T08 - To Bee or Not To Bee

TO BEE OR NOT TO
Brenda Hoddinott
T-08 ADVANCED: DIVERSE ANIMALS
The detailed drawing of a bee in this project provides artists with an opportunity to enhance
various skills, such as drawing several different textures. Several tidbits of information about
bees are offered in sections titled “Bee Informed”.
Suggested drawing supplies include good quality white drawing paper, graphite pencils, kneaded
and vinyl erasers, and a pencil sharpener. This project is recommended for fine art educators and
artists from age 12 to adult with good drawing skills.
This project is divided into the following three sections:
BEE BODY PARTS AND BASIC PROPORTIONS: Following a brief introduction to the
terminology used for the parts of a bee’s body, you lightly sketch the major sections in a
proportionately correct manner. This project relies completely on freehand drawing without
the help of drawing tools such as a grid.
OUTLINING THE INTRICATE SHAPES OF A BEE: Text instructions are limited in
this section. Rather, you rely on fine tuning your visual skills to outline the fine intricacies of
the bee, by closely examining large step-by-step illustrations.
SHADING BEE FORMS AND TEXTURES: In this section you gather your pencils and
prepare to add several different types of shading to the various parts of the bee. A full range
of values and carefully placed shading graduations, fool the observer's eye into seeing the
three-dimensional under forms of the head, eyes, thorax, abdomen, and legs.
16 PAGES – 24 ILLUSTRATIONS
Published by Hoddinott Fine Art Publishers, Halifax, NS, Canada – Revised 2006
-2-
BEE BODY PARTS AND BASIC PROPORTIONS

Following a brief introduction to the terminology used for the parts of a bee’s body, you lightly
sketch the major sections in a proportionately correct manner. This project relies completely on
freehand drawing without the help of drawing tools such as a grid.
ILLUSTRATION 08-01
The parts of a bee’s
body include:
1. Antennas
2. Head
3. Compound Eyes
4. Thorax
5. Wings
6. Abdomen
7. Front Legs
8. Middle Legs
9. Hind Legs
10. Stinger
As you draw, pay
close attention to the
lengths, angles, and
curves of the various lines
which outline the bee’s
different parts.
Constantly double
check the proportions
of your sketch as you
work your way
through this project,
and modify if needed.
ILLUSTRATION 08-02
1) Sketch a thin egg shape as
the head.
Use an HB
pencil, and keep
your lines light
so they can be
easily erased.
2) Draw a long thin wing.
3) Draw the thorax as a large
circular shape that appears to
be behind the head and wing.
Copyright to all articles, images, text, projects, lessons and exercises within this drawing class belong to Brenda Hoddinott and may
not be reproduced or used for any commercial purposes whatsoever without the written permission of Brenda Hoddinott.
E-mail bhoddinott@hoddinott.com Web sites http://www.finearteducation.com and http://www.drawspace.com
-3-
ILLUSTRATION 08-03
4) Draw a vertical oval on the
head as the eye.
A bee’s
compound eyes allow it to see in many
directions at once.
5) Lightly sketch the outline of the bee’s second wing.

Take note of where the outline begins on the upper thorax and ends on the upper side of the
larger wing. In fact, both of the bee’s wings are the same size; however, a section of the
second wing is hidden behind the thorax. As well, in that the second wing is farther away
than the first, it appears smaller because it is drawn in perspective to the other.
ILLUSTRATION 08-04
6) Sketch the bee’s abdomen.

