How to draw a bird
A simple cartoon bird is two circles and one outline. It takes about eight minutes, and it is a good way to practice joining shapes into a single clean line.
- Cartoon
- Beginner
- 8 min
- 4 stages
Draw on paper with any pencil or pen. Compare each stage with the guide before you move on.
Stage by stage
Two circles
Draw a large circle for the body and a smaller circle overlapping it at the top for the head.
Check before you move on: Is the head circle clearly smaller than the body circle?
One outline
Draw one outline around both circles, then add a triangle beak, a pointed tail and two thin legs.
Check before you move on: Does the outline flow around both circles without lines crossing inside?
Flat tones
Fill the wing, tail and beak with one medium tone and lightly tone the belly.
Check before you move on: Do the wing, tail and beak share one even tone?
Eye and finish
Add an eye with a bright dot, a few head feathers and a soft shadow under the bird.
Check before you move on: Does the eye have a bright dot, and does the bird sit on its shadow?
Tips for this drawing
- Make the head circle clearly smaller than the body circle.
- Draw one outline that flows around both circles, with no lines crossing inside.
- Add the eye last, with a bright dot, and a soft shadow so the bird sits on something.
Make a lesson like this from your own photo
Sketchwise builds a guide image for every stage, checks your page along the way and scores the finished drawing.
