Griffon Drawing, Pencil on Paper

Re-Learning how to draw.

I decided to try to draw a griffon a couple of weeks ago. I haven’t tried to draw anything realistic in a very long time. This griffon is just freehand mechanical pencil, pink eraser, and paper. Unfortunately, I do not have a scanner so I just have these photographs of the process. The left rear leg was drawn according to a picture I saw of a griffon online but I thought it looked awkward, so I “fixed” it.

Griffin, Griffon, or Gryphon. It's the initial sketch. Click to Enlarge.
Griffin, Griffon, or Gryphon. It’s the initial sketch. Click to Enlarge.
Stage 2. Fleshing out the form. Click to Enlarge.
Stage 2. Fleshing out the form. Click to Enlarge.

 




 

Working out the forms and shapes and getting the lines right to communicate the feel of the subject really pleases me.

 

Working a little more on the griffin drawing at night. Click to Enlarge.
Working a little more on the griffin drawing at night. Click to Enlarge.

I noticed the left rear leg looked really awkward. I almost though it looked like one leg bent forward while the other went backward. Below is the beginning of the next stage of the drawing, fixing that leg. I began just as I began the initial drawing; by sketching the basic shape in round forms where it ought to be, and then fleshing it out.

Beginning to fix the rear leg. Click to enlarge.
Beginning to fix the rear leg. Click to enlarge.
Further sketching out the leg fix. Click to Enlarge.
Further sketching out the leg fix. Click to Enlarge.
Erasing the old leg, finishing the new one. Click to Enlarge.
Erasing the old leg, finishing the new one. Click to Enlarge.

Finally, just finished off the rock outcropping he’s standing on. I realized right away that I need to break up the shape of it, so that it’s not so formed looking. Meh, I think I’m basically done with him. I’m not entirely happy with the result, but at the same time I’m very happy it turned out as well as it did. I think I may try to draw my first dragon soon!

Final photo for the griffon. Click to Enlarge.
Final photo for the griffon. Click to Enlarge.
Close up of finished griffin. Click to Enlarge.
Close up of finished griffin. Click to Enlarge.