Drawing fantasy sketches is a good way of letting your imagination flow. The great thing about fantasy drawing is that there are no limitations. You can freely imagine a world of fantasy creatures and the role they play in it. In this way, you help to make the characters in your drawings to come alive.

Forming Characters

When you set yourself to draw fantasy characters, you can help yourself by mixing characteristics of various species: for example humans and land animals, birds, fish and humans. You can even integrate dead objects with living species into one fantasy being, example; part human and part alien. In today’s culture, you can see many such beings pop up in futuristic worlds of fantasy. And, there are no limitations as to the residence of such fantasy beings. This makes fantasy drawing special and inspirational.

Examples of Anatomy

If you want to combine real existing species into one fantasy creature, it helps if you are familiar with the anatomy of your sources. Start collecting pictures of the anatomy of humans and animals. Bring them together in a reference file to use when you begin your fantasy drawing. It will surely help you get ideas and perspectives.

You can start by taking one idea and sketching it out. For example, start by drawing an animal and then play with the various elements of its body. You can play with several combinations of species, distort specific body parts, change elements and exaggerate their features. You can combine claws, wings, skin, eyes and other body parts into one new creation. But even while you exaggerate such elements, make them look believable.

Using Your Imagination

Picture your fantasy animal or monster as having larger-than-life paws, teeth or ears. Imagine him as an aggressive being that hunts or dominates other creatures. Mix up a human and a dangerous animal and then imagine what it does. A more gentle being might come across as more shy or reserved. The idea is to let your imagination follow its own course and picture how all the elements would interact, as if they already exist.

You can look up the creations of fantasy artists like Julie Bell, Frazetta, Boris Vallejo or any others you may come across. Study their work and find out for yourself why their creations look authentic and believable. Look up fairy tales, myths, legends and other tales of the unseen to use as a source of inspiration. You can really push your imagination by delving into them.

Don’t Overdo It

It’s important not to take the exaggeration too far. If you overdo this, the end result may look like a caricature. For example, you can sketch a female warrior but she should still keep her femininity even when she looks aggressive and powerful at the same time.

Fantasy World

Use your imagination to create a fantasy world in which these creatures reside. Use unlikely places and atmosphere to bring about a world that is not ours.

Following these tips will help you make your fantasy sketches come alive in a way you might not have thought possible.