How to draw a dog that is man’s best friend, and for many of us, that extends beyond the capacity of humans. It’s fair to say that we love dogs – perhaps more so than any other animal. In fact, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reports that there are nearly 70 million pet dogs in U.S. households today. Even if you don’t own a dog as a pet, it doesn’t take much time with one to see why they are so endeared by most people.
Due to their playful nature and their constant desire to please us (most of the time), How to draw a dog makes excellent subjects for those looking to improve their ability with drawing animals or even just general sketching techniques. Read on to discover how to draw a dog: step-by-step, pictures and tips!
First and foremost, you need to know how to draw well before attempting to draw any type of animal, particularly dogs. There are a few reasons for this. For one, dogs are fairly complex in their structure and are therefore not the easiest animal to learn how to draw. Secondly, dogs are one of the most recognizable animals in the world and therefore is one of the best subjects to practice your techniques on. You could attempt drawing something like a rat or a squirrel, but you risk people not really knowing what you are attempting to draw. Another reason is that dogs are simply extremely fun to draw.
They are lively and excitable, and it is difficult not to smile while drawing them. If you have never attempted drawing before, start with the basics. Start with the shapes and lines that will make up the different parts of the subject you are attempting to draw. Once you have those down, begin to fill them in with the appropriate colors. Working on these fundamental aspects of drawing is what will allow you to build up your skill and ability and will ultimately allow you to better draw anything, including dogs.
Let’s go step by step through the process of learning how to draw a dog. First, you need to decide what type of dog you want to draw. There are many different breeds of dogs, but for the sake of simplicity, we’ll draw a Labrador Retriever. What makes this breed a good choice for beginners is that it has a very distinct, identifiable shape and features that are easily recognizable. Labrador Retrievers are very stocky, have short, broad legs, a wide head and a short, thick tail. They often have a short, shiny coat that can be black, brown or yellow in color.
Now let’s get into the actual sketching of the dog. Start with a basic outline of the overall shape and structure of the Labrador Retriever. The very first thing you need to do is decide where the head will go. Once you have that drawn, you can then sketch out the overall shape of the body. The Labrador Retriever is a pretty large dog, so you’ll want to make it about two-thirds the length of the paper. Next, sketch out the legs of the dog. You’ll want to make these strong and wide to show off their strength. The color pattern that most Labradors have is black in the legs and tail and brown on the rest of the dog.
Now that you have drawn a Labrador Retriever, let’s change things up a bit and draw a German Shepherd. There are quite a few differences between the two types of dogs. The German Shepherd has a very different body structure than the Lab, being much thinner and more narrow. They also have shorter legs, longer bodies and are taller than the Lab. The German Shepherd is often black and tan or black and silver in color. Their ears are large and folded over, and their tails are long, thin and sometimes curled at the end. German Shepherds make excellent guard dogs and are often employed by law enforcement as service animals.
It’s time to switch to a different type of dog now. We’re going to draw a Poodle next. Traditionally, Poodles come in three different types of coat: curly, standard and miniature. The curly-coated Poodle is often multicolored: black, white, brown and sometimes grey. They usually have long, curly tails that are usually held up in the air or curled to the side. Poodles are extremely intelligent dogs and are often used as service animals or in dog sports like agility. They are also often used as show dogs due to their beautiful coats and energetic personalities.
The final dog we will draw in this article is a Shih Tzu. Shih Tzus are extremely small dogs, being about the size of a large cat. They have short, straight fur in colours like black, white or apricot. They have large heads, but their bodies are very compact. They’re very affectionate and sweet dogs that are very easy to care for and are sometimes called “purse dogs” because they are so small and can be carried around easily.
There’s no denying that dogs are some of the most popular subjects for drawings. And with good reason too; they are fun, playful and make excellent subjects for practice. Whatever the reason, whether you want to make a quick sketch of a dog you see on the street or you want to draw one of the many breeds out there, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. Start with simple shapes, such as a circle to represent the head and rectangles for the legs. Make sure you get the proportions right before you begin adding details. And never forget to enjoy the process of learning how to draw a dog!
How to draw a dog
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