- Jun 5, 2011
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B,
Nambroth's Art Academy Classroom: Drawing birds & their anatomy
- Thread starter Nambroth
- Start date
- Mar 13, 2011
- 5,057
- 3
- 324
Hello, Nambroth.
I'm Liz: I just wanted to say, I've been reading through your classes and sort of lurking around the sidelines.
I think your teaching is absolutely fantastic. I love the way you grade everyone's drawings and give them such good feedback. I admire you as a teacher.
I know I'm not a people person, I would probably scare the holy bejeesus out of my students if I ever tried
Today I almost made my friend hit me when trying to explain covalent bonds in Chem and trying to get her to understand why Aluminium loses three electrons to become stable
I have something I'd like to show you, but I'll hve to wait till I get home and scan them onto the computer.... I'll be back
I'm Liz: I just wanted to say, I've been reading through your classes and sort of lurking around the sidelines.
I think your teaching is absolutely fantastic. I love the way you grade everyone's drawings and give them such good feedback. I admire you as a teacher.
I know I'm not a people person, I would probably scare the holy bejeesus out of my students if I ever tried
I have something I'd like to show you, but I'll hve to wait till I get home and scan them onto the computer.... I'll be back
- Mar 13, 2011
- 5,057
- 3
- 324
Here, I said I would post these.... I did them in 2008 and 2009, I almost forgot about them until I found this thread!
- Apr 8, 2011
- 684
- 5
- 129
Hello. I just sent a 44wolves my sign up form.
Do I just jump in with you guys or do I start from assignment one?
Do I just jump in with you guys or do I start from assignment one?
Last edited:
ahhhh! computer crashed, sorry I didn't post assignment 2. Can I post it later today?
- Thread starter
- #56
Quote:
You can do whichever you'd prefer! If you are really keen on learning I'd suggest doing all the assignments, but I am not going to force you.
Quote:
Sure! I'm behind anyhow. The next lesson is a bit long and I am still getting it together.
You can do whichever you'd prefer! If you are really keen on learning I'd suggest doing all the assignments, but I am not going to force you.
Quote:
Sure! I'm behind anyhow. The next lesson is a bit long and I am still getting it together.
- Thread starter
- #57
-<< ASSIGNMENT POST >>-
Sorry this is a week late, everyone! I hope you all had a great week off. I spent it building coops and runs!!
I also wanted to let you all know that I have a few art shows/events I must attend mid and late July, and as such I might be a little slow with lessons and grading at those times. Thank you for your patience and understanding!
This next lesson is a long one. We are going to talk about and learn about wing anatomy. Wings are something all birds have, and even flightless birds have a wing even though it is not intended for flying and thus the structure is smaller and often covered in different types of feathers.
Even if you plan to stylize your bird drawings later in life, it is important to understand the basics of anatomy and the underlying structures. Even cartoonists study from life so that when they stylize their drawings they seem more lifelike!
If you take the time to read this lesson carefully and understand a few of the 'rules' as far as placement in the wing, you will be able to draw a more accurate wing!
First, let us consider the function of a wing on a flighted bird. Even ground dwelling birds such as chickens, peafowl, guineas, etc... are designed for flight, even if they choose not to fly too often. Because different species of birds lead different lives, their wings have evolved and adapted in different ways to suit their lifestyle. Hawks, eagles, and vultures have developed broad soaring wings for staying aloft and seeking prey. Hummingbirds adapted short but powerful wings adapted to be beat rapidly in a hovering motion. Falcons, doves, and some shorebirds have long, tapered wings that are designed for speed (either in capturing prey or escaping it!). Ground birds such as chickens, grouse, turkeys, pheasants... have short but powerful wings designed for rapid escaping flight, often in confined spaces. And so on!! The study of wing shape alone could take us several pages. If you are really serious about getting good at drawing birds, I invite you to pick up a bird field guide and just look at the shapes of the wings inside and spend a few minutes thinking about how that wing shape must impact how that particular bird flies, acts, and lives!
For now, we are going to stick to the basic, general shapes. It is my hope that you can then apply this knowledge and adapt to the species you want to draw. Note: This information is also great for those of you that like to draw fantasy. Imagine realistic wings on a pegasus, or a gryphon, or an angel! The possibilities are all there!
DISCLAIMER: Some birds have evolved in magnificent ways and are derived from the 'norm' so for the sake of our lesson here we are temporarily ignoring them and simply learning about basic, GENERAL wings!
To get anywhere, we must know what the bones look like. Those of you that process your own birds or eat meat have probably seen a chicken wing before. If not, and you are not vegetarian, consider looking at the bones of your next avian meal. It seems morbid but it is very educational.
