How to Draw a Duck-billed Platypus
The duck-billed platypus lives in the rivers and lakes of eastern Australia and Tasmania. It feasts on a diet of fish eggs, tiny fish and shrimp and has a life expectancy of 12 years. With its bill, elongated body, webbed feet and square tail, this creature looks a little goofy, making it an amusing subject to draw.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Draw the guidelines. Draw a small circle for the head. Next to this circle, draw a slightly larger circle for the body midsection. Lastly, next to this circle draw an even larger circle. This is for the back of the body. Connect the top of the circles with a line. Draw a line connecting each circle on the bottom. On the outside edge of the last circle, draw a line elongating from the circle to represent the tail.
-
2
Draw the platypus' bill off the front circle. A platypus' bill resembles a duck's bill, so it should look like an elongated "U" stretched out on its side. Sketch a small circle inside the front circle for the eye. In the middle circle, sketch a "U" in the middle. This is the front arm. On the last circle, right below the start of the tail line, draw a curve off the end of the circle.
-
-
3
Draw the top section of the body by sketching a line starting at the first circle and continuing right about your guidelines. This line should not be straight; it should be slightly wavy to give your creation some shape. Continue creating the body by following your guidelines all the way around the tail. At the tail, sketch a slight square shape around your guidelines to resemble a beaver's tail.
-
4
Draw the feet. On the bottom half of the last circle, draw a small, slightly "U"-shaped foot outside the circle. Once finished, draw tiny claws outside of this frame. On the middle circle, below the arm and outside the circle, draw a larger webbed foot, resembling a duck's foot.
-
5
Add detail to the bill by drawing small lines inside the bill's guidelines. Add small lines inside the large, webbed foot.
-
6
Erase the guidelines by removing all inside lines except the eye and the "U"-shaped arm.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Duck-billed platypuses have brown fur and gray bills. Make your drawing realistic by filling it in with these colors.
Draw lightly and the guidelines will be easier to erase.
Male duck-billed platypuses are longer than females. Keep this in mind if drawing a duck-billed platypus family.
References
- Photo Credit Marc Debnam/Photodisc/Getty Images
