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Published: 2010-01-18 08:52:21 +0000 UTC; Views: 355827; Favourites: 16097; Downloads: 7183
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Description
Ta-da!I browsed a bit through dA and I couldn't find a tutorial on bird wings that really covered it ALL--from bones to wing shapes and feather groups. All the tuts I found seemed to assume that you were starting with some basic knowledge of how bird wings worked. I don't know if you are, so here's one that works from the ground up!
Yes, this is based off the tutorial style of the incomparable (Go read her tutorials on drawing humans; I promise you will learn something!) because I feel that it's a very clear and dynamic way to show people stuff. So yeah.
Other Stuff:
Interesting web sites, if you want to learn more:
[link] --Explore this site some--it has some really cool interactive stuff. Also that game! XD My bobolink always gets eaten halfway through.
[link] --some more in-depth stuff on the physics involved.
[link] --lots of info on wing shape and purpose!
Great reference books:
-Birds of Prey: Majestic Masters of the Skies by Paul D. Frost--glorious, two-page spreads full of raptor close-ups.
-Raptors of the World by James Ferguson-Lees and David A. Christie--what need I say?
-Reader's Digest Book of North American Birds -- beautifully illustrated, with cool tidbits of information about all the birds.
...and I don't want to hear that you don't have the money to buy books. Libraries need love too, and there is one near you--go get to know it!
All photos that are not from Wikipedia were taken by me. The canada goose picture was found here: [link] and the peregrine falcon here: [link] .
Phew. That was rather exhausting (and hopefully exhaustive!
Also: has a wonderful gallery full of images of birds in flight--go check it out, it's a great reference!
:EDIT: HOMFG A DD THANK YOU SO MUCH and !!!!!!
Related content
Comments: 2652
AngelicDragonPuppy In reply to ??? [2012-06-16 05:29:47 +0000 UTC]
Best bird wing tutorial I have ever come across. Thank you very much for making it! <3
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TheAntimonyElement In reply to AngelicDragonPuppy [2012-06-16 22:09:45 +0000 UTC]
Thank you very much for commenting! I'm so glad you like it!
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AngelicDragonPuppy In reply to TheAntimonyElement [2012-06-17 18:50:21 +0000 UTC]
No problem, you did a great job with it!
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Crossdressing-lurker In reply to ??? [2012-06-14 01:28:40 +0000 UTC]
Oh my god you are amazing, can I just,,, hug you? owo
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TheAntimonyElement In reply to Crossdressing-lurker [2012-06-16 22:10:37 +0000 UTC]
YES, YES YOU CAN. Thank you so much!
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DireWolfwere In reply to ??? [2012-06-10 17:15:24 +0000 UTC]
This may have just made my day *cries from laughing* broccoli harharhahrharahrhahahahaaa
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TheAntimonyElement In reply to DireWolfwere [2012-06-17 07:07:40 +0000 UTC]
I don't know what it is about broccoli, it's just an inherently funny word. So glad you liked the tutorial!
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DireWolfwere In reply to TheAntimonyElement [2012-06-17 13:21:13 +0000 UTC]
I don't know either, but it's just so perfect <3 I hate how people in anime always screw up their wings and draw broccoli but everyone loves it XD
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hannahslion In reply to ??? [2012-06-10 06:35:39 +0000 UTC]
OMG thank you so much. I Freaking love you for this!
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TheAntimonyElement In reply to hannahslion [2012-06-17 07:07:55 +0000 UTC]
I love you right back, so we're even!
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IisKC In reply to ??? [2012-06-08 04:24:12 +0000 UTC]
Does the wingspan have to be at least the length of the bird/ creature? (dragon for me)
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TheAntimonyElement In reply to IisKC [2012-06-17 07:12:37 +0000 UTC]
I would say "probably." There are exceptions in nature, but not in soaring birds or in the kind of wingpower you'd probably want a dragon to have.
Generally I find that anything from a 1:1 to a 1:2 ratio (body length to wingspan) is appropriate for dragons. So if you have a dragon that's 10 feet long from nose to tail, he should have at least a 10 foot wingspan. My dragon Embyrn is roughly 20 feet long and has more than a 40-foot wingspan, since each of her wings is a little longer than her body. As a rule of thumb I'd say "go big."
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IisKC In reply to TheAntimonyElement [2012-06-18 20:24:26 +0000 UTC]
Yeah, that would make sense. Dragons need lots of wingpower D: I was just making sure. After all, you are the wing expert on deviantart ^^
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TheAntimonyElement In reply to Waruzimu [2012-06-17 07:12:53 +0000 UTC]
You're totally welcome!
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CodaBear48 In reply to ??? [2012-06-06 17:45:15 +0000 UTC]
Wow, Super Tutorial of Awesomeness XDXDXD!!!!!!
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TheAntimonyElement In reply to CodaBear48 [2012-06-17 07:13:07 +0000 UTC]
Super Comment of Awesomeness, so there!