This is the basic shape of a generic bird wing's skeleton.
Fun fact: Bird bones are not solid, but are hollow with a network of attaching pieces, like a random honeycomb, which makes them very strong but also lightweight.
When drawing, we can simply this shape down into the bones and the joints. By doing this we are paying attention to where the wing CAN move, and where it CANNOT.
You might notice that a bird's wing (their arm) is similar in shape and construction to our own. They simply do not have the digits that we do, and the proportions are different.
Here is the approximate shape of the actual flesh of the wing. It is important to note that the wing is not usually very muscular (fat wings on meat birds does not count). Also note the connecting tissue at the top of the wing. This is called the patagium! The patagium is very important. Think of it like the skin on a bat's wing. This area is very elastic and creates the aerodynamic leading edge on the wing.
Special note: Because of the hinging on the joints, a bird's wing cannot open fully, the way that a human can hold their arm out in a straight line. The maximum amount of 'openness' is shown in the illustrations on this page! WING BONES CANNOT LINE UP IN A STRAIGHT LINE.
For our demonstration, we are drawing the BOTTOM of the wing. This is important to remember! The bottom of the wing has different feather layering than the top, which is a common mistake that artists can overlook.
This is the basic shapes of the two groups of flight feathers.
The flight feathers are the Primaries, and the Secondaries. The Primaries are on the outermost part of the wing, and they are usually more rigid than the other feathers. The secondaries are the next group, which creates the rest of the flight surface.
Primary feathers are somewhat mobile, and some species of birds can adjust them slightly for better flight control, the way we might adjust our fingers slightly when we put our hand out the open car window. The secondaries are fixed and can only open or close as the wing opens and closes.
Next we draw in the placement of these major feathers... the primaries and secondaries.
These feathers actually anchor to the bird's bones!!
That is a very important thing to remember, because if they anchor to the bones, that means they cannot be in the wrong place. Therefore it is important to get the locations of these major feathers down.
The primary feathers always anchor to the bird's digits (hand) ONLY.
The secondary feathers always anchor to the bird's ulna (forearm) ONLY.
No feathers actually anchor on the humerus at all!! The only exception are some waterfowl and seabirds (such as albatross, which have very, very long wings).
The humerus is actually 'buried' mostly in the bird's body and scapular feathers and does not appear to stick out much on a flying bird.
Now that we have a good foundation for where the feathers anchor, we can sketch them in. At this point I will not be picky about the shape, but it is important to note that the shape will be important later on, and if you want to draw really nice bird art. A birds feathers are not all the same shape, and different species can have different shapes (complicated, huh?!).
Special note: Because we are drawing the UNDERSIDE of the wing, the first primary is 'on top' and each feather after that is layered slightly behind. Do you see the layering I am describing?
The underside of the wing has less feathering than the top side. This is because of the airfoil shape of the wing.
The next row of covert feathers, which are not a flight feather but a 'contour' feather designed to keep the bird's wing the proper shape and also to cover the bird's skin. They follow the same layering as the major feathers; can you see?
Here is a diagram on how to draw the TOP side of a wing, drawn by my friend (and used with permission):
1. Draw the bones! If you draw the bones you will always have a structure for placing everything else. You can draw them as simple lines if you'd like.
2-3. Determining the overall shapes of the wing. The arrow is pointing to a sketch guide-line that you can use to determine where the slotted primary feathers change their shape.
4. Drawing the primaries. Notice the layering!! The first primary is on the bottom now. All primaries are anchored to the hand of the wing.
5. Drawing the secondaries. All secondaries are anchored to the ulna!
6. A view of the wing with only the major flight feathers drawn in (primaries and secondaries).
7. A guide line showing where the contour feathers will go. These feathers shape the wing and keep the bird warm.
8. Drawing in the contour feather groups. Note: There is one layer that follows the pattern of the primaries and secondaries, and they layer the same way. Do you see how they look like a second row of these feathers?
9. Sketching in the rest of the contour feathers/coverts. These actually grow in tracts, but for now we will leave it simple.
10. The finished wing, with the beginnings of the scapular group of feathers that hide the joint of the wing/body.
Here is a drawing I made of a pionus wing that shows the major feather groupings from above:
This is a drawing I made showing what a wing would look like if we could only see the major flight feathers and the bones. They do anchor right to the bone!
An illustration showing how different species of birds have adapted their wing shape (and therefore skeleton) for different types of flying!
An image of the top, and the bottom, of a bald eagle's wing. Notice the layering! When looking at the BOTTOM of the wing, the first primary is on TOP.
When looking at the top of the wing, the first primary is on BOTTOM.
