How to draw an ostrich

How to draw an ostrich - part 1

If you haven't got your own sketches or reference photo to work from feel free to copy my drawing.

1. When drawing and sketching anything complicated I start by breaking the subject down into shapes. I make the head of my bird drawing a simple rectangle, a beak which is just three dashed lines and I indicate where the eye will be.

2. Two curved lines in a backward S, making the bottom wider than the top.

3. A circle will hold the body of our ostrich.

4. Sketch in the legs and a triangular near leg with a rectangular far leg.

Part 2

5. After tracing the drawing onto another sheet of paper I use shaky lines and small dashes to draw the head and body of the ostrich. I was far more careful with the head. Ostriches have very distinctive faces, so be careful to copy them as accurately as you can. The heavily feathered body and legs are more loosely drawn.

6. This close-up should help.

7. Finally I draw in more details on the leg and body. Here we have the finished line drawing ready for further development.

You may be interested to see I developed the drawing further with a version in watercolour and ink.

Back to Drawing Animals from How to draw an ostrich.

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