How to Draw Animals

Learn to use simple shapes to draw your favorite animal kingdom buddy or beast.

Step 1: Draw basic form Study your animal photo. Break the form into circles, triangles, rectangles, and oval shapes, establishing accurate proportions.
TIP: Begin a fish drawing with a large oval. Use circles for the hips of many four-legged creatures and triangles for heads, ears, and legs.
Step 2: Round and contour form Round the animal’s outline and define contour details by observing photo details.
TIP: Draw details after establishing outside contours.
Step 3: Add details Add features such as eyes, ears, mouths, hooves, fur, and tails. Let your photo guide you in feature placement and in sketching the finer points of each.
Step 4: Erase guidelines Erase your original shape guidelines.
Step 5: Add shading Add shading to create realism and depth to your drawing. Now you have the basic skills to draw anything from a gerbil to a giraffe.
FACT: Did you know? Polar bears are among the animals declining in population as a result of melting sea ice and were designated a threatened species in 2008.