Courtesy of Pugent Sound's wing image collection: http://www.pugetsound.edu/academics/academic-resources/slater-museum/biodiversity-resources/birds/wing-image-collection/
Assignment Specs:
Title:
Drawing and understanding a wing
Requirements:
- Draw a bird's wing. One drawing from above, and one drawing from below.
- Be sure to include, at a minimum: The major feather groupings, and an understanding of where the feathers anchor.
- Be mindful not to 'make it up' from memory-- follow the guides in this lesson.
- You may use the images above to draw from or use them as guides as you draw and learn.
- You may use any drawing or painting medium that you like!
- You may use color or black and white, or a combo.
- Any notes you write on your pages are okay. Feel free to include your observations. You may label the anatomy if you wish.
- While I will be grading these, there is no way to completely fail on this assignment unless you don't do it.
- Due by Monday, July 11th please.
Sorry this is a week late, everyone! I hope you all had a great week off. I spent it building coops and runs!!
I also wanted to let you all know that I have a few art shows/events I must attend mid and late July, and as such I might be a little slow with lessons and grading at those times. Thank you for your patience and understanding!
This next lesson is a long one. We are going to talk about and learn about wing anatomy. Wings are something all birds have, and even flightless birds have a wing even though it is not intended for flying and thus the structure is smaller and often covered in different types of feathers.
Even if you plan to stylize your bird drawings later in life, it is important to understand the basics of anatomy and the underlying structures. Even cartoonists study from life so that when they stylize their drawings they seem more lifelike!
If you take the time to read this lesson carefully and understand a few of the 'rules' as far as placement in the wing, you will be able to draw a more accurate wing!
First, let us consider the function of a wing on a flighted bird. Even ground dwelling birds such as chickens, peafowl, guineas, etc... are designed for flight, even if they choose not to fly too often. Because different species of birds lead different lives, their wings have evolved and adapted in different ways to suit their lifestyle. Hawks, eagles, and vultures have developed broad soaring wings for staying aloft and seeking prey. Hummingbirds adapted short but powerful wings adapted to be beat rapidly in a hovering motion. Falcons, doves, and some shorebirds have long, tapered wings that are designed for speed (either in capturing prey or escaping it!). Ground birds such as chickens, grouse, turkeys, pheasants... have short but powerful wings designed for rapid escaping flight, often in confined spaces. And so on!! The study of wing shape alone could take us several pages. If you are really serious about getting good at drawing birds, I invite you to pick up a bird field guide and just look at the shapes of the wings inside and spend a few minutes thinking about how that wing shape must impact how that particular bird flies, acts, and lives!
For now, we are going to stick to the basic, general shapes. It is my hope that you can then apply this knowledge and adapt to the species you want to draw. Note: This information is also great for those of you that like to draw fantasy. Imagine realistic wings on a pegasus, or a gryphon, or an angel! The possibilities are all there!
DISCLAIMER: Some birds have evolved in magnificent ways and are derived from the 'norm' so for the sake of our lesson here we are temporarily ignoring them and simply learning about basic, GENERAL wings!
To get anywhere, we must know what the bones look like. Those of you that process your own birds or eat meat have probably seen a chicken wing before. If not, and you are not vegetarian, consider looking at the bones of your next avian meal. It seems morbid but it is very educational.
This is the basic shape of a generic bird wing's skeleton.
Fun fact: Bird bones are not solid, but are hollow with a network of attaching pieces, like a random honeycomb, which makes them very strong but also lightweight.
When drawing, we can simply this shape down into the bones and the joints. By doing this we are paying attention to where the wing CAN move, and where it CANNOT.
You might notice that a bird's wing (their arm) is similar in shape and construction to our own. They simply do not have the digits that we do, and the proportions are different.
Here is the approximate shape of the actual flesh of the wing. It is important to note that the wing is not usually very muscular (fat wings on meat birds does not count). Also note the connecting tissue at the top of the wing. This is called the patagium! The patagium is very important. Think of it like the skin on a bat's wing. This area is very elastic and creates the aerodynamic leading edge on the wing.
Special note: Because of the hinging on the joints, a bird's wing cannot open fully, the way that a human can hold their arm out in a straight line. The maximum amount of 'openness' is shown in the illustrations on this page! WING BONES CANNOT LINE UP IN A STRAIGHT LINE.
For our demonstration, we are drawing the BOTTOM of the wing. This is important to remember! The bottom of the wing has different feather layering than the top, which is a common mistake that artists can overlook.
This is the basic shapes of the two groups of flight feathers.
