How to draw a...

Tree Frog

macaw

Toucan

Reproduced with permission from Draw Rainforest Animals, copyright©1998 Douglas C. DuBosque

Tree Frog

Phyllomedusa appendiculata (Lutz's Phyllomedusa), Southeast Brazil - Size: 4 cm (1.5 inches). Lives in trees, feeds on insects. Lays eggs in a protective leaf over water. When the tadpoles hatch, they fall into the water. In this view, you don't see the whole frog. Look at the final drawing. See how many parts of the body overlap.

Reproduced with permission from Draw Rainforest Animals, copyright©1998 Douglas C. DuBosque

Start with 2 upside-down V shapes for the front leg. Use the clock face to see the directions the lines run.

Add three fingers. Draw a curving line for the bottom part of the body, then a straight line for the mouth.

Add two sideways V shapes for the other front leg. Draw the rear toes.

Draw toes for the other front leg, then carefully draw curving lines for the branch. With so many toes overlapping the branch, it's easier to draw them first, then add the branch behind.

From the end of the mouth, draw the outline of the head and back, making a bump for the eye. Draw a circle for the eye inside that bump. Draw the two rear legs. Add the other rear toes.

Continue to add shading and details. Clean up any smudges with your eraser. Cute froggie. Kribittt....

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Macaw

Ara macao (Scarlet): Mexico to northern South America. Size: 85 cm (33.5 inches). Most familiar of South American parrots. Threatened by destruction of rain forest and people stealing baby birds to sell as pets. Don't buy them!

Lightly draw the top part of the beak, then the bottom.

Add a roughly triangular shape for the's face. At the top of it, draw the eye. Add the pattern of spots on the cheek, and a few curved lines to suggest the texture of the beak.

From the top of the beak, draw the outline of the's head. From the bottom of the beak, draw the throat. Connect front and back with a shoulder line.

Lightly draw an oval for the bird's body. Draw two claws grasping a branch.

Sketch in the wing feathers. Notice that they stick out a bit, rather than pointing straight down.

Add lines to these wing feathers, then draw the tail feathers, pointing downward underneath the first. Add three layers of feathers on the wing.

Carefully shade the feathers. While your pencil is sharp, go over fine details. As it gets duller, add shading. Look at your drawing in the mirror (or through the back of the paper) to spot any areas you can make better.

Clean up any smudges with your eraser.

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Toucan

Ramphastos toco (Toco): South America, mainly Amazon basin. Size: 61 cm (24 inches).s eat a variety of fruits and large insects. Strong claws help them hang onto tree branches. Atoucan grabs food with its beak, then tosses its head backwards to get it into its mouth.

Draw the horizontal branch. Above it, at an angle, draw a titled oval, not quite touching the branch. Use the clock face to see the angle you need to draw. Add vertical lines for the legs, with claws wrapping around the branch.

Add the wing, with a slight bulge at the shoulder. Draw lines on the wing to suggest feathers.

Extend the bottom of the oval for the tail. Draw the end of the tail behind and below the branch, with lines for feathers. Add small curved lines on the claws. Shade the leg.

Draw a line from the shoulder for the top of the head. Make the front of the head vertical where the beak attaches. Draw the throat. Add the eye, and the triangle around it. Outline the white area on the front of the body.

Now draw the beak - but first, look carefully at its curves. Make the top part of the beak wider than the bottom. Add the dark spot at the tip. Draw the tongue.

Look at the final drawing. Shade the dark areas of the bird. Add the pattern to the beak. Darken lines that seem important. Add shading to the branch. Clean up any smudges with your eraser. Try this: draw a berry in the toucan's beak. Add color to your drawing.... Save your drawing in your portfolio!