Simple Stick Figure Animal Drawing
Here is an easy read simple page of thoughts and examples for drawing cartoon style stick figure animals. The sort that appear in comics, greeting cards and advertising graphics.
There are no detailed drawings of perfect horse and cat pictures that are impossible to do unless you are a proper artist.
What I mean by stick figure drawing is using the easiest form of simple lines to give a reasonable impression of the creature. This is useful if your child asks you to draw one or if you are an amateur cartoonist who needs a cat picture in a hurry. It is also an interesting exercise in overcoming any mental block that says you can't draw one.
You can!
This page contains a growing collection of stick animal drawings, some brief writing about them and might encourage anyone who can hold a pen to try for themselves.
There are no detailed drawings of perfect horse and cat pictures that are impossible to do unless you are a proper artist.
What I mean by stick figure drawing is using the easiest form of simple lines to give a reasonable impression of the creature. This is useful if your child asks you to draw one or if you are an amateur cartoonist who needs a cat picture in a hurry. It is also an interesting exercise in overcoming any mental block that says you can't draw one.
You can!
This page contains a growing collection of stick animal drawings, some brief writing about them and might encourage anyone who can hold a pen to try for themselves.
A Basic Animal Shape
There are only a few major parts to most animals.
Put them together and you have a stick animal! Get those main parts down on a page and think about the extras that will turn your drawing into the animal you want.
Thanks to God, evolution or Monsanto there is a wide variety of shapes to play with. The picture deliberately exaggerates how simple this is.
- Head
- Body
- Tail
- Legs
Put them together and you have a stick animal! Get those main parts down on a page and think about the extras that will turn your drawing into the animal you want.
Thanks to God, evolution or Monsanto there is a wide variety of shapes to play with. The picture deliberately exaggerates how simple this is.
Practice Drawing
Even simple pictures are not always easy to create. You may be disappointed with an attempt because it didn't look like the animal you wanted to draw. That is where a little work has to be done.
Here are some aspects of drawing an animal for the first time.
Try rough sketches to start with and practice until it looks how you want it to. Art does not have to be perfect. If the result is pleasing to you that may be enough.
One thing is for certain. If you don't try to draw a creature - it will never get drawn. Trying, failing, struggling and eventually succeeding are much better than not bothering.
Here are some aspects of drawing an animal for the first time.
- Think about it - what does it look like?
- Check how other people draw it
- Look at real images
Try rough sketches to start with and practice until it looks how you want it to. Art does not have to be perfect. If the result is pleasing to you that may be enough.
One thing is for certain. If you don't try to draw a creature - it will never get drawn. Trying, failing, struggling and eventually succeeding are much better than not bothering.
Copying From Real Images
It can be difficult to look at real pictures of animals and find a way of drawing them. The pictures are too complex and perfect - it is hard to see how to represent that with some simple lines.
I scroll through the images building up a mental picture of my idea for drawing that animal. Identifying the key parts that seem right to draw and look achievable.
Once the basics of the animal are established it is time to find a good animal picture to work from.
Maybe it needs to be standing or sitting or in some other position. Head on, sideways - finding a reasonable image helps a lot with the first attempts at an animal picture.
Then it is a matter of practising the drawing until you have a shape that feels right.
Here are a number of attempts at drawing a wolf.
I scroll through the images building up a mental picture of my idea for drawing that animal. Identifying the key parts that seem right to draw and look achievable.
Once the basics of the animal are established it is time to find a good animal picture to work from.
Maybe it needs to be standing or sitting or in some other position. Head on, sideways - finding a reasonable image helps a lot with the first attempts at an animal picture.
Then it is a matter of practising the drawing until you have a shape that feels right.
Here are a number of attempts at drawing a wolf.
Once I had the basic wolf drawing from the picture above it was easy to take that and create a proper image.
I put the wolf in front of a moon and drew in a couple of bat silhouettes.
It works OK.
I put the wolf in front of a moon and drew in a couple of bat silhouettes.
It works OK.
Think About Your Stick Animal
Before drawing any picture it is a good idea to think about what that subject means to you. Think about the main identifiers that make the creature recognisable.
What memories do you have of the creature?
Can you think what the face looks like, what sort of ears it has?
Does it have a tail and what colour is the fur?
Does it even have fur?
There are many images saved away in our minds and the elements of the creature that YOU remember will be the main ones people look for in a picture.
Sometimes that mental image is strong and simple enough to draw the creature and feel fairly certain it will work without doing any more research.
What memories do you have of the creature?
Can you think what the face looks like, what sort of ears it has?
Does it have a tail and what colour is the fur?
Does it even have fur?
There are many images saved away in our minds and the elements of the creature that YOU remember will be the main ones people look for in a picture.
Sometimes that mental image is strong and simple enough to draw the creature and feel fairly certain it will work without doing any more research.
Are Stick Figures Real Pictures?
It might be easy to glance at these pictures and dismiss them as amateur lazy drawings.
