1-Using a 2H or H, create a light sketch of the animal’s structure with lines and shapes.
2-Further define the animal’s form and indicate any markings lightly, especially if they are a strong value.
3-Lightly render the mid-tone and shadow areas. There’s no fur and little texture, so you can smudge or blend it smooth if you’d like.
4-Now, with a B pencil or more pressure, render out the deeper shadows. Be sure to softly blend the transition from mid-tones to shadows.
5-With an H pencil, lightly render out the shift of mid-tones to a lighter value, leaving highlights and major lit areas alone.
6-Indicate a bit of a setting here-you don’t just have to rough out a solid color. If your animal looks too subdued, pump the contrast a bit with some more areas of darks and lighter values. Sketch in a background to add more contrast.
7-Finish the creature with important details like patterns and texture. Use a variety of strokes and marks for surfaces.
Focus on rendering the suction cups on the tentacles through value and not lines.
8-Add the final little touches that will bring life to the piece. Use a white marker for highlights, and define with dark strokes a hard edge or two.
