Study of a duck

In this series of sketches, I wanted to capture ducks in a range of poses and movements, approaching them as an observational study rather than aiming for a finished drawing. By sketching them from different angles — standing, stretching, swimming, even diving — I could start to understand how their bodies shift and balance in space. It felt important to let my lines stay loose and exploratory, so I could search for the essence of each gesture without worrying about precision too early.

Observing them this way helped me see their shapes more clearly: the round weight of their bodies, the softness of their contours, and the comic, endearing way their feet splay out beneath them. I think these sketches capture a bit of their personality and rhythm, which was really my goal. Studies like this feel essential to me — they build both skill and a kind of empathy for the subject, giving me a deeper sense of how these animals move and live before I try to develop a more finished piece.