Project 4: Animal Tale

Project 4: Animal Tale
Select an animal at the zoo as the subject of your illustration. Go to the zoo and draw several sketches of this animal, including gesture studies of how the animal moves and at least one color study. The animals can be reluctant models, so be prepared to go several times in order to get a decent body of sketches. Additionally, collect photo-references of your animal, including, if possible, anatomical images. Knowing the muscle and skeletal structure of an animal is very helpful.

Research is due 4/13.

In class, draw your animal in the following poses: dancing, sitting in a chair, climbing a ladder, getting angry, and carrying an object. Use your compiled research to make the animal look as naturalistic as possible (as opposed to cartoony) in these poses.

Research a folktale, myth, legend, or other traditional story relating to your animal. It may take some digging, but if humans have come into contact with an animal, then there is a story about it somewhere. Draw at least 50 thumbnails to generate a good composition of your animal in that story. Choose the best 3 and draw them at a larger size for presentation in class.

Thumbnails are due 4/18.

Based on the feedback in class to your presentation sketches, prepare a final drawing, and then a painting. The painting should be proportional to 11”x 15”. There are no restrictions on the color palette.

Drawing due 4/25.
Painting critiqued 5/4.
Painting turned in, flapped and labeled, 5/9.

Underpainting Example

Here is an example of an underpainting done by Michael, the instructor of the other Illustration 2 class.