Drawing a Sparrow

Author: Bi Zhang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-07-01
Features: Sparrows are also known as house sparrows, with a body length of about 14.5 cm. From the forehead to the nape, they are pure chestnut brown. The upper back and shoulders are brownish, densely covered with dark brown stripes. The tail is dark brown, the neck and throat are black, the head and sides of the neck are white with a black spot in the middle, the underbody is entirely grayish-white, and the eyes are dark red. The beak is black, and the feet are orange-yellow. Male and female sparrows have the same coloration, but during the breeding season, the male's head and neck become very vibrant. When flying, sparrows look around in all directions, displaying an exceptionally lively posture. Sparrows breed in March, with both males and females participating in incubation. During the egg-laying period, they have the habit of moving eggs if startled. Generally, a pair of sparrows lays 1-3 clutches of eggs before the new year, with each clutch containing 5-6 eggs. However, out of 11 fledglings that can fly, only one survives to reproduce. Even the oldest sparrows live no more than 11 years. Therefore, in today's increasingly deteriorating ecological environment, we should cherish this most common bird.
The expression method for painting sparrows in freehand style is based on a deep understanding of the sparrow's anatomical structure. It involves highly summarized brushstrokes to first depict the sparrow's head, back, wings, tail, chest, and abdomen according to its structure. Then, fine brushstrokes are used to outline the sparrow's beak, eyes, spots, wing feathers, and legs.