Animals bring such happiness into our lives and can provide real inspiration for our artwork too.
Whether you love drawing your pets or enjoy sketching spectacular creatures in the wild, learning how to draw animals can give you a real appreciation for the natural world.
Once you’ve learnt how to draw the basic structure of your animal, you can enjoy adding detail and giving it your own original style.
Drawing these easy animals will also give you the chance to practise your colouring and shading techniques once you’ve drawn the initial outline.
Whether you’re looking for cute animal drawings or more realistic creatures, there’s something for everyone.
In this round-up, we’ve included tutorials to suit everyone from absolute beginners to more experienced artists. If you like, you can treat this as a drawing course and work your way through all of the different animal drawing tutorials.
20 easy animals to draw
1. Draw a delightful dog
When you’re learning how to draw animals, your beloved pet dog is a good place to begin. Dogs are easy to draw once you understand the basic technique, but bear in mind that different dog breeds have different physical features. For example, a greyhound is long and lean compared to a smaller breed like a poodle.
It’s worth taking a look at photos of different breeds so that you can get the proportions right for your own dog drawing. Learn how to draw a dog with Matt Breen’s simple tutorial.
2. Create an adorable fluffy bunny drawing
Drawing projects don’t come much cuter than this! This sweet little bunny is drawn using a combination of circles and ovals, which helps to capture its rounded shape. Learn how to draw a rabbit with this skilful tutorial from Artlex.com.
3. Make a beautiful butterfly drawing
Get your colouring pencils out and learn how to draw a butterfly with illustrator Jesse Hodgson.
This stunning project gives you the opportunity to brush up your pencil shading skills. There are endless varieties of butterflies to draw and this tutorial is the perfect place to begin.
4. Capture a characterful owl
Owls are bursting with character, which makes them a lot of fun to draw! There are so many different types of owl to draw, from barn owls to screech owls, but you can use the initial steps of this tutorial to sketch any breed.
Get started with this fabulous owl drawing tutorial from sketchbooknation.com.
5. Sketch your favourite feline
More of a cat fan than a dog lover? Learn how to draw a cat with this easy-to-follow guide by Matt Breen. Once you’re confident drawing a walking cat, you can practise sketching it in other poses. For example, you could draw the cat sitting up or curled up asleep.
6. Go tropical with this fish drawing guide
If you’re in the mood for an uplifting drawing session, you can’t go wrong with a tropical fish drawing tutorial. Tropical fish come in a dazzling variety of colours and shapes, so dig out your coloured pencils and get shading!
7. Take flight with our bird drawing tutorial
Bird watching is a relaxing activity, especially if you’re able to observe them in a park or from a window. Although they rarely stay still long enough for you to draw them in detail, if you know the basic principles of bird drawing you can capture a rough sketch before they flit away.
When drawing a bird, it’s often easier to work from a photo. Discover how to draw a bird with Holly Spanner’s detailed tutorial.
8. Make a splash with an easy dolphin drawing
This colourful dolphin drawing gives you the chance to experiment with a new medium: watercolour pencils. Learn how to draw a dolphin leaping from the ocean with this step-by-step guide from Arteza.
9. Draw a lovely horse
Horses are intelligent and sensitive creatures, so it’s not surprising that so many people love them.
These majestic animals are notoriously tricky to draw, but once you break the process down into small steps it becomes much less intimidating.
Find out how to draw a horse with expert illustrator Holly Spanner!
10. Produce a mini mouse drawing
Isn’t this charming? We’ve fallen in love with this sweet little mouse! It’s so easy to draw too – try it for yourself with this simple how to draw a mouse tutorial by wedrawanimals.com.
Lift your spirits with our seasonal drawing inspiration
Looking for some festive inspiration? Get ready for the holiday season with our fun Christmas drawing ideas.
11. Draw a tiger on the prowl
Lions may be considered the king of the jungle, but tigers certainly give them a run for their money! We love this tiger’s fierce expression and striking markings.
Sketch your own fearsome big cat with our tiger drawing guide.
12. Pick up a pair of penguins
You get two penguins for the price of one in this super easy penguin drawing lesson. Follow the steps to learn how to draw a gorgeous little penguin chick being watched over by a protective adult.
13. How to draw a realistic wolf
Wolves are fascinating creatures, which are often misunderstood. They’re deeply satisfying to draw and the beautiful texture of their fur will put your pencil shading skills to the test. In this fantastic video tutorial, you’ll learn how to draw a realistic wolf’s head.
14. Learn to draw a realistic deer
This breathtaking deer is full of movement – he looks as though he’s about to leap from the page! Making your own lifelike deer drawing is simple when it’s broken down into clear stages – follow this how to draw a realistic deer tutorial for guidance every step of the way.
15. Slow down with a sweet sloth drawing
This endearing sloth is guaranteed to raise a smile! Sloths are known for being slow, but this sloth drawing tutorial recommends working with quick pencil marks. Try it for yourself!
16. Bear with us
There are several species of bears, but you can tweak this method to draw any bear you like! And of course, you can change the colour of your bear drawing to make it into a black bear or a grizzly.
17. Draw a cuddly panda
Use circles and curves to construct your own snuggly panda with this helpful panda drawing guide. It’s incredibly straightforward to follow, so you’ll be sketching your own lovely panda pal in no time!
18. Get spooky with a bat drawing
Halloween is one of our favourite times of year, so we’re getting into the spirit of the spooky season with this dramatic bat drawing guide.
If you’re looking for more haunting creative projects, take a look at our pick of the best Halloween art projects.
19. How to draw a fantastic fox
No woodland scene would be complete without a fabulous red fox slinking through the trees! This wily creature is easy to draw once you break the process down into small steps.
Discover how to draw a fox with this detailed tutorial from artincontext.org.
20. Draw a lion to be proud of
This intricate lion drawing tutorial by Holly Spanner is truly magnificent. We love the level of detail in his face and mane!
Follow this fun tutorial to create your own impressive lion artwork at home.
Fill your sketchbook with cute animal drawings
Celebrate adorable animals big and small by drawing them in your sketchbook. It’s a wonderful way to show your appreciation of wildlife or to express your love for a treasured family pet.
Drawing animals also gives you the opportunity to practise your shading skills or to add beautifully blended colours to your picture.
It’s a good way for artists of all levels to expand their skills – and have a lot of fun at the same time!
Beat boredom with these easy drawing ideas
Sometimes you’re in the mood for an art session, but you just can’t decide what you want to draw and end up feeling frustrated. We’ve all been there!
Kickstart your creativity with Gathered’s easy drawings for when you’re feeling uninspired.
