This is the first article in The Colored Pencil Bird series. As an example, I will show the step-by-step drawing of a Blue-Grey Gnatcatcher, but the tips and techniques included in these articles can be applied to any bird drawing. After the eye, check out how to draw the beak, head & body, wings & tail, and feet.
I use a graphite pencil to draw the eye outline, which allows me to make marks in a more sketchy manner, and use a kneaded eraser to clean up the line. Look at the shape of the eye – different birds have differently shaped eyes, and most are not perfect circles or ellipses. Notice the places of curve and the places of sharper corner.
Then, clean up the lines with a kneaded eraser (which has the advantage over a rubber eraser in that it can be shaped into a point for detailed work like this).
Draw the outline of the highlight (the catchlight). This ensures that you are careful around it and do not run into the problem of needing to add white after adding the darker colors. I like to draw this outline slightly bigger than it should be, since it is easier to shrink it with dark pigment than to try to expand it with white later.
Since the pupil is the darkest part of the eye, it is best to start by coloring in the eye with the surrounding color. In this case, the Gnatcatcher’s eye is all very dark, but to distinguish between the pupil and the rest of the eye, I suggest using a dark brown (such as Dark Sepia). Lightly layer this color throughout the eye (avoiding the highlight).
Next, draw and color in the pupil using Black. Notice how, in most cases, the highlight is within or partially within the pupil. Also consider that a bird’s pupil is quite circular.
Use a light grey or white to lighten the part of the eye just surrounding the pupil and the dark brown again to fill in and darken the outer part of the eye. You can also use a dark grey to add the shadows that occur around the border of the eye.
Darken the pupil further, with Dark Indigo and Black (I find that mixing in some dark color other than Black makes the pupil both darker and more natural).
Depending on the size of the bird’s eye that you are drawing, you may need to add more detail, or may get away with less. In this case, since the eye is so small, this simple process is sufficient. The following example is of a larger eye, which I spent a bit longer on, being more careful with colors, transitions, and shadows.
This Trogon eye illustrates some of the differences you might encounter when drawing the eye of a different bird.
It is best to begin by coloring in the eye using the surrounding color because the pupil is the area of the eye that is the darkest. The Gnatcatcher’s eye is extremely dark in this instance, so I advise using a dark brown (like Dark Sepia) to highlight the pupil’s differences from the rest of the eye. Lightly layer this color throughout the eye (avoiding the highlight).
To lighten the area of the eye directly surrounding the pupil, use a light grey or white; to fill in and darken the outer portion of the eye, use a dark brown once more. To add the shadows that surround the edge of the eye, you can alternatively use a dark grey color.
Some of the variations you may find when drawing the eye of a different bird are depicted by this Trogon eye.
Use Dark Indigo and Black to further darken the pupil (I find that adding a dark color other than black makes the pupil appear more natural and darker).
The size of the bird’s eye that you are drawing will determine how much detail you need to add or how little you can get away with. Because the eye is so tiny in this instance, a straightforward procedure suffices. The next illustration shows a larger eye that I worked on for a little while longer, paying closer attention to the colors, shadows, and transitions.
Start off by drawing the outer shape of the eye. The skin on the outside is rough and scale-ish. Draw the outline of the eyeball after adding the skin’s details. Start off by drawing the outer shape of the eye. The skin on the outside is rough and scale-ish. Draw the outline of the eyeball after adding the skin’s details.
You will then color in the pupil for the eye. This should be slightly off to the right of the eye’s center. You will then color in the pupil for the eye. This should be slightly off to the right of the eye’s center.
Here is the line art folks. Now just color in your rooster eye and show everyone what you’ve accomplished. Here is the line art folks. Now just color in your rooster eye and show everyone what you’ve accomplished.
In this instance, you will essentially complete the drawing by illustrating the eye’s skin and adding some sparse feathering. Notice I also drew in some of the beak too. Erase the mistakes too. Here, you will essentially complete the drawing by illustrating the eye’s skin and adding some sparse feathering. Notice I also drew in some of the beak too. Erase the mistakes too.
Description: Hello again people. I’ll be teaching you how to draw the anatomy of two different species of animals in two lessons today. You will learn how to draw a birds eye step-by-step in the first lesson. The bird in this reference is actually a rooster. I chose to depict a rooster’s eye because my parents are chicken farmers. Roosters are funny birds because they are so bold and majestic, but they will also run after you if you chase after one. Anyways, I do hope you enjoy this lesson. I’ll be posting some tip steps in the next day or so to accompany the drawing a bird eye tutorial. Adios people. Tags.
FAQ
What is a bird’s eye view for kids?