How To Draw A Bird

How to depict birds of any feather.

Acquire the basics of drawing birds digitally with this step-by-step tutorial.

Use layers to build your cartoon.

Drawing digitally is easier and faster than traditional mediums when you use layers. Layers permit you to describe over your sketch of base cartoon without having to erase it later. Layers tin can exist found on the correct side of your workspace and can be subconscious or revealed past tapping on the Layers icon. You can add a new layer using the + button. Drag layers upwardly or down to reposition them higher up and below one another.

Sketching the shape of the beak, body, and tail.

On your first layer, draw the bones shapes of your bird. Take into consideration what your bird is perching on. Are the feet flat on the ground or wrapped around a branch?

After you lot've sketched your bird's shapes, reduce the opacity of the base of operations layer by tapping on the Layer Backdrop card underneath the Layers icon. Drag the opacity slider to the left to increase the transparency of the drawing. This will let you to more clearly see any drawings yous create on elevation of this layer.

Wireframe sketch of a bird on a stick in Adobe Fresco

Create a new layer on superlative of your bones shapes cartoon. Using your first drawing as a guide, depict the basic outlines of the bird: the anxiety, body, wings, beak, eyes, and any additional features that define the bird's shape. Blue jays, for example, accept a triangular crest of feathers on their heads.

At present you can hibernate the basic shapes layer using the Eye icon. You never have to delete your layers; simply hide them and refer to them later if needed.

Black and-white-sketch of a bird on a stick

Side by side, add features and details to your bird: eyes, nib, wings, and feet. Written report your reference images. What kind of markings are on the bird'due south head and torso? You don't need to worry virtually drawing every feather. Instead, effort adding modest groups of lines in areas that follow the curves of the bird to advise the advent of feathers. Apply the Eraser to remove any of the bones outlines that overlap the details y'all add together.

Finally, add any final extra details, similar texture on the branch your bird is standing on, as y'all finish inking your lines, and your bird drawing is done.

Black-and-white drawing of a blue jay on a stick

Bring your cartoon to life with live brushes.

The defining features of many birds are their vibrant colorations. Watercolor brushes can add soft, flowing colors to your bird. Adobe Fresco features alive brushes that mimic the real-life properties of watercolor and oil painting — use these to make your cartoon pop off the canvas. To admission the live brushes, tap the 2nd tool downwards on your toolbar. Create a new layer underneath your drawing, select a color, and outset painting.

Watercolor brush options highlighted in Adobe Fresco with a blue jay image being edited

Using these steps, you tin can start with bones shapes and draw whatever species of beautiful bird. Try information technology in Adobe Fresco for free on your iPad or select Windows devices — and tag Adobe online with #AdobeFresco. Nosotros can't wait to come across what you create.