Learn How How to Draw a Bird
Birds are hard creatures to capture on paper. They are fast and fleeting, rarely giving an artist time to fully 
draw them. Though, there are some basic rules, when drawing birds, that can make the process much more quick and end in better results.
Basic Shapes
The first thing an artist needs to realize about birds is that they are made almost completely out of circles. Take a look at my sketch of a wood thrush and you will see what I mean. Notice that the head, without the nuisance of feathers, is a small egg shape lain sideways on an oval body.
When drawing your bird remember the basic shapes rule and start with a very quick, basic render. Then, lay over these shapes with feathers. The feathers don’t need to be drawn one by one. Give a general suggestion of feathers with long strokes of your pencil. Only draw the very important feathers, the ones that stand out the most.
The Beak
Make sure that the beak, a basic acute triangle, is placed properly on the bird’s head. Also make sure to curve the point at the end. Rarely will you ever find a bird that has a perfectly pointed beak.
Details
Never leave out a bird’s marking. The markings are what makes the picture believable. For example, on a wood thrush be sure to add the bird’s characteristic V-shaped chest markings. You should also add a tuft of soft feathers at the top of the head. Both of these details make the bird more identifiable.
The color of the bird is also important, even though you are drawing with just simple graphite. To indicate a bird’s color in a black-and-white drawing you need to focus on lights and darks. This is really very simple. Where color is lighter, make your marks lighter. Where the color is darker, make you marks darker.
Basically, good observation skills are the only thing to add to the techniques above. With that and a little practice you should be able to draw any bird that crosses your path.
Copyright 2007-2008 Alina Bradford, published here with permission
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