New Bad at Drawing Class: Animals

How to draw a dogorilla.

A drawing friendly dog with a big head, small ears, and a studded collar.

I love drawing animals—big ones, small ones, imaginary ones, groups of animals, stacks of animals, animals eating other animals. There are so many options!

I love drawings of animals! I don’t think animal drawings need to be realistic to be “good”. Personally, I prefer a drawing with more imagination. Animals are some of the first things humans drew! Check out these amazing animals in the Lascaux Cave, drawn about 17,000 years ago (give or take). They don’t look realistic, but they are certainly awe-inspiring.

Drawing Exercise: Creatures in the Night

Introduction:

Drawing with your eyes closed relieves the pressure to “get it right”. Of course it will look weird, because your eyes were closed! This type of drawing has a lot personality. Animals, especially those with spots or stripes, are great for this exercise.

Exercise:

Think of your favorite animal. Remember its features and overall shape. Close your eyes, and draw the animal.

Drawing an elephant with my eyes closed. — I drew these animals and colored them with my eyes closed.

Upcoming Classes:

Bad at Drawing: Animals

Bad at Drawing? So, what?! Draw anyway!

This fall, I’m teaching Bad at Drawing: Animals! This 8-week course will bring your inner wild thing! We will scribble, scrawl, trace, cut and paste some amazing animal drawings. Pets, Pokémon, hippopotamuses, pterodactyls—we’ll draw them all! No experience (or talent, or training) necessary.

Bad at Drawing: Animals class will be at Oklahoma Contemporary on Wednesdays, 6-8:30pm. Class starts September 27, 2023.

Make Your Own Art Supplies

This fall I am also teaching Make Your Own Art Supplies. In this 8-week class, I will teach you to make charcoal, crayons, and pastels. Then I will teach you how to draw with your new supplies!

Make Your Own Art Supplies will be at Oklahoma Contemporary Studio School on Saturday’s, 10:30am – 1:00pm. Class starts September 30, 2023.

This post is from the Radical Drawing Newsletter.

Want to see this content in your inbox? Sign up below!