Harpies have
captured the imagination of artists for centuries.
A harpy is a creature from Greek mythology. Some stories describe them as being beautiful, while other accounts depict them as ugly. Harpies can have the lower body and wings of a bird and the torso and head of a human or the body of a bird and a human head. They are always female. Since harpies don't actually exist, you have a lot of creative freedom in your drawing.
Instructions
1. Study a picture of a hawk or an eagle. Depending on whether you'd like to draw a still or action portrait, choose a picture of a bird in flight or sitting on a branch or rock.
2. Draw a few basic geometric shapes to help you proportion the body. Use an vertical oval for the head. Draw a larger one for the body. Sketch in where the legs and talons will go. Do a rough sketch of the wings. Don't worry about how it looks at this point; you'll add detail later.
3. Draw a vertical and a horizontal line that connect at the center of the face oval. Draw the nose where the two lines meet. Place the eyes to the left and right of the vertical line but above the horizontal line. Add the ears at the ends of the vertical lines on the sides of the oval. Place the mouth underneath the nose. Draw the mouth open to make your harpy appear fierce. Add eyebrows, teeth and long flowing hair.
4. Draw feathers on the body and the wings. Be as detailed as you wish to be. Draw each feather individually or just a few on the breast and wings to give a feathered look. Draw the talons on the harpy's feet using your picture of a hawk or an eagle as a guide.
5. Add lines for the neck to connect the body with the head, and blend them in so that it looks natural.
6. Erase any unwanted lines or mistakes. Darken lines by going over them again with pencil, pressing harder this time. Fill in lines with a pen or marker, or color your drawing with colored pencils.
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