Take note of the U-shape that represents the
outline of the abdomen. Observe where the
outline begins on the lower section of the thorax
and ends on the lower edge of the closer wing.
-4-
ILLUSTRATION 08-05
7) Lightly sketch the three

legs on the frontal side
of the bee.
8) Add the
bee’s two
antennas to
the front of
the head.
9) Add the tiny
section of the back
leg that is visible
under the
abdomen.
10) Erase the lines of the head, thorax, and abdomen that
are inside the outlines of the legs.
11) Pat the entire drawing with your kneaded eraser until you can barely see the lines.
ILLUSTRATION 08-06
-5-
OUTLINING THE INTRICATE SHAPES OF A BEE

Text instructions are very limited in this section; rather, you rely on fine tuning your visual skills
to outline the fine intricacies of the bee, by closely examining large step-by-step illustrations.
ILLUSTRATION 08-07
12) Outline the
upper sections of
the three legs
closer to the
viewer.
ILLUSTRATION 08-08
13) Add the outlines

of the head, eye,
and antennas.
A bee navigates by
using the
ultraviolet light of
the sun, even on
cloudy days.
-6-
ILLUSTRATION 08-09
14) Outline the wing
that is closer to
the viewer.
ILLUSTRATION 08-10
15) Add the circular

outline of the
thorax.
-7-
ILLUSTRATION 08-11
16) Outline the
second wing.
ILLUSTRATION 08-12
17) Outline the upper

two sections of the
abdomen.
-8-
ILLUSTRATION 08-13
18) Outline the shapes of the
small visible sections
of the distant
three legs.
ILLUSTRATION 08-14
19) Add the two center

sections of the
abdomen.
20) Add the

lower
sections of
the six legs.
-9-
ILLUSTRATION 08-13
21) Outline the two

lower sections of the
abdomen and add
the stinger.
22) Erase the

initial
sketch lines.
23) Pat the entire drawing with a kneaded eraser until all the
lines are very light.
ILLUSTRATION 08-14
- 10 -
SHADING BEE FORMS AND TEXTURES

Gather your pencils and prepare to add several different types of shading to the various parts of
the bee. A full range of values and carefully placed shading graduations, fool the observer's eye
into seeing the three-dimensional under forms of the head, eyes, thorax, abdomen, and legs.
ILLUSTRATION 08-15
24) Outline the head and thorax with
fuzzy lines of various lengths
that curve in different directions.
25) Outline the highlight of the eye

as a tiny oval-shape.
26) Add a crescent shape of light

shading to mark the location of
the shadow section of the eye.
ILLUSTRATION 08-16
27) Use curved hatching lines

to add values to the
various sections of the
abdomen.
As you continue shading,
keep in mind that the upper
half of each section will
remain light and the lower
sections will become
darker.
You create different values by:
Varying the density (placing
lines either far apart or close
together) of the individual
hatching lines.
Varying the pressure used in
holding various pencils.
Using different grades of
pencils, from hard to soft, to
help with the different values.
- 11 -
ILLUSTRATION 08-17
Three types of
bees live
together in a
honeybee
colony. The
queen bee is a
fertile female.
Drones are male
bees. Worker
bees are infertile
females.
ILLUSTRATION 08-18
28) With curved

hatching lines
and a full
range of values,
add a furry
texture to the
head and
thorax.
29) Draw dark

curved
diagonal lines
in the eye.
30) Add shading to

the eye and
antennas.
31) Outline the legs

with neat thin
lines.
- 12 -
ILLUSTRATION 08-19
32) Use a full

range of
values from
very light to
almost black
to assist in
shading the
various
sections of the
abdomen.
In reality, the
abdomen of a
bee is striped,
with yellow
along the
upper half of
each section,
and black in
the lower
halves. Your
goal with
shading is to
use lighter
values for the
yellow stripes
than for the
black.
ILLUSTRATION 08-20
Today, honey is considered by

many individuals as simply a
delightful food, especially
yummy on a peanut butter
sandwich. However,
throughout the centuries,
honey has also been used as a
topical dressing for wounds,
an embalming fluid, and a
fermented beverage.
- 13 -
33) Identify and outline the highlights on each of the six legs.
34) Add shading with a full range of values to each section of each leg.
35) With numerous dots and marks, add the motley texture to the legs.
36) Add a darker outline around each of the three legs that are closer to the viewer, and
very dark shading to their shadow sections.
The three legs in the distance are shaded lighter than the others. The farther away objects
are, the lighter in value they should be drawn.
ILLUSTRATION 08-21
ILLUSTRATION 08-22
37) Add a section of

