July Drawing Challenge

Daily Drawing Exercise

Drawing exercises for beginners and intermediates to aid in getting a daily routine. ​

July Week 1

  • 01 JUL
  • 02 JUL
  • 03 JUL
  • 04 JUL
  • 05 JUL
  • 06 JUL
  • 07 JUL
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Drawing the Head

After having drawn every day for half a year now, we are venturing into the structure of the head. 

Today we are drawing a male head from the side. I have used a simplified head aiming at the main important face structure. 

Draw a Women's Portrait 

We are drawing the portrait of a women today. Please note how hair is simplified in drawing fields of tonal values rather than single hair. You can leave the hand out if it is too much for one day, or finish it on your catch up day. 

Drawing the Head 2

Another example of a simplified head structure for today. 

Drawing the Head 3

Today we are drawing a male head from the front. Again keep the hair simple instead of trying to draw every single hair. Watch rather tonal values which is far more important. 

Drawing the Head 4

Today we are drawing the last male head for this week. Hope you enjoy. 

Draw a Hibiscus Flower

The Hibiscus is known almost all over the world in particular in warmer countries like here in Australia where I live.

Australian's love Hibiscus due to its toughness, the fantastic colours and because it is attracting Lorikeets, one of our most colourful birds.  It is commonly used to make tea and consumed as food in particular in Mexico. Further it is known to have a variety of medical uses. 

Catch Up Day

Today you can either rest, or try to finish some of the uncompleted work due for this week.

July Week 2

  • 08 JUL
  • 09 JUL
  • 10 JUL
  • 11 JUL
  • 12 JUL
  • 13 JUL
  • 14 JUL
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Draw a Dalmatian

The dog that was the star of the Disney movie 101 Dalmatians is the drawing of the day. With its spots one would think that it is most recognisable dog on the planet. For a drawing this dog type presents a contrast rich artwork. 

Use only lighter pencils for all the mid tones. 

Draw a Labrador

This dog bread is known in particular for their frequent training as aids to the blind but is also used for law enforcement. There are the lighter version, the yellow Labrador and the chocolate lab. 

We are drawing the darker type. Always draw the main underlying tonal value before adding any extra details, this will calm the image. 

Draw a Whippet

The Whippet descended from the English greyhound and is a mid-size dog. They have been called the poor man's racehorse and are gentle dogs. Despite that they are used for racing the are couch potatoes. 

Bernese Mountain Dog

The Bernese Mountain Dog is a breed that originates from the Swiss Alps. It was used as a farm dog for pulling carts. 

Note the long hair which requires longer pencil strokes, as well as the many different directions of flow in the fur. 

Draw a Beauceron

The Beauceron is a guard and herding dog breed. 

For this to work well you need to catch the underlying mid-tone and add to almost all areas apart from complete white sections. Then you draw the darker areas on top, but you can smooth the dark areas by adding another lighter pencil on top again. 

Draw Giraffes

The giraffe is the tallest of all living terrestrial animals and the largest ruminants. I in particular love the way they move. A little clumsy when trying to eat but elegant, almost gliding at the same time. 

​This is a high key picture, so use mostly the harder pencils. 

Catch Up Day

Today you can either rest, or try to finish some of the uncompleted work due for this week. 

July Week 3

  • 15 JUL
  • 16 JUL
  • 17 JUL
  • 18 JUL
  • 19 JUL
  • 20 JUL
  • 21 JUL
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Draw a Poppy Flower

Even without colour the Poppy flower serves as a good subject with its many folds within each of its delicate pedals. 

I use the harder pencils for such smooth textures and only apply darker ones in the very darkest of all areas. 

Draw a Pink Ice Protea

I love these hardy Australian flowers that hold such amazing magenta pinks in different tints.  But also for drawing they are a beautiful subject to draw. 

For botanical drawings I use a lot of the harder pencils to achieve the smoothness, but also a differentiation in tonal value which the darker pencils on their cannot achieve. 

Eucalyptus Silver Drop

This silver green hardy plant fits well with the pink ice protea we drew yesterday. These leaves keep a long time so they are ideal to use for drawing. 

Use a smooth paper and harder pencils. 

Draw Peony Buds

Peony flowers are exquisite and so are their buds. It is a complicated flower with its own will and asks for a very specific treatment or it won't flower. Many call it the flower that won't produce blooms. 

As you can by now see these drawing have been done with a the harder and lighter pencils. 

The Peonie once More

Sorry can't help it. The texture of this flower is just so amazing to watch and draw. 

Maybe add some leaves to your drawing schedule this time. 

Draw a Pear

Today I want you to  concentrate on the texture of the pear. This time I want you to begin with the darker pencils first. Sharpen them very well at all times. And then add another layer of a slightly lighter pencil and another further lighter than the one before. 

Catch Up Day

Today you can either rest, or try to finish some of the uncompleted work due for this week. ​

July Week 4

  • 22 JUL
  • 23 JUL
  • 24 JUL
  • 25 JUL
  • 26 JUL
  • 27 JUL
  • 28 JUL
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Draw a Cat

This drawing should be fun. After having done the outlines, give the overall image a layer of a nice mid tone, in this rare case I would suggest to use even a paper stump or hog hair brush to soften its feel. I hardly ever use those tools, but let's have some fun. Note how even and harmonious the mid-tone is calming the work and only a few darker section will be added and some lighter part erased with a pen eraser. 

Draw Another Cat

After having learned yesterday to watch the calm mid tonal layer, this more detailed work will hopefully not throw you, but might be easier than you actually thought. Well, we will at least try. 

Draw a Puffin Bird

These cute little birdies also called "Sea Parrots" are unfortunately in decline since the 19th and 20th century due to the destruction of their habitats and are hunted for their feathers, eggs and meat which is still a delicacy in Iceland. 

They are strikingly beautiful and unusual birds. 

Draw a small Cat

Draw another small cat with a simple toy. 

Draw Stone Formation

This stone formation is rather illustrative but fun fund to draw. It is pretty straight forward. Use the harder pencils to achieve this by using the layering technique. 

Draw a House

This is a typical German contemporary house. Note how the focal point area is drawn low key and the rest in high key with minimal details. This increases interest to the work. 

Catch Up Day

Today you can either rest, or try to finish some of the uncompleted work due for this week. ​​

July Week 5

  • 29 JUL
  • 30 JUL
  • 31 JUL
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Draw a Lemon

The texture of this lemon is created by creating one layer of hatching lines that are nicely and evenly spaced and parallel to one another. The next layer is right on top only slight tilt from the former layer. This creates unusual bubbles that appear as texture. I never use cross-hatching this way unless I really want some texture, usually one layer is at least 45 degree different to the next layer.

Draw a Sea Horse

Seahorse are small marine fish also called Hippocampus.  "Hippocampus" comes from the Ancient Greek word hippos meaning "horse" and kampos meaning "sea monster". From a young age I have been fascinated with them, as they are so cute and have an innocence about them. They are for sure fascinating creatures.

Draw a House Cat

We are drawing one last example of an ordinary house cat for the last day of this month. 

Hope you enjoyed it.