How to Draw Tails

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01 Oct 2007

by Rio

Tails begin just where the spine ends and looks to rest on the posterior. Below is an

example of cat tails that are the same in basic shape but with minor additions, it becomes a

completely new tail. For example, a sleek tail with addition of several lines throughout

turns the tail furry.

When drawing tails, draw the outline of the tail. Next, add fur lines to the tail if necessary

and any other accessory, marking, or coloring. When wearing garments, tailed people have

special clothes that deal with their tail. Depicted below is how a skirt may be worn even

with a tail present.

Scaly tails are similar to to drawing a fur-less tail except it is generally thick at one end than

the other. Tails may include spikes atop and tend to be scaly but does not have to be as

shown in the dark tail below. To add scales to your tail, there are two methods of doing so.

The first is just cross hatching (#) and the other is to make multiple V’s. Note that the

whole tail does not have to show scales all around.

How to draw anthro heads

By Kelly | June 4, 2007

A quick example of how I approach heads:

It helps to think in terms of 3D objects. The main mass of the head is a sphere, with the

attached muzzle and ear shapes varying depending on which species you’re trying to depict.

I’ll start with the rough sphere and some crosshairs on top to set the angle and position of

features I’ll draw later.

Then, on top I’ll sketch out the form of the eyes and eye sockets, and the muzzle form

below. Eyes are usually placed above the center crosshair. A good rule of thumb is that the

eyes are spaced one eye-width apart.

After that I’ll add in other forms like cheek-fluff and hair, and start working out details.

The main objective here is to figure out form and pose before adding any details!

More Examples

These are old but should give you some idea how I approach different species:

1. Basic Hand Anatomy

Anatomy studies by George Bridgeman

Understanding the components of the hand – bone, muscle, and tendon- will help you draw

believable hands. Draw studies of your own hands, paying particular attention to silhouette

and form, and with particular empahsis on change of direction in the lines of the

silhouette.

Exaggerate plane changes and overlapping forms to make more dynamic hands

Do many studies of your own hands for practice. After studying, try drawing some new

poses using your memory!

2. Simplified Forms

I like to think of the hand as three big pieces- the palm, thumb, and fingers. Imagine the

hand as a mitten, with the fingers as one mass. Then, in your mind convert that mitten into

a more three-dimensional form. The hand is long and relatively flat, it’s just the folds of the

palm and joints of the fingers that make it seem complex.

The fingers have three joints- the knuckle, where it attaches to the palm, a smaller middle

joint, and an even smaller joint near the tip. The natural movement of the finger’s bend

goes from knuckle, to middle, to tip. In other words, the tip joint only bends in the most

extreme poses, and it only bends alone if there’s pressure on the finger tip (such as poking

an object).

Don’t forget which side the thumb is on! A simple ‘rule of thumb’ – palms out, thumbs in.

Palms in, thumbs out. Check your pose with a mirror or get a buddy to model if you aren’t

sure.

Here are some of Bridgeman’s hand studies, showing how he simplifies the form, including

some very geometric plane studies-

3. Animals and Anthro Hands

Here are a couple of techniques for making anthro/furry hands:

Cartoony paws use simple, rounded forms to convey the structure of the hand. Detail is

minimal, since with animated characters every line must be re-drawn thousands of times.

These animated characters typically have 3 fingers and a thumb, and lack extraneous details

like furry accents and paw pads.

Mid-way between animal and human, this style of hand has stubbier fingers and bigger

joints, plus the animal characteristics of fur and paw pads. This kind of hand is better for

more beast-like or masculine anthros.

These examples are how I’d draw hands for my Good Cheese characters. The female hand

is slender and elegant, with only pointed nails (and perhaps a pink palm) to lend it some

animal flavor. The male hand is more beast-like, with stubby fingers and hints of fur at the

knuckles.

Feel free to experiment with different styles, and draw the hands that best fit your

character’s design.

Happy drawing!

How to Draw Paws

By Kelly | July 11, 2007

All things furry and footed have paws. And paws can be a bit intimidating to draw- lots of

complex moving parts like hands, but less familiar. Don’t stress, all paws have a lot in

common, and by learning to draw the basic parts you can get by just fine.

