How To Depict Animals: fifty Costless Tutorial Videos To Help You Learn Stride-Past-Footstep

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Animals are one of the nigh pop subjects for artists regardless of medium.

Granted there are some related books on drawing animals but these aren't always enough. Sometimes video tutorials only piece of work improve.

Check out these awesome videos to learn how to draw all kinds of animals and become some valuable practise in drawing textures like fur, hair, scales, peel, feathers, and a lot more.

This guide breaks upward into categories for dissimilar animals so just scroll along until you find what you lot like!

Subcontract Animals & Pets

Cow

This real time video shows you how to describe a cow using unproblematic, basic shapes and easy shading techniques.

Add together this one to your beginner do playlist and pay special attention to the notes almost using pencil pressure to control value.

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Squealer

This tutorial uses simple circles to create the form of a pig and shows a uncomplicated line technique to draw the joints of the legs. In the finish this makes them look a lot more realistic.

It also provides great practice with shine shading. Excellent video for beginners.

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Equus caballus

Learn to draw a horse profile portrait using bones shapes similar circles, triangles, and trapezoids.

If you check out this tutorial you lot'll see information technology besides takes a close look at the features and structure of a equus caballus'south face and ears while providing guidance on placing facial features.

This tutorial is a lilliputian more advanced and then you may want to warm upward with some of the simpler videos before attempting this. But if you beloved horses then y'all'll observe immense value hither!

Or yous might even like our list of books on drawing your favorite equidae animals.

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Kitty Cat

Are you a true cat lover through & through?

Then you'll actually honey this vid on drawing a realistic, very detailed cat portrait.

It offers a closer look at cartoon animate being optics and whiskers amid other features of your feline friends.

This is a pretty in-depth tutorial so make sure you're comfy with some basic drawing before jumping into this one.

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High german Shepherd

Switching mediums hither, this tutorial shows you how to sketch a German language Shepard in pen and ink.

First by creating a light pencil sketch that you can draw on with pen later on you take the basic class. And then by going into detail and creating the finished work.

This video goes over some pen and ink techniques that are very different from shading with a pencil because unlike graphite, ink doesn't blend. It goes on dark no thing how much pressure you use.

You'll definitely want to put this on your list if yous're interested in pen drawing!

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Alpaca

This alpaca itself is quite unproblematic to describe. Just the real star of this video is the color choices.

This fun colored pencil tutorial is a skilful do in color because it shows y'all how to utilise unexpected and even counterintuitive colors for shading. The shading & highlights used here bring a dynamic look to the finished fauna cartoon.

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Hedgehog

Alarm: high cuteness factor.

This is a timelapse video with narration so it might be helpful to just picket this one before attempting on your own. This also introduces a new texture non common in too many animals: spines.

Just if you're a hedgehog lover and then yous'll actually relish this video.

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Bunny Rabbit

Right abroad you'll find this is a longer video. Simply it'southward not as sped up as the others so it's easier to follow along with, fifty-fifty equally a beginner.

For a change in technique this artist uses grids to prepare shapes and perspective for a realistic rabbit face. Then uses gouache(watercolor'southward more opaque cousin) to add highlights for a finished rendering.

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Scorpion

This crawly tutorial will show you how to depict a scorpion the easy style.

Retrieve most it: a scorpion's body is segmented, which means it's made of basic shapes that are easy to encounter and separate on the folio. You'll too learn some bonus facts about scorpion anatomy along the way!

At present the creative person keeps the values fairly dark merely you can also make this your ain by calculation some actress highlights with an eraser for a shinier expect.

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Wild fauna

Panthera leo

Hither's a fun tutorial focusing on the king of the jungle.

The creative person uses a uncomplicated proportion filigree to draw the panthera leo face in pencil, complete with striking eyes and realistic mane hair.

You'll as well see a few unlike techniques for calculation highlights such equally using white acrylic paint on pinnacle of the pencil to add whiskers, and creating highlights with an eraser.

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Giraffe

Our long-necked friend is piece of cake to depict and he's so fun!

Here's a quick beginner-friendly tutorial for drawing a full-trunk giraffe in pencil.

The artist breaks down the form into basic shapes in this video tut. This is a great video to start with if you're new to cartoon animals. The hardest role is probably drawing the spots!

