How to draw a Rooster
Learn to draw a Rooster with this easy to follow, spoken tutorial video. Find all the hundred’s of DrawStuffRealEasy drawing videos on one page by clicking here.
Get DrawStuffRealEasy Drawing Books on Amazon here:
X This website uses cookies to improve your experience. To view videos and other stuff click Accept All button ACCEPT ALL or REJECT Read More Cookie settings
Manage consent
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
| Cookie | Duration | Description |
|---|---|---|
| cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category “Analytics”. |
| cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional | 11 months | The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category “Functional”. |
| cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category “Necessary”. |
| cookielawinfo-checkbox-others | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category “Other. |
| cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category “Performance”. |
| viewed_cookie_policy | 11 months | The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data. |
functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
How To Draw And Paint A Rooster
Feathers to the left! Feathers to the right! How do you figure out where all the feathers go? If you look at this rooster, you may well go ‘EEP! So much going on here! I can’t handle it.’ So let’s break it down into chunks that any brain can handle.
How To Draw & Paint A Rooster – Step By Step
Before Pencil Meets Paper
- feather groups
- the direction of feathers in each group
- the type of the feathers in each group
- the colors in each group
Sound like a lot of work? Do it a couple of times and it’ll be a snap. In the beginning, it might help to make a map-type chart.
The Map/Chart
It is easier to see the shapes if they are in black and white.
My chart was drawn on a piece of plastic acetate with a non-waterproof pen so I could erase if I wanted to. I traced chunks of information by tracing sections of the rooster.
The General Shape
Surprising isn’t it? The rooster’s over-all shape is simply a heart. Note the proportions. The left side is larger. The right narrows toward the top.
The Feather Groups
These are the groups that I see. Getting these groups exactly right isn’t important. You are learning what this bird looks like – creating a hand-to brain communication. What your brain learns from this tracing, it will use to guide your hand later when you draw and paint.
I’ve also added in the head – beak, eye, comb, wattles, and ear.
The Direction and Type
Sorry – some of my drawing smeared in the scanner.
This tracing shows both the direction and the type of feathers in the groups.
When you look at the shape and type of feathers, some differences are subtle – fatter feathers or a slightly different direction. In others the difference is drastic. The neck is smooth, the tail feathers wild and curly.
After doing this step, I made another feather group drawing so that I’d have more detail. You might decide you want less.
I showed more of the feathers that were the same type – all the ones numbered 7, all the ones numbered 10, etc. They might not be the same group, but the shape, direction and colors are similar enough that I treated them the same.
The tail feathers are more confusing, because you have an outer group of feathers, but you can see some inner feathers too. The inner and outer feathers have different shapes and directions.
On the left, you can see what the inner feathers are doing. Those outer feathers on the right cover most of the them up and you just get a few peeks at the inner group.
You’ll learn more if you do a chart of your own, but feel free to use mine if you don’t have a reference photo, acetate or the time to make a chart.
Remember, the accuracy of your chart isn’t super important. The point is that you are creating a hand-to-brain-to-hand conversation that will pay off when you start drawing.
Okay – now your brain knows what it needs to do. Let’s do that drawing.
The Pencil Drawing
I followed the chart, drawing the heart shape first, making sure it fit on my postcard. Then I did the feather groups.
The Pen Drawing
In my pen drawing, I outlined, added detail and shadows.
I did have the reference photo on hand, but I used my chart more than the photo. If I felt confused, I looked up the area and studied it to help clarify what I wanted to do.
I start off with a Quill style brush. These are great brushes for washes, juicy, drippy effects and light color.
The first color I apply is a watery mix of Cadmium Yellow Primrose.
Then I apply a light wash of Transparent Pyrrole Orange.
I add a light touch of Quinacridone Rose to the comb and wattles, and Nickel Azo Yellow to the beak and feet.
Sap Green is used for the tail feathers, quickly follow by Phthalo Blue. I drop the blue into the wet green, letting the two colors blend together.
I continue with the Phthalo Blue, adding it everywhere I want shading, including the comb and wattles.
I use Nickel Azo Yellow for the grass, quickly followed by Sap Green dropped into the yellow.
Phthalo Blue is used for the sky.
I let the paint dry. The card curled a bit, but that’s easy to fix.
I just bend it – gently – in the opposite direction a couple of times.
Now it lies flat again. This will work with most papers, though a lot depends on how wet you get the paper and the quality of the paper.
Switching to a smaller, less thirsty brush, I start using creamy mixes. I darken by adding more color, leaving some areas light.
I add more orange.
Even more blue, deepening the shadows.
The last step is to add highlights. I could have used masking fluid or left white spaces, but both would have been difficult with so many at this postcard size. I could also have scraped the paper with palette knife – but that creates an effect more like sparkling water than shiny feathers. In the end, I decided to take the easiest route, and just added the highlights with a white gel pen.
How To Draw & Paint A Rooster – The Video
The Tools
- Hahnemühle Cold-Pressed Watercolor Postcards
- Zebra Drafix Pencil
- Zebra Zensations Technical Pen
- Golden QoR Watercolor, Mini Half Pan Set of 12 Colors
- Princeton Artist Brush Neptune, Series 4750, Quill Synthetic Squirrel, Size 4
- Princeton Velvetouch, Mixed-Media Brushes Series 3950, 4-Piece Professional Set
- Uniball Signo Broad White Gel Pen
Creating a map/chart of objects isn’t just for when you are ready to draw or paint something. You can do it anytime, even if you are looking at something in real life rather than using a reference photo. The acetate isn’t necessary unless you want to trace. The point is to deepen that communication between hand and brain. Add in a little heart and soul, and you have art!
Sandra Strait
I’m a self-taught artist who dances about with all sorts of artistic mediums. My main loves are Watercolor, Zentangle and Ballpoint pen. The subjects of my work are many and varied and change at whim. I’m a little bit crazy, but doesn’t that come with being an artist? I post Reviews and Tutorials here on Doodlewash.
