How to Draw a Dog
A golden retriever sits with floppy ears and a feathered tail beside its broad paws. Explore the relationship between the rounded chest, long muzzle, and soft coat in this relaxed portrait of a familiar dog.
Start the lessonStage 1: Build the Seated Pose
Sketch a rounded head above a large chest oval, then connect them with short neck lines. Add an oval haunch on the left and two long forelegs ending in oval paws. Outline the sloping back and a broad tail shape resting to the left.
Stage 2: Shapes
Add a curved neck shape and an elongated shoulder oval inside the chest. Refine the rounded haunch into a bent hind leg with a small oval paw beside the tail. Strengthen the chest and foreleg contours while keeping the head round.
Stage 3: Define the Face and Coat
Shape the head into a right-facing muzzle with eyes, a nose, a closed mouth, and a long floppy ear. Add flowing fur tufts along the neck, chest, legs, and sweeping tail. Divide the paws into toes and outline the small rear paw between the forelegs.
Stage 4: Finish the Pencil Drawing
Erase leftover guide lines and add a few fur strokes along the chest, legs, and tail. Deepen the eyes and nose, add whisker dots, and shade beneath the ear, chest, and between the legs. Finish with soft shadows beneath the paws and tail, keeping broad areas of the coat light.
Explore colour
Add colour
Make room for your drawing.
One page, 4 stages, and space to draw.
