Documenting this week’s sketch class exercise with a fish head. I’ve always wanted to try drawing fish, so I took this opportunity to organize the structure.

If you’re interested in learning how to draw fish and understanding their anatomy, keep reading. This time, we’re using koi fish as our model.

On a side note, one of my students was very insistent on drawing the tiny teeth of fish, always observing them closely while eating fish, which I found very cute.

The anatomy of a fish can be divided into the following main parts:

● Basic Shape and Proportions:

The body of a koi fish is streamlined, with a wider head and a gradually narrowing tail.

The body can be divided into three parts: the head, the trunk, and the tail. The specific proportions can be seen in the three-view diagram at the bottom right.

● How to Draw a Koi Fish:

1. Basic Shape of the Koi Fish:

– Use the three-view diagram (bottom right) to set the length of the koi fish to approximately the size of two squares.

– Once you have the overall proportions, break down the fish’s body into simple geometric shapes (like cylinders and ovals).

2. Block Shapes:

– Since the fish’s body is curved, to help understand the curvature of the fish’s body, the demonstration will use block shapes to illustrate it.

Refer to the small diagram at the top left for a detailed view.

3. Fins’ Structure and Position:

– Refer to the main diagram for the position of the fins.

– Koi fish have dorsal fins, pectoral fins, pelvic fins, anal fins, and caudal fins, each with different shapes and sizes. The pectoral fins are fan-shaped, and the dorsal fin has a noticeable ridge like a small peak.

4. Adding Structure Lines:

– The purpose of drawing structure lines is to help understand the shape’s curvature.

– Pay attention to aligning the nodes on the perspective lines while drawing. You can refer to the large reference diagram in the middle.

I hope this structural introduction helps you understand and grasp the key points about the head. If there are any topics or drawing techniques you'd like to explore, feel free to leave a comment or message me. Happy drawing!

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