A feather with a gently bent quill

Follow a feather’s curved quill and uneven silhouette. A small set of broad barbs and a few separated edges suggest its structure without drawing every strand.

A way into the drawing

1. Bend the central quill

   Draw a gentle shaft curve with a narrow bare section at the base. Keep the bend gradual rather than sharply angled.

2. Wrap the silhouette around it

   Add an uneven tapered blade on both sides of the shaft. Break the edge with a couple of small natural notches.

3. Suggest only a few barbs

   Sweep a small set of widely spaced diagonal barbs from the shaft. Keep tone close to one shaft edge and leave the blade open.

A small thing to tryMake one side of the feather slightly narrower so it feels natural rather than mirror-symmetrical.