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Description
Check out the Exercise and Download the Practice Sheet HERE .
Artist: Tim Von Rueden (vonn)
Drawing and Painting fur has been one of the most requested exercise tutorials and it’s about time we scratch that itch. There are many types of fur, some smooth, others rough; there is short fur and long. It’s good to practice a variety of different furs and in this exercise we are going to specifically focus on two: Short and long fur. I realize it’s not incredibly long fur but the same approach applies.
There is a HUGE difference when handling short and long fur. I encourage that for this exercise you do NOT use a fur brush but rather learn how to do it with a basic brush and really analyze where the shadows are placed or how the fur overlaps. If drawing creatures or animals is of interest to you, I recommend taking the time to study and understand how to paint fur accurately and as efficiently as possible. There are a lot of custom brushes that can make this easier and I do think you should use them when creating concept art for a client or need to create a quick sample of the final product. BUT I think it’s important to use the basic brushes so that you are forced to create the fur on a more meticulous level, which requires you to observe and really see how fur lays and looks. Take your time with this one. It can be a pain but it’s worth it to see the finished final product!
– TIPS
SHORT: Don’t focus on each individual strand, instead create a solid foundation of color and value first and then work the texture and details up. But don’t over detail, focus on the subtle shifts in values. Then you can add more isolated details where you want the viewer to be looking.
LONG: Long hair is a bit different and can be time consuming. BE PATIENT. I would recommend doing a quick sketch of the major edges but keep it quick as this won’t be the final lineart, but just for indication. From there, lay down your initial values, most likely having cast shadows underneath your different fur segments. Keep the brush size larger and keep refining it at a natural pace, do NOT paint individual strands of hair at this point. Save that till last! Painting shapes can help and don’t lay down heavily contrasted values. You may notice how unnatural that can look and it’s the subtle contrasts that will make sure it looks realistic. Once you have the edges cleaned up enough, then you can add those smaller details and individual strands as the finishing touch!
USE References! Pinterest along with any sear is filled with great reference to use as examples.
Study the overall flow of the hair and keep your brushstrokes in the same direction to create a better “look” to the fur.
Creating a soft edge yet solid foundation first is crucial to helping be more efficient with your time so that you’re not wasting details when you don’t have to.

Description
Check out the Exercise and Download the Practice Sheet HERE .
Artist: Tim Von Rueden (vonn)
Drawing and Painting fur has been one of the most requested exercise tutorials and it’s about time we scratch that itch. There are many types of fur, some smooth, others rough; there is short fur and long. It’s good to practice a variety of different furs and in this exercise we are going to specifically focus on two: Short and long fur. I realize it’s not incredibly long fur but the same approach applies.
There is a HUGE difference when handling short and long fur. I encourage that for this exercise you do NOT use a fur brush but rather learn how to do it with a basic brush and really analyze where the shadows are placed or how the fur overlaps. If drawing creatures or animals is of interest to you, I recommend taking the time to study and understand how to paint fur accurately and as efficiently as possible. There are a lot of custom brushes that can make this easier and I do think you should use them when creating concept art for a client or need to create a quick sample of the final product. BUT I think it’s important to use the basic brushes so that you are forced to create the fur on a more meticulous level, which requires you to observe and really see how fur lays and looks. Take your time with this one. It can be a pain but it’s worth it to see the finished final product!
– TIPS
SHORT: Don’t focus on each individual strand, instead create a solid foundation of color and value first and then work the texture and details up. But don’t over detail, focus on the subtle shifts in values. Then you can add more isolated details where you want the viewer to be looking.
LONG: Long hair is a bit different and can be time consuming. BE PATIENT. I would recommend doing a quick sketch of the major edges but keep it quick as this won’t be the final lineart, but just for indication. From there, lay down your initial values, most likely having cast shadows underneath your different fur segments. Keep the brush size larger and keep refining it at a natural pace, do NOT paint individual strands of hair at this point. Save that till last! Painting shapes can help and don’t lay down heavily contrasted values. You may notice how unnatural that can look and it’s the subtle contrasts that will make sure it looks realistic. Once you have the edges cleaned up enough, then you can add those smaller details and individual strands as the finishing touch!
USE References! Pinterest along with any sear is filled with great reference to use as examples.
Study the overall flow of the hair and keep your brushstrokes in the same direction to create a better “look” to the fur.
Creating a soft edge yet solid foundation first is crucial to helping be more efficient with your time so that you’re not wasting details when you don’t have to.