Quick Answers to Key Questions
Hummingbirds are beautiful, delicate creatures that can be challenging to draw due to their intricate details and rapid movement. Here are quick answers to some key questions about drawing hummingbirds:
– What supplies do you need? Pencils, eraser, paper, colored pencils or markers for coloring. Watercolor paints optional.
– What drawing techniques help capture detail? Light, quick sketches and close observation of reference photos. Avoid heavy lines.
– How do you draw the body? Start with the basic shape of a small oval for the body and add the long slender beak. Sketch basic shapes for wings.
– How do you draw feathers? Use short, overlapping curved or zig-zag lines to create texture and patterns.
– How do you draw the eyes? Draw small, dark circles for eyes. Add white highlights.
– How do you make it look realistic? Pay close attention to feather patterns, beak shape, feet, and coloration. Accurate details are important.
– How can you draw it in motion? Sketch light, blurred wing outlines to show motion. Draw lines trailing behind for a sense of movement.
Gather Drawing References
Before starting your drawing, it is extremely helpful to gather several reference photos of hummingbirds. Study the photos closely, taking note of the colors, patterns, body shapes, and features. Here are some tips for choosing good reference photos:
– Pick sharp, high quality photos that show clear details of the hummingbird’s feathers and other features. Avoid blurry shots.
– Look for photos with the bird in different poses – perched, flying, wings outstretched, from the front, side, and back views.
– Choose pictures with good lighting that show the body shapes and feather colors clearly. Both direct sunlight and softer lighting can be useful.
– Look for close-up shots of the hummingbird’s head and beak to reference small details. Wider shots will show the full body, wings, and tail shapes.
– Reference photos of the bird in motion or mid-flight can help with drawing the wings accurately and creating a sense of movement.
– Print out any digital photos to draw from for easier reference. Organize shots in a way they can be compared side-by-side.
Taking the time to gather strong reference materials is an important first step and will give you the details needed to make an accurate and realistic drawing.
Where to Find Good Reference Photos
Here are some great places to find quality hummingbird reference photos:
– Nature and birding photography websites and blogs
– Photo sharing sites like Flickr and Pinterest
– Nature magazines and books
– Local nature centers or parks may have printed guides
– Field guide apps contain bird images
– Take your own photos of hummingbirds with a zoom lens
Sketch the Basic Body Shape
Once you have your reference materials, lightly sketch the basic body shape of the hummingbird. Here are some tips:
– Lightly draw a small oval for the body, pointed on one end for the beak.
– Extend a long, slender line from the point to represent the beak. Add a small dot for the eye.
– Sketch two short lines from the base of the oval for the feet. Add L shapes for a perched pose.
– Draw two longer, narrow ovals extending from the body oval for the wings.
– Initially sketch the body parts as simplified shapes without detail. Focus on proper positioning and proportions.
– Keep your initial lines very light using a pencil so they can be erased. Don’t press hard or use dark lines yet.
– Think about the hummingbird’s pose and how the body parts relate to each other. A side view may overlap the wings and feet.
– Use an oval with a bent line for the tail, considering how it relates to the body and wing placement.
Take it slowly, recheck proportions and start developing basic posture before adding detail. Correct any issues with the initial body framework at this stage.
Body Proportion Tips
When sketching the basics, keep these body proportions in mind:
– The body oval should be petite, maybe 1/5 the size of the entire bird.
– The beak will be almost as long as the body or around 3/4 the length.
– Wings will be around 2x the body length. They should appear long and narrow.
– Feet and legs can be drawn very small and short since they are tiny in real life.
– The tail is generally about 1/2 the length of the body and more fan-shaped.
Common Poses to Try
Reference varied hummingbird poses in your sketches:
– Hovering in place, wings rapidly beating
– Perched on a branch
– Feeding from a flower with wings back
– Flying away or towards viewer
– Rotated positions like side profile or angled back views
Add Details to the Head and Beak
Once you have the basic body forms sketched, start detailing the head and beak since these areas show the most distinctive features:
– Draw over the simple oval, shaping the head to be round at the back tapering to the pointed beak.
– The beak should be long, slender, and very pointed at the tip. The top and bottom match up precisely.
– Add a small, dark circle with a dot for the eye. Leave a highlight spot by not coloring over white paper.
– Draw the tiny feet in more detail – thin, spindly lines for the legs with feet shaped like a stretched out “L”.
– Carefully draw the base of the beak, which has small feathery tufts sticking out around the nostrils.
– Observe colors on the beak and head from reference photos. Use colored pencils to add realistic coloring.
– Look at how light hits the head and eyes. Add appropriate shading with pencil hatch marks and crosshatching.
The head really gives a hummingbird its personality, so take your time on this area to achieve a lifelike quality.
Beak Variations
Male and female hummingbirds have slightly different beak shapes:
– Male beaks are usually longer and more slender. The tip may extend just a bit beyond the head.
– Female beaks tend to be shorter in proportion to the head. The tip only extends to the head’s edge.
Refine the Body and Wing Shapes
After completing the head detailing, refine the body oval and wing shapes:
– Sharpen the edges of the body, tapering it from the chest up through the neck.
– Define the wing shape with long, narrow ovals that come to delicate points on the ends.
– Make sure to proportion the wings accurately to the body size from your reference photos.
– Consider the wings’ positioning – whether folded back, extended out, or mid-flap.
– Define the overlapping shapes of any visible feet and the fan-shaped tail.
– Visualize how the wings and body will connect. Should the wing bases taper smoothly into the body contour?
– Look at your reference photos and draw what you see rather than what you expect to see. Take your time on the shapes.
Consider Angle and Perspective
How the wings, body, and other parts appear differs based on the viewing perspective:
– A direct side view will layer the wing outlines over the body profile.
