How to Draw Bird Feathers
It can be difficult, even for seasoned artists, to draw something that is intended to be soft or "fluffy" like a bird feather. If you break it down into parts, the task becomes much easier. However, it's also important to consider what type of bird you are drawing and making sure the feathers match the bird.
- Reference an image of an individual feather. Taking note of the size and shape will help you quite a bit, but also observe how the feathers lay on top of each other. Notice where the quill is, as this is the base for the entire structure of the feather.
- Draw an outline of the feather by lightly sketching onto your paper with a pencil. Start with just drawing the outline.
- Draw the quill, and then work from the quill to the perimeter to give the feather structure and texture. You can draw more lines for a thicker feather and less for a thinner feather. You can also draw the filaments more "clumped," as feathers aren't always evenly spaced and perfect.
- Using your pencil, fill in the texture of the feathers. Add dynamic layers as the feathers gather on the bird; be sure to reference your image to find out if you should use a light pencil technique or apply more pressure. You may even have to add finer lines for more definition.
- Continue to fill in the feathers to finish the bird. Be sure to regularly reference the type of bird you are drawing to see if there are changes in the feathers in different sections of the body. Some birds will have much smaller, less-defined feathers on their head, while others will have one uniform size and shape of feather on their entire body.