9 Drawings All Animal-Lovers Should Make

chickadee drawing

If there’s anything we love just as much as drawing, it’s animals. And we mean all kinds — from dogs and cats to birds and bears. No matter your medium of choice, we’ve got a critter just waiting to inspire you!

1. A Very Good Doggo

graphite beagle dog drawing

Come on, who could resist those puppy eyes? Bringing your pup to life is easier than you might think (the secret is all in the shading). Practice with this beagle, then apply the methods you learn to any breed.

MAKE IT

2. The Elephant in the Room

charcoal elephant

Elephants never forget, and you’ll never forget these texture techniques once you finish your drawing! Not only will you capture that aged, wise elephant vibe, you’ll also get a crash-course in everything charcoal.

MAKE IT

3. Birds of a (Colored Pencil) Feather

color pencil bird

Rule number one for bringing birds to vibrant life in colored pencil: keep those pencil strokes short. This project takes some time to flesh (feather?) out, but the reward is oh-so-worth it.

MAKE IT

4. Make ’em Anthropomorphic

cartoon rabbit drawing

Hey cartoonists, this one’s for you. Making critter characters gives you so much artistic freedom — play around with different animals, dress ’em up and put them in silly situations. It’s easy, and it all starts with a snowman (yep, you heard that right).

MAKE IT

5. Coloring Cats and Dogs

realistic colored pencil cat drawing

Okay: this pet portrait is STUNNING. Don’t get intimidated by the realism! Use a grid to nail the drawing, then work slowly and pay close attention to fur direction as you lay the color. You can follow these same steps to draw dogs, too!

MAKE IT

6. Never Say Neigh

graphite horse drawing

Drawing a horse is all about anatomy. Use our free reference photos (or one of your own!) to block in the basic forms, then shade to build details and definition. (Bonus: this project also teaches you how to draw the cutest goat).

MAKE IT

7. Take Flight

pen and ink flying blue jay

Ink, brush and watercolor… yes please! Sketch your bluebird and set your values with graphite before transferring the drawing, mixing your washes and adding ink. Remember that each mark you make in ink is permanent, so work slowly and go from your lights to darks!

MAKE IT

8. Could a Project Be Any Cuter?

charcoal panda drawing

How to draw a panda? More like how to draw a totally irresistible ball of fluff! This project is crazy adorable, but it’s also a great practice in value, light and texture in charcoal. And making those facial features stand out from all that fur is a fun challenge!

MAKE IT

9. A Little Birdie

chickadee drawing

Drawing a realistic bird does not mean you have to detail every single little feather. Learn to use textural marks and a full tonal range to detail those feathers without actually drawing them. It’s kinda like magic, and a pencil is your magic wand.

MAKE IT

Share tips, start a discussion or ask one of our experts or other students a question.

Make a comment:
characters remaining

One Response to “9 Drawings All Animal-Lovers Should Make”

  1. Vienna

    i love thiswebsite