For the purpose of this tutorial, we’ll focus on just a couple specific animals as examples.

Recommended Reading :

Cyclopedia Anatomicae (aka Anatomy Drawing School) by Gyorgy

Fehér and András Szunyoghy

This book includes some really detailed anatomy studies for humans,

cats, dogs, lions, pigs, cows, horses, and apes. Lots of great reference for

paws, hooves, and legs. There’s also a comparative anatomy chapter. It’s

a good investment for intermediate to advanced artists.

Drawfurry.com is an Amazon Affiliate

Check the Recommended Reading Booklist for more reference books, and tips on getting

them cheap.

What’s In a Paw

The paw has three main parts:

the phalanges (fingers or toes for humans) the claws and the pads.

Although their arrangement may vary, these elements occur in most pawed animals.

Cats, dogs, and their relatives are mostly digitigrade- that means that they walk on their tip-

toes. In the image above you can see where the ‘wrist’ joint appears in a cat’s leg. The pad

on the bottom of the foot acts as a grip and a cushion, the same as the palm of our hands.

The ‘elbow’ is up high, close to the rib cage.

Feline Paws

The main paw pad is a rounded teardrop shape, with four small toe pads arching above.

Felines also have a dew claw on the inside of the paw, which is the same joint as the

human thumb. Further up on the wrist in the ‘carpal pad’. The carpal pad isn’t a joint, but

like the pads on the phalanges it gives the animal extra padding and traction for quick

stops.

All cats, except cheetahs, have retractable claws that are sheathed beneath the skin. The

slit is usually visible on each digit.

Canine Paws

The canine paw has a few distinct differences from the feline:

no retractable claws- claws are always visible large pad is triangular middle two toes are longer and tend to point inward

Plantigrade Paws

Animals that walk on their ‘heel’ and ‘palm’ are called plantigrade. Like a human, they

have wide, flat feet. Plantigrade animals include bears, skunks, opossums, raccoons, and

many rodents. In this example featuring bear paws, I included an orange circle to indicate

where the ‘wrist’ and ‘ankle’ joints are located. Compare that to the top image of a cat’s

paw, and you can see the primary difference between digitigrade and plantigrade paws.

Now that you know the bear essentials, keep studying paws on your own. Look at photos at

the library or online, or get your furry friends to lend a paw. You’ll be hot to trot in no time

flat!

How to Draw the Body : Basics

By Kelly | June 18, 2007

This tutorial doesn’t go in-depth into anatomy – you’ll have to study that on your own. But

I hope you’ll learn a thing or two from seeing how I approach drawing a figure from

imagination.

1. Structuring the Figure

Here’s an example of a quick and easy way to block out a pose. Nothing fancy, just a

simple stick-figure ‘armature’ made of simple shapes. With just a few lines, I’ve plotted out

the basic pose and proportions of the figure. Note that the tail is sketched in as well, and it

forms a natural extension of the spine. I sketch in a crosshair on the head, just to plan where

the eyes will be on the face.

I added these festive lines to give you a hint what I’m thinking as I sketch this out. The red

line, which falls from the hollow of the collarbone at the neck’s base, all the way down to

the level of the feet, is the figure’s center of weight. It doesn’t have much bearing on the

figure drawing itself, but you can use it to judge if your figure’s in a stable standing pose.

For action poses, don’t worrry about it- but remember than the point on the collar leads the

pose, more often than the head.

The happy green swoosh indicates the angle of the feet. Most beginners draw the feet as

perfectly parallel, or perpendicular, to each other. Instead, the feet are usually at an angle

closer to 45 degrees, nearer at the heel with the toes angled out.

2. Block in the Forms

When I settle on a stick-figure pose, I start drawing the 3D forms on top of it. This is a

good point to double-check with a mirror (or digitally, horizantal flip) to see how your

sketch is shaping up from a fresh perspective, and correct any weirdness in the rough

drawing. I flesh out all the forms before adding details like fur and clothing. For more

detailed instructions on specific parts, check out Drawing Anthro Heads, How to Draw

Eyes, and How to Draw Hands.