The flight feathers are the Primaries, and the Secondaries. The Primaries are on the outermost part of the wing, and they are usually more rigid than the other feathers. The secondaries are the next group, which creates the rest of the flight surface.
Primary feathers are somewhat mobile, and some species of birds can adjust them slightly for better flight control, the way we might adjust our fingers slightly when we put our hand out the open car window. The secondaries are fixed and can only open or close as the wing opens and closes.
Next we draw in the placement of these major feathers... the primaries and secondaries.
These feathers actually anchor to the bird's bones!!
That is a very important thing to remember, because if they anchor to the bones, that means they cannot be in the wrong place. Therefore it is important to get the locations of these major feathers down.
The primary feathers always anchor to the bird's digits (hand) ONLY.
The secondary feathers always anchor to the bird's ulna (forearm) ONLY.
No feathers actually anchor on the humerus at all!! The only exception are some waterfowl and seabirds (such as albatross, which have very, very long wings).
The humerus is actually 'buried' mostly in the bird's body and scapular feathers and does not appear to stick out much on a flying bird.
Now that we have a good foundation for where the feathers anchor, we can sketch them in. At this point I will not be picky about the shape, but it is important to note that the shape will be important later on, and if you want to draw really nice bird art. A birds feathers are not all the same shape, and different species can have different shapes (complicated, huh?!).
Special note: Because we are drawing the UNDERSIDE of the wing, the first primary is 'on top' and each feather after that is layered slightly behind. Do you see the layering I am describing?
The underside of the wing has less feathering than the top side. This is because of the airfoil shape of the wing.
The next row of covert feathers, which are not a flight feather but a 'contour' feather designed to keep the bird's wing the proper shape and also to cover the bird's skin. They follow the same layering as the major feathers; can you see?
Here is a diagram on how to draw the TOP side of a wing, drawn by my friend (and used with permission):
1. Draw the bones! If you draw the bones you will always have a structure for placing everything else. You can draw them as simple lines if you'd like.
2-3. Determining the overall shapes of the wing. The arrow is pointing to a sketch guide-line that you can use to determine where the slotted primary feathers change their shape.
4. Drawing the primaries. Notice the layering!! The first primary is on the bottom now. All primaries are anchored to the hand of the wing.
5. Drawing the secondaries. All secondaries are anchored to the ulna!
6. A view of the wing with only the major flight feathers drawn in (primaries and secondaries).
7. A guide line showing where the contour feathers will go. These feathers shape the wing and keep the bird warm.
8. Drawing in the contour feather groups. Note: There is one layer that follows the pattern of the primaries and secondaries, and they layer the same way. Do you see how they look like a second row of these feathers?
9. Sketching in the rest of the contour feathers/coverts. These actually grow in tracts, but for now we will leave it simple.
10. The finished wing, with the beginnings of the scapular group of feathers that hide the joint of the wing/body.
Here is a drawing I made of a pionus wing that shows the major feather groupings from above:
This is a drawing I made showing what a wing would look like if we could only see the major flight feathers and the bones. They do anchor right to the bone!
An illustration showing how different species of birds have adapted their wing shape (and therefore skeleton) for different types of flying!
An image of the top, and the bottom, of a bald eagle's wing. Notice the layering! When looking at the BOTTOM of the wing, the first primary is on TOP.
When looking at the top of the wing, the first primary is on BOTTOM.
Courtesy of Pugent Sound's wing image collection: http://www.pugetsound.edu/academics/academic-resources/slater-museum/biodiversity-resources/birds/wing-image-collection/
Assignment Specs:
Title:
Drawing and understanding a wing
Requirements:
- Draw a bird's wing. One drawing from above, and one drawing from below.
- Be sure to include, at a minimum: The major feather groupings, and an understanding of where the feathers anchor.
- Be mindful not to 'make it up' from memory-- follow the guides in this lesson.
- You may use the images above to draw from or use them as guides as you draw and learn.
- You may use any drawing or painting medium that you like!
- You may use color or black and white, or a combo.
- Any notes you write on your pages are okay. Feel free to include your observations. You may label the anatomy if you wish.
- While I will be grading these, there is no way to completely fail on this assignment unless you don't do it.
- Due by Monday, July 11th please.
- Thread starter
- #58
- Apr 14, 2010
- 10,563
- 2
- 344
*Deep breath*... Well, here's my first attempt at wings... I know it looks pretty juvinile, but I'll probably end up re-doing it...
Well, here it is!
Edit: OMG, I just realized how HARD this is to see! Ah, well, I'll rescan later.
Sorry! *grumbles about scanner*
Edit: OMG, I just realized how HARD this is to see! Ah, well, I'll rescan later.
Last edited:
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