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Zebra

Continuing with African savannah animals, this is a captioned tutorial similar to the giraffe video that also starts with basic shapes.

Follow along, pause afterward each footstep to grab upward, and you'll have a realistic zebra drawing in no time.

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Panda Bear

This sped-up demonstration of a panda portrait goes fast. And so make sure to pause as yous follow along.

This one's a little trickier too and then don't be afraid it scout it a few times and even practise a few practice drawings to perfect these skills. The key to mastery is repetition and that goes double for drawing new animals.

The fur in this drawing is especially impressive so make certain to watch the artist closely while the fur is beingness rendered.

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Chimp

This narration-free speed drawing of a chimp might not be the easiest video to follow along with as a newbie.

But it'due south nevertheless helpful to lookout man how this all comes together, how the artist draws pilus & eyes, and how to render a fun chimp of your own.

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Hippo

If you can't go enough of this uncomplicated cartoon serial and so yous'll beloved this tutorial for cartoon a realistic hippo.

The end result is actually pretty great and then it's a prissy starting point for newer artists.

Feel free to pause, go back, and rewatch equally you follow forth.

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Koala

Watch this video to larn how to describe a happy cartoonish koala sitting in a tree.

Koalas are by and large made of circles(which contributes greatly to their cuteness) and this makes them fairly uncomplicated to draw.

Use this tutorial to practice and warm upward for some of the more challenging animal videos in this list.

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Kangaroo

Allow'south visit Australia for a moment and draw a lovable local: the kangaroo.

One thing you might notice a lot in these videos is that most of the artists draw their initial sketch very lightly with very picayune pencil pressure.

Picket how the artist in this video goes from light pressure to heavy pressure to build up the values in this kangaroo.

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Camel

Are you getting good at drawing basic shapes similar circles? Good.

Because you're going to demand those skills to draw this simple camel in pencil.

One of the best parts most these tutorials, specially the ones in this series, is that yous'll start to notice patterns in your drawings.

You'll get really good at quickly cartoon beast optics, or knowing how to space your basic shapes, or how to shade rounded forms without even having to call back about information technology.

This camel is great do for all of those things! And information technology's 1 of the best animals to practice if you're using the Drawabox lessons.

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Squirrel

This animate being tutorial is a trivial dissimilar because the artist doesn't really ready the course with simple shapes.

Rather they jump right into drawing the face and get from at that place. It might make this challenging for beginners, but intermediate-to-advanced artists should have no trouble.

You'll see some different materials in this video similar blending sticks and a mechanical pencil instead of a traditional wooden pencil. These aren't covered in our recommended materials list but you can give these a endeavor to mix things upward.

This video is besides helpful for learning to describe short, thick hair(like what you'd notice on a rodent) while still showing a lot of form and subtle values.

The artist presents great alternatives to drawing difficult outlines for more of a 3D and naturally-lit appearance.

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Wolf

For a fun change in materials this artist uses watercolors and colored pencils to give this wolf portrait a whimsical look.

This video is a non-intimidating intro to mixed media and a good opportunity to play with cute colors that don't accept to exist realistic. Sometimes the fun colors that experience ridiculous at starting time tin experience more true and exciting to the work you want to create.

Then the creative person shares some great tips for drawing wolves with a few bonus tips thrown in for drawing fur—with colored pencils specifically.

She also includes some insight on drawing mistakes a lot of artists make, experienced artists included.

This piece is corking practice for studying proportions and setting up guidelines for cartoon any kind of animal confront.

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Lemur

This fun & simple tutorial shows you lot how to draw a creature that's scores very high on the cuteness scale: a band-tailed lemur.

Just annotation the video is very beginner friendly and piece of cake to follow and so information technology works every bit a quick project for when you want to practice only still need to build up some confidence.

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Rhinoceros

1 technique for drawing shapes is to draw several lines and erase the ones you don't demand.

Recall of quickly moving your pencil in a round design several times to go a sketchy circumvolve. Y'all can commonly erase some of the extra lines and get a pretty practiced circle in the cease.

Y'all'll notice this exact technique used in this tutorial to build shapes for this rhino cartoon. You lot can leave this cartoon rough and sketchy or polish it out for a more than refined await.

And for a fun twist this artist uses a lot of techniques y'all'd normally find in pen drawings, such as cantankerous-hatching, even though he's using pencil.

