Quiet Winter · Plate 30 of 45

Snowshoe hare color reference

Lepus americanus

The snowshoe hare lives in the northern forests of North America. Its coat turns white in winter and brown in summer. Its large, furry hind feet spread its weight so it can run on top of deep snow.

Colors to reach for

Keep the winter coat white with pale gray shadows, and add black tips to the ears and dark eyes.

• white
• silver
• pale blue
• black
• light brown

How to color the snowshoe hare, step by step

1. Read the gray shading guide first. It already marks where the snowshoe hare is darkest, so the shadows are mapped before you pick up a pencil.
2. Lay a light first layer of white and silver over the largest areas, with soft pressure and small circles, letting the gray show through.
3. Build depth with pale blue and black, going over the gray areas a second and third time until they read as shadow and form.
4. Finish with light brown for the smallest details and highlights, then step back and compare with the color reference above.

Questions about this page

What colors do I need to color the snowshoe hare?

Start with white, silver, pale blue, black and light brown. Keep the winter coat white with pale gray shadows, and add black tips to the ears and dark eyes.

Where is the snowshoe hare in Quiet Winter?

It is plate 30 of 45 in Quiet Winter. Like every Nibfern drawing it is printed on one side of the page, with a light gray shading guide under the lines and a dotted cut line at the spine.

Can I frame the snowshoe hare page?

Yes. Cut along the dotted line and trim to the corner marks for a 7 x 9 inch print that fits a standard 8 x 10 frame.

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• Snow globeQuiet Winter, plate 33
• ErmineQuiet Winter, plate 34
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