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OtherworldyFauna In reply to ??? [2012-06-06 17:09:27 +0000 UTC]
I haven't put any artwork up that has feathered wings yet, but this is basicly what i've been doing. I'm glad I've been getting it right!
This is a fantastic tutorial, great work! 0w0
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TheAntimonyElement In reply to OtherworldyFauna [2012-06-17 07:13:33 +0000 UTC]
Wonderful, I'm glad to hear you're headed in the right direction. Keep on fighting the good fight!
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TheAntimonyElement In reply to Salma-H [2012-06-17 07:13:43 +0000 UTC]
BEST. COMMENT. EVER. ;3
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Aquafly920 In reply to ??? [2012-05-31 09:44:54 +0000 UTC]
Wow! That was allot of help! I feel like I was an idiot before, and I know there's still plenty to learn, but that made me want to go practice to incorporate actual anatomy into wings. There's seriously allot more to them than I originally thought! Thanks, and just to mention, whether you care or not, by the end, I was noticing things in those photos I wouldn't have normally seen. ;3
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TheAntimonyElement In reply to Aquafly920 [2012-06-17 07:16:19 +0000 UTC]
This is exactly what I love to hear. :3 Just knowing that you started to notice the anatomy in the photos makes me so happy, really. I'm so glad you liked the tutorial and that you found it helpful! Now go draw some wings!
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FeathersAndMustaches In reply to ??? [2012-05-29 04:43:52 +0000 UTC]
Oh my gosh so been looking for one of these thanks so much!
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TheAntimonyElement In reply to FeathersAndMustaches [2012-06-17 07:16:30 +0000 UTC]
You're totally welcome!
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WazzinGator In reply to ??? [2012-05-28 22:51:28 +0000 UTC]
I love you for making this!! <3333
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TheAntimonyElement In reply to WazzinGator [2012-06-17 07:16:43 +0000 UTC]
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TheAntimonyElement In reply to Czarine [2012-06-17 07:16:54 +0000 UTC]
Perfect, that's what I like to hear!
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Mistovermoon In reply to ??? [2012-05-25 11:58:39 +0000 UTC]
I am currently trying to figure out how big a wing should be for a three metre to shoulder height feathered dragon. *sigh* I'm guessing something along the lines of bloomin' enormous.
Thanks for the tutorial! Feather positioning is less alien to me now. ^^ (doing it on dragons is very difficult - their wing feathers are huge!!)
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TheAntimonyElement In reply to Mistovermoon [2012-05-25 13:05:53 +0000 UTC]
Haha, "bloomin' enormous" is really the best possible way to draw wings, no matter what! XD From what I've gathered, from my own personal preference and others', I'd say the absolute minimum wingspan should be equal to the length of your dragon. So a dragon that's three metres long from nose to tailtip should have at least a three metre wingspan. Personally, I like to double that--have *each wing* be fully the length of the dragon. So for example, my Embyrn is roughly 20 feet long and has at least a 40-foot wingspan, since each of her wings is slightly longer than she is. It's up to you of course, but generally I find anything from a 1:1 to a 1:2 ratio to be a sensible wingspan.
Also, Embyrn says for feathered dragons!
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Mistovermoon In reply to TheAntimonyElement [2012-05-25 23:07:28 +0000 UTC]
Trying to draw this dragon, I think, is going to be very interesting. AT the moment his wings are about as long as he is from muzzle to his back leg, but I think you're onto something there.
Thanks for the help!
Oh, and hi Embyrn!
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TheAntimonyElement In reply to Mistovermoon [2012-06-16 22:28:03 +0000 UTC]
Awesome! Like I said, the ratio is a good rule of thumb, but really anything looks good as long as the wings aren't too ridiculously short. :3
(lol, Embyrn says hi back XD )
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hyacinth-kate In reply to ??? [2012-05-24 11:22:41 +0000 UTC]
Haha! Great tutorial Had fun learning...was truly laughing by myself here. (Good thing no one can hear me XD) Am practicing the technique now...my wings look like sumthin' a first grader drew.
)
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TheAntimonyElement In reply to hyacinth-kate [2012-05-25 13:07:59 +0000 UTC]
Hey, don't sweat it! Practice makes perfect and all that jazz. Just keep working at it and I promise it will get easier and faster. And thanks! So glad you liked the tutorial.
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xXCrazyCatXx2 In reply to ??? [2012-05-21 00:24:39 +0000 UTC]
Dude, this is one of the bests wings tutorials i have ever read! This helped me a lot!
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TheAntimonyElement In reply to xXCrazyCatXx2 [2012-05-25 13:08:19 +0000 UTC]
Wow, thank you so much! I'm happy to hear it!
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pendragonvamp In reply to ??? [2012-05-19 16:11:07 +0000 UTC]
Very good solid informative tutorial and great examples. I will relish improving upon my wing structure.
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