10/25/2020

Requested by TheButtChao

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The wolf body shape, like most other bodies, can be broken down into simple shapes with sizes proportionate to each other. For example:

This wolf drawing can be broken down into these four simple shapes:

Then slightly more complex:

These shapes are the very basics of anatomy, and all creatures can be broken down in a similar way! I suggest taking some references and diagramming them, like this:

This helps you to get a feel for where the shapes go, the proportions, and the arrangement of the shapes in the different poses!

I strongly recommend doing general shapes on one layer (if you're drawing digitally), lower the opacity of that layer, and make a new one above to continue on with detailing your basic outline.

After you have a handle on these, you can start making the contour of your wolf smoother by rounding out edges, filling in gaps, ect!

Keep in mind what direction the "body fur flows":

Now you can begin taking that shape and adding in fur tufts, especially the back of the neck, cheeks, inside of the ears, and tail. I also like to add a bit more on the "elbow" region too:

Now, just add the last of the details! Eyes, insides of the ears, nose, whisker marks, mouth, paws (which will be gone over in extensively in another class), and a few miscellaneous fur patches :)

Now you're ready for color and shading! <3

The most important tip I can give for anatomy is practice! References, breaking down references, studying references... It's how you give yourself an extensive knowledge of how the subject's body moves and is proportioned, as well as an artistic skill to be able to draw it.

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Well, that wraps this class up! If you have any questions, please ask! And I'd love to know if this helped you as well!

See you soon! <3