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Art Thief: Draw a humpback whale

Let's draw a humpback whale. We recommend using watercolors to create your picture of this gentle giant, but if you don't have them, colored pencils or markers will work just fine.

Amy Raudenbush

1. These first two lines are the most important, so take your time. If you keep your pencil lines light, you'll be able to make corrections, if necessary.

2. Extend the whale’s face with that arc that looks like a squashed “C.” Next, draw the gentle arc at the tail end of the body. Sketch in the long front pectoral fin and then the one behind it.

3. The mouth of the humpback whale is oddly shaped and is, in part, above its eye, as shown. Observe this carefully before sketching it in. Then add the dorsal fin, the tail and the chin extension. Notice how the body goes into the tail. Erase any unwanted guidelines. 

4. The surface of the humpback’s snout is covered with bumps, The front edge of each pectoral fin has 5 ridges called “phalangic knobs.” Those grooves that run from the throat to the belly expand when the whale takes a big gulp of water, small fish and plankton. The baleen inside his mouth (a comb-like filter you can’t see here) traps the goodies in and lets the water back out.
Now you can sketch in the bumps, the eyelids and the grooves.

5. Whether you choose watercolors, markers or colored pencils, try to make your whale a little speckly.

6. Add a background. You may choose to cut out your whale and paste it on a colored ocean.

Art Thieves are invited to send or email copies of their work to Amy Raudenbush, our professional artist. Phone pictures are fine. One drawing weekly will be selected for publication on Sept. 3, and the selected artists will receive a prize.  Be sure to include your name, age, mailing address and email or phone number.

Send to:
Amy Raudenbush
Philadelphia Daily News
801 Market St.
Philadelphia, PA 19107

Or email art@phillynews.com

Next week: Draw a hand

Shout-outs: Emily Bosak, Hannah Hubman, Andrew Wu, Helene Usher

    Amy Raudenbush
    Dr. Timaree Schmit has a Ph.D. in Human Sexuality from Widener University, where she now trains future sexologists and clinicians. Her passion is bringing rational, empirically-based sex-positive information to the world, empowering others to celebrate their bodies, build intimacy and experience pleasure.