This is the fifth (and final) article in The Colored Pencil Bird series. As an example, I will show the step-by-step drawing of a Blue-Grey Gnatcatcher, but the tips and techniques included in these articles can be applied to any bird drawing.
Drawing feet is always intimidating, but it can be done simply in a way that appears realistic. Since the feet are not the focal point, they do not require as much detail or effort as the eye.
Outlining
I typically start by outlining parts of the feet and toes with a sharp middle grey. Be careful not to draw these lines on edges of highlight. Thankfully, since the light in the Gnatcatcher picture is coming from the viewer’s direction, the highlights are more in the middle of the feet than along the edges.
Shadows and Textures
Next, apply white or light grey to the highlights. Then, use layers of darker greys to add shadows where you see them in the reference image.
Use dark colors also to add textures such as the rounded ridges that are on many birds’ toes. I do this by drawing from the bottom up, since the lower part of the toe is usually in shadow.
Fill in the toe nails with a dark color (Cold Grey VI), leaving a small white highlight to depict their roundedness.
If you have been following along with The Colored Pencil Bird series,
Congratulations! All that is left is to draw the stick, and you will have a finished, realistic drawing of a Blue-Grey Gnatcatcher.
I added white feathers to the body, drew the stick, and adjusted certain values on the bird to have this finished result:
