What are some things to keep in mind when drawing animals?
I want to draw in more detail, but where and how should I start?
Is it possible to draw animals so that they appear to be alive?
How can we express the characteristics and traits of animals in a drawing?
What kind of picture would be created if we drew animals from an anatomical perspective?

Sadao Naito, a leading expert in animal detailing, shares his fundamentals and unique expertise! We'll delve into the essential points and procedures for drawing animals, as well as the practical techniques for detailing down to the last hair.

- Includes 600 different animal poses
- Covering everything from dogs and cats to reptiles, marine animals, and birds
- Drawing order and laying the foundation for drawing
- Includes detailed explanations from an artistic anatomy perspective

If you know the points presented in 『Drawing Living Animals』 and pick up a pencil, you can take a step further into the sharp world of detailed drawing.
If you can create the poses and expressions of moving animals with just a touch of pencil line and a hint of humor, this book is ready to take you to the top of your game.

The biggest difference between large cats like lions and domestic cats is the bridge of the nose.
As lions grew larger, their canines and incisors developed and their noses became longer.
The eyeballs are small compared to the head, and the angle of the bridge of the nose is smaller than that of a dog.
--- p.57

The shape of a dog's head can be divided as follows:
If the mouth is shorter than the length of the skull, it is brachycephalic, if it is similar, it is mesocephalous, and if it is longer, it is dolichocephalic.
Brachycephalic breeds include French bulldogs and pugs, mediocephalic breeds include Welsh corgis, retrievers, and Pomeranians, and long-cephalic breeds include Great Danes, collies, and Siberian huskies.
--- p.73

Mammals typically have seven cervical vertebrae, but there are exceptions, such as sloths (eight) and dugongs (six).
The number of cervical vertebrae has nothing to do with neck length.
A sloth can hang from a branch with its face down, which is equivalent to a human being with their body facing forward and their face turned backward.
--- p.115

The biggest difference between marine mammals and fish is the number of fins.
Fish, being marine creatures, have more fins than marine mammals because they use their fins for balance.
Marine mammals propel themselves by moving their tail fins up and down, while fish propel themselves by moving them side to side.
--- p.121

The body of a bird is covered with feathers, wings, and beaks, which are hard and keratinous.
The number of cervical vertebrae is much greater than that of mammals, allowing for a wider range of neck motion.
The larger the bird, the smaller its head compared to its body.
The body of a bird resting on a branch is nearly vertical, and the tail feathers are lower than the legs.
High-flying birds have a developed keel on their sternum, whereas birds that run on land, such as ostriches, do not have a keel.
--- p.134

Many imaginary animals, such as the 'Sphinx', which combines the head of a human and the body of a lion, and 'Cupid', which has wings on a human body, are expressed by synthesizing real creatures.
We can't forget the 'Dragon', which combines the head of a lizard or crocodile, the body of a dinosaur, and the wings of a bat.
The internal structural contradiction that occurs at the joint is not natural from an artistic anatomical perspective.
It is better to create fantasy animals by focusing on their appearance without worrying about the internal structure of the body.
--- p.136

You can draw on any paper, but a sketchbook is still easier to use.
If you are going to paint, you will need a certain thickness.
There are differences in the amount of pressure applied to the tip of the brush and the style of the brush stroke, so try out different types of brushes and use the one that suits you.
--- p.
138

If you plan on drawing an animal in detail, I recommend taking a photo of it.
If you have the opportunity, it is helpful to buy stuffed animals, specimens, bird wings, etc. in advance when drawing in detail.

--- p.140