Decided to do some more studies in things I can't draw- snake scales!

Now, I love drawing snakes; I literally spent a whole year of elementary school drawing almost nothing but snakes so I could get a grip on how to draw them. But scales are a pain in the ass to render realistically. I've gotten away with making stylized suggestions of scaly skin in the past, but trying to draw them one-by-one without it looking like a mess is a nightmare.

It'd be a lot easier if the tutorials I've found online actually took in account that snakes can actually bend and flex...

--
One of my "Midweek Moleskines", a series of sketches previously exclusive to my Patreon.