Step 10: Use the angled line under the body as a guide to draw the dove's leg. First draw a short, horizontal line at the to that's made up of short strokes for the feathery base of the leg. Then draw the shape of the leg around the guide line. Draw the edges of the leg close to the guide to keep the shape of the leg skinny. At the bottom, draw the toe around the guide too. Make the tip of the toe pointy for the nail. Add a thin, shape near the middle for another toe. Add a smaller shape on the right side for the toe pointing backward.

Step 11: Use the remaining shapes and lines as guides to draw the rest of the dove's body. Simply darken the outer edges of the initial guides to create the shape of the body. Don't overlap the leg as you darken the underside of the body. Use short strokes on the underside of the body for feathers.

Step 12: Draw the dove's tail inside the triangular shape on the right side. Make the tail thinner than the initial guide. Add a few lines within the shape for feathers. At the top, draw a short, curved line for the tip of the folded wing that's on the other side of the body. To the left of the first leg draw the visible portion of the other leg. Use the first leg as a template to draw the second leg.

Step 13: For a cleaner look, erase as much as you can of the initial guide lines. Don't worry about erasing all of the guides. It's okay to leave some behind. Re-draw any final sketch lines you may have accidentally erased.

Final Step: Add some shading to your mourning dove drawing. Use a medium value all over the body. Shade lightly at first, and then gradually build up to darker values. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. Use a slightly darker value for the folded wing area. Shade slowly and evenly for a smooth texture. Leave the edges of the feathers on the wing blank. Inside the middle of the wing, draw a few crescent-like shapes for the spotted pattern. Add a darker value to the neck feathers and beak too. Add shadows using a darker value throughout the bird's body to give the figure more dimension and volume. Pick the direction of the light source when shading so that the shadows are consistent with it. Use a medium value to add a cast shadow underneath to ground the bird. Shading can be time-consuming so be patient and take breaks. It's a good idea to use reference as you draw for an accurate depiction of a mourning dove. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

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