3. Clean-up and Details

My final task is simply to draw on top of my rough sketch, finalizing all the details without

stressing over the pose and anatomy. Planning your drawing and analyzing it at every stage

will usually have the best result. If you’re drawing with pencil, use a pen or brush to ink

over your sketch, and rub out the loose lines with an eraser. Digitally, if you sketch in blue

it’s a simple task to drop the colors, leaving only the black lines on top (see this tutorial for

a demo).

Don’t be afraid to sketch lots of loose and messy poses before you get it right.

Good luck and happy drawing!

How to Draw Facial Expressions

By Kelly | July 27, 2007

One key to conveying your characters mood and personality is in the face. In this tutorial,

you’ll find out the elements that convey emotion, and discover which cartoon ’shorthand’

drawing methods are used to convey them. I recommend you read through How to Draw

Eyes before you continue, if you haven’t read it already.

1. Elements of Expression

The key elements of facial expressions are the eyes, eyebrows, and mouth. In furry

characters, the ears are also important.

Take a look at these examples:

Which parts change the most?

The shape of the eyes, the angle of the eyebrows, and the mouth.

Notice that ears are ‘pinned’, or pointed back, when the character is angry or distressed.

Both the upper and lower eyelids affect the shape of the eye, and even the eyebrows have

some effect too if they are strongly furrowed, as in the angry expression.

A genuinely happy expression should show the effect of the lower eyelid, flattening the

shape of the bottom of the eye- fake smiles lack this effect in real life!

In cases where the pupil is ‘floating’, not touching the top or bottom edge of the eye, the

character appears surprised. Without raised eyebrows and lowered jaw, the floating pupil

just makes a character look deranged.

In other words, the combination of all 3 elements is key to conveying the right expression.

2. Focus on the Eye

Here’s an eye in several poses, depicting some different possibilities for showing emotion.

The first shows a little of the bottom eyelid, as well as the top. This expression is relaxed,

or just plain normal. The high and slightly arched eyebrow makes the character alert.

They’re engaged or interested, and thinking.

The second example eye is surprised, or shocked. The eyebrow arches way up, and we see

the floating pupil again. The upper eyelid is pulled back, making the eye seem larger. You

can change the angle of the eyebrow to add more subtle effects to the expression – angle it

up and toward the center of the face for a concerned or unhappy surprise, and angle it down

toward the center of the face to show anger.

The third eye is definitely not happy. We have the angry, down-angled eyebrow, which

touches the eye itself it’s so low. Making the angle of the eyebrow even sharper, and

covering more of the eyeball, will make a more intensely angry expression.

Eye #4 is concerned, sad, or fearful. The up-angled eyebrow is pulling at the flesh around

the eye, distorting it. The lower eyelid is also making a strong appearance.

An even more angry, menacing expression in the next eye. Like I mentioned before, the

angle of the eyebrow has intensified the emotion. The addition of the lower eyelid

narrowing the eye adds to the effect.

The last eye is bored, tired, or otherwise disengaged. Most of the eye is covered by the

upper lid, and there’s not much action in the eyebrow.

3. Learn by Example

My final advice to you, is to study the right models. Don’t just copy expressions you see in

cartoons or manga. Get a mirror, study your own expressions. Watch how the muscles of

the face move and bunch. Pay attention to the shape of the eye, and how much of the teeth

you see when the mouth is open. Animators often act out the poses and expressions they

need to draw, and I think this technique will serve you well. Don’t be afraid of looking like

a goofball!

Here are some examples of facial expressions from my webcomic Good Cheese. Analyze

the shape of the eye, angle of the eyebrow, and the mouth. What emotion does it convey?

And, can you think of a better way to draw it?

Happy Drawing!

How to Draw Feet Bending

By Kelly | October 5, 2007

This tutorial was requested by Raysuko, who had difficulty drawing the feet in a kneeling

pose.

The important thing to keep in mind for this kind of pose is the location of the main joints

in the foot. There’s the ankle joint, which has a limited degree of movement, and the joints

of the toes, which bend mostly from the ball of the foot. The toes don’t have the same fine

control as the finger joints, and mostly are bent by weight placed on the ball of of the foot.

The foot always maintains its arch, even with pressure on the toes such as in a kneeling

pose.