Leopard Spots

Leopard Spots:

When drawing the big cats, we need to look at their patterns. As this is very important if you want to get the details right. And there are many drawing out there that have not followed the "patterned law of big cat nature".

Upon looking at a big cat and its print, you probably don't pay much attention. Yet you will find that there are laws to the

This is the same with the animal kingdom.

Spots on leopards vary with each animal, but their arrangement remains the same. They all follow a basic rule. On the shoulders the leopard spots are arranged in an oval manner, to form open rosettes. On the inside of their legs the spots are solid and seem to run more in lines.

"Matisse makes a drawing, then he makes a copy of it. He recopies it five times, ten times, always clarifying the line. He's convinced that the last, the most stripped down, is the best, the purest, the definitive one; and in fact, most of the time, it was the first. In drawing, nothing is better than the first attempt. ~ Pablo Picasso.

On the main body the rosettes are larger to give more impact to the overall shape of the leopard. On the tail, they tend to be longer and tend to almost be pointed on the ends.

You will see by this diagram below, that the spots follow a distinct pattern, shown by the guide lines. No two sides of any cat are the same either. Giving the distinctive recognition of the individual cat.

You need to remember this when drawing or painting the leopard or similar big cat. Lines change to their different body shape. And you need to be aware of this. Use this as your guide and study the lines and how they curve with the body.

When drawing and painting, remember this rule. Something not all artists know. Mainly because they have not  studied their subject beforehand in detail. Yet, how many would really think of this with the cat. We would look at the leopard and just see spots. So this is where the subject study comes in. And why I have concentrated this site on just  four animals. "It is better to become an expert at some, than an expert of none". Don't you think....

Ok... lets have a close up look at the leopard markings - or rosettes as they are called. These are the stages that you can follow to form the markings of the rosettes. Did you know that the black leopard - even though black in color, you can still see the faint rosettes on their fur....   Something to remember if you do some art on the black leopard in the future.

Have a go and do some shadings, follow the steps and practice. You will get the hang of it. And then you will learn to put these rosettes on the leopard. Basics first, then application.  As you will need to then tackle shaping the rosettes on the leopards body.

Remember that patterns are startling when done in art. Either in black and white sketch, color and painting. Getting the ground work done and studying the formation on how the patterns follow on the body will make you a better artist.

In order to break the rules, say in nature, as with anything else. You need to master the configuration of natures rules first. And then once you have understood, you can go on and accentuate your work with, your own stylization, and accentuation. Remember get the ground-work right first.

Ok, lets return form Leopard Spots to Big Cat Art

Also I have a page on Leopards, why not go over and have a look. The more you learn about the leopard the better...... Leopard