falcon’s talons. With the 0.1 ink liner, I create the illusion of relief and volume, accenting the sides of the feet and toes with contour hatching. Don’t overdo them – the talons are relatively light.

I add a cast shadow under the feet, so the falcon appears grounded.

There is a shadow on the tail, behind the legs. I accentuate it with several layers of ink hatching. The striped pattern on the feathers should still be clearly visible.

However, I let the bottom part of the tail fade as it extends outward, so it blends smoothly into the surrounding space. The same principle applies to the surface under the bird.

We could add more details to the feathering, but as our artwork doesn’t have a background, I think it’s time to stop and call it finished. Sometimes a slight stylization is a great thing! 

Conclusion

Congratulations – the drawing is complete! I hope that you enjoyed both the process and the result of our work. Thanks for being with me on this creative journey!

The world of birds is huge and full of wonders. There are endless possibilities to explore and be inspired.