How to Draw Animals in Steps

Animals are fascinating to draw in part because they are so visually different from people but also because of the eerie similarities. Drawing an animal in steps is a great way to ensure that you retain consistent proportions and maintain realism. The key to drawing animals step by step is to start with a few basic shapes that you can use as a skeletal frame. Once the frame is in place, you can add details and ensure that the proportions and shapes are correct. For example, the techniques used to draw a giraffe can be applied to any animal.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Paper
• Pencil
• Eraser
• Black ink pen

1. 
    

   Draw an upside down triangle for the head. Add a semicircle on top of the triangle so that the shape resembles an ice cream cone. Draw two cones on top of the semicircle for the horns. Add two large triangles on the upper left and right side of the head for the ears. Add the neck with two parallel lines coming down from the head and continuing to the bottom of the page.

2. 
    

   Draw the eyes with two small ovals in the upper right and left corners of the triangle. Add a small triangle in the middle of the head just below the horns. Draw the bridge of the nose with two curved lines in between the eyes. Add nostrils with two small ovals at the base of the triangle. Draw the left side cheek with a semicircle attached to the left side of the face triangle.

3. 
    

   Draw the spots with rectangles scattered across the neck. These rectangles should be slightly different in shape and position, but all of the spots on the neck should be the size of two eye ovals stacked one on top of each other. Draw the spots on the face with small squares. These square should be about half the size of one of the giraffe's eyes.

4. 
    

   Erase any overlapping guidelines on the giraffe. Ink the entire illustration. Let the ink dry and carefully erase your pencil strokes. Darken in the eyes and nostrils.

Tips & Warnings

• You can make photocopies of the finished illustration and color them without ruining the illustration.
• Make sure to let the ink dry before you erase the pencil, or the picture will smudge.

Resources

• Upload and check out other people's animal drawings online.