Furry Art Gripe of the Day: Foxes

[the_gneech]

I have a very hard time drawing foxes. I just can't get rid of that stupid muzzle! I end up with wolves that have been painted orange. Very frustrating.

Any artists out there have suggestions on what I can do to break myself of the Giant Honker Habit?

-The Gneech

Comments

[grifter-t-wolf.livejournal.com]

All you really need to do is draw it kind of like a V and add a small jaw line under it. It's not TOO bad the only difference between a fox muzzle to a wolf muzzle in comparison is just refracting it a little.

[suerankin.livejournal.com]

Go to the zoo, find the foxes, and sketch. Stop drawing what you know and start drawing what you see.

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, the foxes never seem to be visible at the zoo when I go. But I did pull up some photos to work with...

-TG

[rhanlav.livejournal.com]

You just need more reference art. Here... have a foxes.

http://icanhascheezburger.com/2010/08/22/funny-pictures-firefox-cannot-load/

[kelloggs2066.livejournal.com]

Pencil in a wolf face.
Then pencil in a smaller muzzle on top.

[sirfox.livejournal.com]

shorter, pointier muzzle is most of it. The cheek ruffs are a bit fluffier/pointier as well, where wolves are more about jaw strength in through there.

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

"Pointy" is a good term for it! I've been putting on too much floof, I think.

-TG

[soappuppy.livejournal.com]

Muzzle is smaller, ears are much bigger. Draw your wolf face and then add 1/3 size to the ears, and take 1/3 size off the muzzle.

Wolf Park (www.wolfpark.org) has a photo of the day page which often has reference for foxes, coyotes, and wolves. If you ever get the chance, they also have photography seminars which will let you take millions of reference photographs.

Knowing what I know about how you construct muzzles, I'd try making the muzzle *longer* as well, because that will help you narrow it out a little.

Whoo....

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Did a sheet of study sketches this evening; I found much to my surprise that if I actually go shorter instead of longer it's easier for me to keep the proper shape.

You're definitely right about the ears. Those big radar-dish triangles say "Fox!" like nothing else does.

-TG

[maxgoof.livejournal.com]

Actually, the muzzle you put on Brodie is very fox-like.

[delphinios.livejournal.com]

Wolves are Rectangles, Foxes are Triangles!

In foxes, the angles from the ears to the nose is pretty much a pyramid with a flat/rounded front point. In wolves, it's more like a 3D trapezoid, much more blocky and rectangular cube like.

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Yup, that definitely seems to be the key.

-TG

[delphinios.livejournal.com]

Feel free to use any of the photos I've taken (of foxes or otherwise) as a reference.

http://picasaweb.google.com/delphinios/OKCZoo20090227 - (has about a dozen pictures of foxes, halfway down in the set)

http://picasaweb.google.com/delphinios/OKCZoo20070801 - (lots of other animals)

THE SOLUTION

[ketrava.livejournal.com]

Draw a wolf paint it orange.

;P

Ketrava

[hallan.livejournal.com]

Need reference photos? http://www.thepetfox.net/ Here's plenty.