– A top-down view reveals more of the upper wing surfaces and back instead of the undersides.
– An angled perspective must correctly show foreshortening and parts appearing smaller in the distance.
Add Feather Details
Now it’s time to add the intricate feather detailing that brings your hummingbird drawing to life:
– Use very small, overlapping lines following the contours of the wings, body, and tail.
– Make feather groups pointed toward the head and tail ends for neat rows.
– Alternate between different line directions to create interesting feather textures.
– Add darker values for definition between the feather groupings.
– Look closely at your photo resources to match specific feather patterns accurately.
– Fill the wing and body regions completely with feather details so there is no blank space.
– Use a sharp, fine pencil and light touch so the small lines are controlled. An art pen can also work.
Take your time here, developing textures stroke-by-stroke. The feathering should not appear rushed. Let the details build up gradually.
Hummingbird Feather Facts
As you add feather details, keep these facts in mind:
– Feathers are arranged in rows called tracts that run vertically down the body.
– Males tend to have much brighter, iridescent plumage that changes color in the light.
– Females have more camouflaged, duller plumage with speckled throat feathers.
– Wing feathers are asymmetrical rather than matching on both sides.
– Feather tips are rounded on the outer edges but pointed toward the body.
Add Coloring and Shading
Color can bring your drawing to life. Here are tips for adding realistic coloring and shading:
– Closely observe colors from reference photos, especially of the unique iridescent feathers.
– Use colored pencils, starting with light pressure in layers to deepen hues. Blend with cotton swabs.
– Apply darker pencil shading to areas in shadow using hatching and crosshatching strokes.
– Make the beak and feet darker than the feathers. Show the eye as very black. Leave white highlights.
– Make the shading follow the direction of the rounding form – apply on the appropriate side of a contour.
– Put darker tones towards the outer edges of feathers to increase contrast and definition.
– Use watercolor washes or markers to fill in large areas of color. Keep a very liquid consistency.
– Start light when applying colors. It is easier to deepen hues over time than removing harsh darks.
– Step back occasionally to check colors and values from a distance. Make adjustments.
Male vs Female Coloration
Note these coloring differences between genders:
– Males have bright, iridescent throats that refract light. Feathers shift between ruby red, vivid orange, brilliant greens.
– Females have white undersides with small dark spots on the throat feathers. Their colors are more subdued.
Create a Sense of Motion
To make your hummingbird drawing appear in motion:
– Sketch blurred wing outlines using quick, impressionistic strokes to suggest rapid flapping.
– Draw elongated wing shapes that bend and curve to show wings fully extended during the downstroke.
– Include motion lines trailing behind the wings, head, and tail to indicate direction.
– Blend coloring gently in the direction of movement to increase the illusion of motion.
– Tilt the body and head into a flying position, leaning forward into the travel direction.
– Show feathers ruffled back by the breeze. Let some strands detach and blow behind.
– Keep unfinished, loose areas to contrast with detailed feathers. This adds a lively, rough feel.
– For a hovering, suspended pose, show wings extended fully downward or halfway up in a mid-flap.
– Adjust the eye to look ahead into the distance to enhance movement.
Action Words for Motion
Use these action words to describe hummingbird motions in your drawing:
Darting, hovering, fluttering, buzzing, zipping, flitting, whirring, gliding, soaring, swooping, darting, streaking, migrating.
Avoid Common Mistakes
Here are some common mistakes to avoid so you can achieve a more accurate, realistic hummingbird drawing:
– Don’t draw the beak too short or wide. It should have a long, slender profile.
– Avoid making the legs and feet too thick. In real life they are very skinny.
– Don’t outline every feather entirely or it will look stiff. Allow some lost edges along the contours.
– Refrain from erasing your initial construction lines completely. Leave some showing through for a sense of process.
– Be careful not to flatten the form. Add appropriate shading to show rounded, three-dimensional volume.
– Don’t hesitate to adjust and erase throughout the process as needed. Short, light lines are easily fixed.
– Try not to smudge the pencil shading. Allow layers of thin applications to build up texture.
– Don’t apply colors too heavily or dark at first. Slowly develop the right values through lighter layers and blending.
– Avoid letting the balance become lopsided. Double check symmetry and that the weight looks accurate.
Add Special Touches
Consider adding special touches for further interest and uniqueness:
– Draw the hummingbird interacting with a flower, plant, or natural elements. Show it feeding at a nectar source.
– Add a detailed background behind your bird, like a garden setting, trees, sky, or landscape.
– Consider unusual poses like the wings forward or the bird rotating to show a partial back view.
– Draw attention to the colorful, iridescent throat with unique feather detailing.
– Try using mixed media like combining colored pencil and watercolor washes in your drawing.
– Splatter some water droplets around a freshly bathed bird for added freshness.
– Cut out your drawing and mount it on a 3D surface so it has contoured edges.
– Focus on and highlight the bird’s personality through expressive eyes and energetic flitting motions.
– Draw a family group including adult hummingbirds feeding fledglings.
Conclusion
Drawing hummingbirds may seem challenging at first due to their diminutive size and constant motion. But by taking your time to carefully observe reference photos for anatomy and feather details, starting with basic shapes, and building up values gradually through light layers and blending, you can achieve beautiful, lively results. The key is cultivating patience and discipline during each step of the process. Think of your drawing continuing to refine itself much like the hummingbird rapidly flaps its wings to stay suspended. Before you know it, your dedication will pay off with a dazzling drawing of this shimmering jewel of the avian world that captures its delicate grace and personality. So grab a sharp pencil and your field guide and let yourself be inspired by the magic of hummingbirds. Your next masterpiece awaits!