These techniques have a softer look in graphite then you might want to requite it a try. You know, just for fun.

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Reindeer

Whether information technology'due south Christmas or mid summer, it's always a practiced time to draw reindeer.

This artist uses a few different mediums to draw a lovable reindeer including charcoal and pastel. This tutorial also shows off the sticky eraser which is a moldable eraser that every creative person should try using in their traditional work.

It might not be the easiest project for beginners simply it'due south a beautiful brute that's non difficult to effigy out once you get the hang of cartoon the shapes.

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Weasel

Enjoy this short demonstration for a refresher on drawing fur, and just to take a look at another artist'south technique on a fun animal.

The video is sped upwardly and very brusk and then it's probably not the easiest to follow forth with. But information technology still demonstrates solid artistic techniques.

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Sea Creatures

Shark

Take fun drawing this slightly cartoonish great white shark in charcoal pencil and graphite!

This is a bang-up tutorial for beginners and especially so if yous're a sea lover.

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Koi Fish

Relish this demonstration a beautifully stylized koi fish on toned paper using graphite and colored pencil.

As the artist puts it: this drawing is very similar to a tattoo design.

This is more of a process video than a tutorial considering the artist don't really explain how he'due south doing what he's doing, but rather discusses the structure of the fish.

The techniques and shapes are fairly simple to follow if y'all have experience with drawing. So an intermediate artist shouldn't have whatever trouble replicating these steps.

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Octopus

The octopus is a very technical animal to draw but also really fun.

And why non? They're awesome and very unique looking.

If you want to go far on the octopus trend this super simple tutorial will prove you how to whip upwardly a absurd octopus pencil drawing in no time.

This artist leaves the values fairly dark and sketchy, but yous can fifty-fifty take this a step farther with blending, erasing to create highlights, or adding a lilliputian color with colored pencils or pastels.

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Turtle

Watch this simple tutorial and acquire how to draw a gorgeous sea turtle from scratch.

Though the artist kind of wings it instead of setting up a course with simple shapes, turtles have simple bodies which makes them easy to draw.

You tin can proceed this clean and uncomplicated or follow along to add spots, textures, and shading for a water environment.

This is dandy practice is using lines to create curved forms similar the ridges on the turtle'due south beat out. Overall a very squeamish tutorial for any skill level.

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Humpback Whale

Now here's a fun and very easy project for beginners.

You lot could hands customize this whale drawing with even more shading, colors, fifty-fifty watercolors, or just leave it make clean and simple.

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Jellyfish

For such simple organisms, jellyfish tin be tricky to draw.

Spotter this narrated demonstration of drawing a jellyfish and discover how the artist renders the different textures from the smoothness of the bell to the folds and curls of the artillery.

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Walrus

Thanks to the very simple shape of the walrus this is a pretty easy project to get started with.

It's as well good practise in shading to create course so that your walrus looks three dimensional instead of only shading a apartment value.

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Crab

Here's a cool speedpainting demo rather than a total tutorial, although still worth watching in my book.

I'll say this video is great for observing how the artist uses light lines to detect the shape and so layers darker lines on top to sharpen the form.

Observing techniques like this is a bang-up way to become them into your brain for when you're ready to try them yourself!

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Dolphin

Said to be the most intelligent mammals, dolphins are some really cute creatures to bring into your artwork.

Though their shape is fairly elementary, dolphins are deceptively tricky to draw. This artist does a good job of explaining some of the more complicated parts and how to create a natural-looking angle for a dolphin that's jumping out of the water.

Whether you wanna create realistic dolphins or draw some SpongeBob-style cartoony characters, either manner this tutorial is worth a watch.

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Birds

Owl

Whooo doesn't love owls? (I know, sad)

Well this video will show you lot how to draw a corking horned owl starting with a base drawing in colored pencil and coloring it in with Copic markers or brush pens.

From starting time to finish you'll have a gorgeous drawing with some really cute effects that tin can employ to all your hereafter artwork.

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Penguin

If you've ever been to the zoo and so you've seen penguins. Everybody loves penguins.

And this beginner friendly tutorial shows y'all step-past-step how to draw a simple emperor penguin using circles, ovals, and other basic shapes.