shading on the wing
that follows the
perceived shape of
the upper thorax
and abdomen.
The wing of a bee is
see-through, which
means that the body is
faintly visible behind it.
- 14 -
38) Add shading to the wings with a combination of dots and squirkles so as to create a
lightly shaded delicate pattern.
ILLUSTRATION 08-23
ILLUSTRATION 08-24
The origin of the term “honeymoon” has been traced to

the honey of a bee. In ancient times, a fermented beverage made from honey, was
consumed in large quantities for a month following Norse wedding celebrations.
- 15 -
BRENDA HODDINOTT - BIOGRAPHY

As a self-educated teacher, visual artist, portraitist, forensic artist, and illustrator, Brenda
Hoddinott utilizes diverse art media including graphite, technical pen, colored pencil, chalk
pastel, charcoal, conté crayon, and oil paints.
My philosophy on teaching art is to focus primarily on the

enjoyment aspects while gently introducing the technical and
academic. Hence, in creating a passion for the subject matter,
the quest for knowledge also becomes enjoyable.
>Brenda Hoddinott<
Born in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Brenda grew up in the small town of Corner Brook. She
developed strong technical competencies with a personal commitment to self directed learning,
and the aid of assorted “Learn to Draw” books. During Brenda’s twenty-five year career as a
self-educated civilian forensic artist, numerous criminal investigation departments have
employed Brenda’s skills, including Royal Canadian Mounted Police and municipal police
departments. In 1992, Brenda was honored with a commendation from the Royal Canadian
Mounted Police, and in 1994, she was awarded a Certificate of Membership from “Forensic
Artists International”.
Her home-based art career included graphic design, and teaching recreational drawing and
painting classes. As supervisor of her community’s recreational art department, Brenda hired and
trained teachers, and designed curriculum for several children’s art programs. In 1998, Brenda
chose to end her eighteen-year career as an art educator in order to devote more time to writing,
drawing, painting, and developing her websites.
Drawspace http://www.drawspace.com incorporates her unique style and innovative approach to
curriculum development. This site offers downloadable and printable drawing classes for
students of all abilities from the age of eight through adult. Students of all ages, levels and
abilities have praised the simple step-by-step instructional approach. This site is respected as a
resource for fine art educators, home schooling programs, and educational facilities throughout
the world.
LEARN-TO-DRAW BOOKS BY BRENDA HODDINOTT

Drawing for Dummies (2003): Wiley Publishing, Inc., New, York, NY, this 336 page book
is available on various websites and in major bookstores internationally.
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Drawing People (2004): Winner of the Alpha-Penguin
Book of the Year Award 2004, Alpha - Pearson Education – Macmillan, Indianapolis, IN,
this 360 page book is available on various websites and in major bookstores internationally.

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TO BEE OR NOT TO

BEE BODY PARTS AND BASIC PROPORTIONS

5) Lightly sketch the outline of the bee’s second wing.

6) Sketch the bee’s abdomen.

7) Lightly sketch the three

OUTLINING THE INTRICATE SHAPES OF A BEE

13) Add the outlines

15) Add the circular

17) Outline the upper

19) Add the two center

20) Add the

21) Outline the two

22) Erase the

SHADING BEE FORMS AND TEXTURES

25) Outline the highlight of the eye

26) Add a crescent shape of light

27) Use curved hatching lines

28) With curved

29) Draw dark

30) Add shading to

31) Outline the legs

32) Use a full

Today, honey is considered by

37) Add a section of

The origin of the term “honeymoon” has been traced to

BRENDA HODDINOTT - BIOGRAPHY

My philosophy on teaching art is to focus primarily on the

LEARN-TO-DRAW BOOKS BY BRENDA HODDINOTT

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