Last night, I decided to draw something with polar bears for the illustration Friday theme Polar. But when I went to draw one, I really didn't have a clear idea of what the actual animal looked like--and it showed. I had drawn a few polar bear images couple months back, but was never happy with them. So I've decided to tackle the root of the problem - I'll study their form a bit more instead of relying too much on my 'idea' of what they look like.
Here are some things I discovered. They have very long necks! My first drawings basically looked like white versions of black bears or grizzly bears--oops. Polar bears have very long broad noses, flat heads, long necks and almost a woolly type fur. They are also not as cuddly as the multitude of polar bear stuffed toys might lead you to believe. Polar bears are powerful and can be extremely dangerous, can grow up to 10 feet tall and weigh up to 1,700 lbs.
That's a LOT of bear!
As a side note, while I'm working today I'm going to watch/listen to "Raising Arizona" and maybe fit in a walk in this beautiful weather!
10 comments:
Have you been watching the "Planet Earth" series that's been running on tv? Amazing images of polar bear- and really sad too...the polar caps are melting and their habit is dissappearing...sigh.
I can see the progression you made. Observation is a powerful thing eh?
i love raising arizona! nice sketches. :)
The sketches are great. And I echo "Planet Earth" I have been watching that and any other nature video on the Discovery Channel and National Geographic Channel. I have seen many of the animals I need to illustrate for an up coming book about a group of African animals. Seeing them in motion is wonderful, but seeing them in real life would be fantastic.
So many of my art reference books were ruined in this flood that I am really sad about that, I had several encyclopeadia sets of animals, insects and birds that are now just wet soggy messes.
I won't be able to replace them as most are out of print by now, but fortunately there are still zoos, the internet and television to fill in the blanks.
Your polar bear study is right on! I saw the last video on the polar bears and they DO have those long necks...who knew? But there is a
'Paigeness' about your bears that makes them all the more endearing. The expressions are priceless!
Steph that's so sad. For one, hunting used to be their biggest threat..I guess that's now been replaced by something more serious.
Exactly Heather!
Me too Courtney! That movie really cracks me up.
Ginger I had a flood once and it ruined all of my 'memories' boxes! It was terrible :0( I'm sorry you're having to deal with one yourself. They ruin everything - I didn't realize how powerful they were until the day our basement flooded a foot and a half deep. We did the whole bucket thing, but then found a power-vac that sucked the water out. Even though we redid the basement, it still has the 'flooded moldy' smell - it just doesn't go away.
great sketches! E
Wow! Those little polar bears are AWESOME!!! I LOVE the 2nd one! That is very artistic!!! OMG!!! I will tell my BFFS!
doesnt really help . you should do some step by step ones, that may help beginners , but they are awesome drawings :)
you should draw other animals , you have a great talent , use it.
^^^^^^^ ME again .
i can see your progresion and the idea of studying what they actually look like is a great one, in ordeer to do a great drawing you need to get the proportions right, and i can see that you have done, im only 14 but i have alreadyu done my art GCSE and i was on here looking at what ideas people have , i like them :) that was me before btw :)
I love these. I always tended to draw out of my head, but I've found that studying reality helps me draw better. Not that you don't draw wonderfully from your head, of course! I love seeing your progression with your sketches and various ways of finishing a piece. You're doing what I always wanted to do. But now I create 3-D bears. :o)
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