An amphisbaena is a two-headed, ant-eating serpent. This warm-blooded reptile can travel quickly by grabbing one set of jaws in the other and rolling like a hoop. Amphisbaena skin will cure colds and can help lumberjacks cut down trees!
Step One Using a 2H pencil, I lightly sketch the shape of the dragon. I add two circular heads and draw vertical guidelines on both.
Step Two I begin drawing the features of the upper head, using the vertical line from step one as a guide. I add two thick horns; one donut-shaped and one button-shaped eye; a wide nose; and an open, tooth-filled mouth. I also indicate the tongue.
Step Three After adding tufts of hair to the upper head, I begin drawing the lower head. I draw similar features, except this head has its mouth closed, its horns lie flat on its head, and its eyes look up. Then I draw a curving line down the body to differentiate the front from the back.
Step Four Using vine charcoal, I begin adding soft, dark tone to the upper head’s horns and neck, as well as to the underside of the belly and the area where the upper head’s chin casts a shadow on the lower head’s neck. Then I use a medium-black charcoal pencil to darken the eyes, nostrils, and inside of the mouth. I pull out a highlight in the pupil with a kneaded eraser. Then I use the charcoal pencil to add spots to the upper head’s neck.
Step Five Switching back to vine charcoal, I continue adding tone to the lower head, softly blending the tone with my finger. (Charcoal smudges easily, so it is especially important to avoid resting your hand on the drawing.) Next I darken the lower head’s eyes with the charcoal pencil, and I continue the spot pattern down the rest of the body.
Step Six As I finish building tone on the lower head, I also introduce darker tones to the underside of the belly. I use a craft knife to fashion a fine point on my charcoal pencil and carefully darken the sections that warrant it. Lastly, I go in with a kneaded eraser and pull out more highlights.