How to Sketch a Bengal Tiger

Artist: makangeni / May 23, 2014
How to Sketch a Bengal Tiger

Step 1.


Before we start I'll show you which tools I'm going to use in this tutorial. - Pencils of various hardness: HB, 2B, 4B and 8B. - Mechanical pencil with 0.5mm HB or 2B lead. - Paper stump (great for blending). - Eraser and, if you have it, also a eras   

Step 2.


If you need it, draw the guide lines like you see in the image. Try to keep the right proportions of the different parts of the Tiger. The tiger we're drawing is laying on the rocks and is seen from the back, so the main parts (shoulders, body/belly    

Step 3.


Now some suggestions and tricks to help you in case you have problems drawing the tiger. -When you draw the face (but this can be applied also to other parts) look at the reference and simplify what you see in a series of basic forms easy to reprodu   

Step 4.


Start working on the drawing from the darkest parts using the 8B pencil. Don't draw a black lineart (it wouldn't be very realistic), just look at the reference and locate the parts where there is black (or the darkest color in the figure) and reprodu   

Step 5.


When the darkest parts has been fixed, create a layer of base "color" in the parts not touched by the light (the light source is behind the tiger). Add more layers to create darker shadows. I'm still using the 8B pencil.

Step 6.


Do the same thing on the head. Keep the paper clear where there are highlights and white fur.

Step 7.


Use the paper stump to blend the graphite.

Step 8.


Now the shadows should look darker and more uniform. Do not touch the ligther parts, thay have to remain clear.

Step 9.


The base of the drawing is done so we can add the stripes to the tiger. For this step use the 8B pencil well sharpened. The stripes are symmetric and different for each individual. Draw the round pupils and a little bit of shadow inside the eyes, t   

Step 10.


Add two points of light inside the eyes with the eraser pencil or with a little piece of putty rubber. Continue drawing the stripes on the body of the tiger. Follow the forms and the masses. Where there is highlight, draw the stripes gray (by pressi   

Step 11.


When you're done with the stripes this is how your tiger should look.

Step 12.


Stripes are probably the most evident feature of the tiger. As I wrote before, each tiger has its own pattern, but the way the stripes are spread on the body and their form is similiar in all the tigers. The pattern is quite symmetric (not perfectly)   

Step 13.


Darken a little some parts where the fur is less illuminated and orange (there should be pure white light mostly where the fur is white and illuminated). To do this use the 4B pencil. Add also some little details with 4B and 2B pencils.

Step 14.


Fix the enlightened areas with the eraser pencil or with a piece of putty rubber. Then add the long and thick whiskers.

Step 15.


The Bengal Tiger is finished! Just add some shadows on the rocks and you're done.

Step 16.


Let's finish with a "summary" of the main diffent parts, from black to white. The black arrows indicate the black parts, the darker ones (not all of them, just some samples). The blue arrows indicate the darker parts of the shadows, where they are   

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Details

Artist: makangeni
Date Added: May 23, 2014
Steps: 16
Favorited: 1 (view)
Views: 1 in last hour, 7 in last day, 55 in last week, 45860 total
Comments: 0
Tags: how to draw realistic, how to draw tigers, how to sketch, how to draw realistic animals, art sketches for beginners
Description: Tutorial about how to draw a realistic Bengal Tiger with pencil.

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