Since information technology's very uncomplicated to describe this is a skillful practise project for when you're just getting started, short on fourth dimension, or if you just desire to depict a beautiful penguin. Which is totally legit.

The video likewise includes instructions for a calculation a uncomplicated Antarctic background which gives the piece a more complete look.

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Tern

The artist hither doesn't provide narration but information technology'due south pretty simple to see what's going on.

You might want to merely scout this in one case through earlier attempting though.

Working with colour normally requires a lot of layering(especially when yous're using translucent media like colored pencil or watercolor) and you might have to use colors that feel counterintuitive.

It's helpful to come across how this artist selects and layers colored pencils to create a drawing of a type of bird that isn't all that colorful, simply is even so dynamic.

Information technology's also a helpful to await at drawing elementary feathers which is a completely dissimilar brawl game from drawing hair or skin.

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Goose

Drawing birds in flight is challenging due to the angles of the wings (if you go this incorrect it messes up the whole drawing) and the flight feathers which are the large fly feathers that allow birds to fly.

Just this video eliminates a lot of excessive item in the Canadian goose and by and large focuses on the shape of the wings and feathers.

This is splendid practice earlier diving into more than challenging bird projects.

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Eagle

This eagle portrait demo is a more challenging tutorial because the artist doesn't set up shapes or guidelines, but freehands most of the drawing.

All the same it's a shut look at drawing eyes and feathers, plus a peachy utilize of highlighting with a blending stick and eraser.

The artist uses an interesting technique for drawing feathers using an eraser to drag the graphite across the folio to create texture.

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Ostrich

Take fun with this easy tutorial for drawing a very simple ostrich.

You'll use elementary shapes and guidelines to get angles and lines downward before creating the forms on your ain.

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Pelican

Cartoon feathers can be a challenge but this is a keen example of implied texture, or drawing just a few of the most of import feathers to signal the presence of many.

Isn't it cool how our brains tin can fill in the residuum? Easy to follow, very squeamish for beginners.

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Parrot

This piece provides more than great practice in drawing feathers, this time with the chemical element of color from colored pencils.

Parrots are generally difficult animals to draw so this is fantastic practice for anyone.

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Reptiles & Amphibians

Frog

Hop on over to this video(I'll terminate now) and acquire to draw a little froggy!

This is a really great lesson in shading because you really need information technology to show the smooth grade of the frog. And the final result is merely impeccable.

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T-Rex

Extinct animals still have a place on our listing!

This tutorial walks you through sketching an awesome T-Rex in a cool sketchbook style.

This is a expert demonstration of creating unsaid texture in pencil without having to describe every single scale, vein, and muscle, which is a massively of import skill in drawing.

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Komodo Dragon

This tutorial can show you how to draw the largest living lizard, which is practiced do in drawing details related to brute anatomy.

Y'all may non know much about Komodo Dragons but they are lovable creatures to depict.

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Crocodile

This fun tutorial for drawing a baby alligator gives us a detailed look at the different sizes and shapes of scales on alligators' heads.

The creative person uses a mechanical pencil for this video and demonstrates the use of many different leads.

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Snake

If yous want more exercise drawing scales of different shapes and sizes then this snake portrait is the perfect project.

Make sure to pause the video as yous follow along and recreate this piece. The video goes fast so y'all may need fourth dimension to grab up.

Stick to black and white or keep following to add colour with colored pencils! You tin besides end with the snake or keep going to add the colored background.

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Axolotl

If you're up for something actually different scout this video to take a whack at cartoon this unusual animal with a ballpoint pen.

Axolotls are sea creatures but likewise reptiles so they're a fun mix for animal lovers.

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Chameleon

Effort out this video for a quick cartoon of a little chameleon, complete with the iconic curled tail.

You may know of Pascal from Tangled and he'southward 1 of our superlative Disney characters to describe. Well you can take this video and bring information technology into your practice piece of work to draw your very own chameleon graphic symbol.

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…And The Platypus

This video teaches yous to draw an fauna that belongs in its very own section of this list.

Information technology'southward a weird beast so the shapes may seem odd. But keep at it and you'll surely nail it downwards.

All of these videos are useful and if you have patience you tin can recreate these drawings all past yourself. Or you can try switching upwards your mediums, calculation or subtracting color, or calculation backgrounds!

Work your way through this list and you'll be a pro at cartoon all kinds of animals in no time.

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