That is an opinion but only considers the drawing time required.
It only took a few minutes to create the rattlesnake drawing below but a while longer to think about it.
The less detail there will be in the finished picture - the more important practice and experimentation is.
Does this line shape work?
How big should the tongue be?
Is the rattle the right size?
And the key question.
Does it look like the creature I wanted to draw?
Sketch, scribble and doodle ideas and select the one that works best for you.
A good thing about this approach is, once you have settled on the style you like, you will always be able to draw another one if required.
That is an opinion but only considers the drawing time required.
It only took a few minutes to create the rattlesnake drawing below but a while longer to think about it.
The less detail there will be in the finished picture - the more important practice and experimentation is.
Does this line shape work?
How big should the tongue be?
Is the rattle the right size?
And the key question.
Does it look like the creature I wanted to draw?
Sketch, scribble and doodle ideas and select the one that works best for you.
A good thing about this approach is, once you have settled on the style you like, you will always be able to draw another one if required.
How Do Other People Draw The Creature?
Sometimes it is tricky to see how to draw a particular animal. It may be hard to imagine drawing zebra stripes or a swimming dolphin.
That is a good time to use Image Search and look for drawings. It is always useful to see how other people have represented the creature.
How do they draw those awkward bits and which picture styles do you like the look of?
One of the many wonderful things about the internet is that a million images are only a click away from you.
That is a good time to use Image Search and look for drawings. It is always useful to see how other people have represented the creature.
How do they draw those awkward bits and which picture styles do you like the look of?
One of the many wonderful things about the internet is that a million images are only a click away from you.
The rest of this page is a simple AZ of a few animal drawings as examples and maybe inspiration.
Birds
Birds now appear on their own Bird Drawing page.
Cat Face
It is hard to draw a perfect photo realistic picture of anything. But the graphic way can create a cat face with only a very few lines.
Think about your cat. The eyes, nose and whiskers. Look at how other artists draw them and then try to do your own.
The graphic has many of the instantly recognisable characteristics of a cat.
It is a simple and effective design. Leastways - if you like cats,
Think about your cat. The eyes, nose and whiskers. Look at how other artists draw them and then try to do your own.
The graphic has many of the instantly recognisable characteristics of a cat.
It is a simple and effective design. Leastways - if you like cats,
Here is a fuller version of a smiling cat face. The main lines in the cat face are similar to the above with the addition of a lot of small lines and wash fill to create the fur.
Dog Drawings
Dogs have a separate page on this site. The different breeds are fun to own, play with, love and draw.
Here is the link for Dog Drawing
Here is the link for Dog Drawing
Fish Drawings
Frog
The frog graphic is particularly fun.
A few strong lines creates the basic shape. The large mouth, the frog eye.
Add color fill to give a two tone body and under-belly and a simple lily leaf shape for him to sit on. A few spots on his legs and different color for the feet.
Then add a speech bubble!
A few strong lines creates the basic shape. The large mouth, the frog eye.
Add color fill to give a two tone body and under-belly and a simple lily leaf shape for him to sit on. A few spots on his legs and different color for the feet.
Then add a speech bubble!
Giraffe
Full humorous instructions for drawing the Giraffe below are on this page - How To Draw A Stick Giraffe
Guinea Pig
A guinea pig saying wheek.
One of the most popular starter pets and surprisingly good companions. Good eaters too.
One of the most popular starter pets and surprisingly good companions. Good eaters too.
Hamster
Hamster drawing is a graphic representation of this super pet.
The hamster is a clever active creature that is a delight to watch and interact with. A busy little rodent that organises its living space and loves exploring.
For hamster fans and friends.
The hamster is a clever active creature that is a delight to watch and interact with. A busy little rodent that organises its living space and loves exploring.
For hamster fans and friends.
Hedgehog
Because everyone loves hedgehogs.
Honey Badger
The honey badger is a particularly cool creature, well capable of looking after itself. The main thing about this drawing was getting the teeth bared with a challenging stare.
Insects
Stick figure insects now have their own page - Insect Drawings
Pangolin
The Pangolin is an odd looking anteater, the only scaly mammal. It is an interesting creature, even more so when stories about the origin of Covid included the pangolin.
Like many creatures it is endangered which makes another good reason to draw one. A mark of respect if you like.
It was relatively easy to create the graphic below. Scales are simpler than fur to reproduce. Add in some sympathetic shading and the job was done, enough for my standard anyhow.
Like many creatures it is endangered which makes another good reason to draw one. A mark of respect if you like.
It was relatively easy to create the graphic below. Scales are simpler than fur to reproduce. Add in some sympathetic shading and the job was done, enough for my standard anyhow.
Pig
Pig has a simple color scheme and outlines.
Copied from the cutest Google Image of a pig I could find it shows a happy porker looking out at the world. Adding a large "OINK!" seemed to make the image look better - but maybe that's just me.
Copied from the cutest Google Image of a pig I could find it shows a happy porker looking out at the world. Adding a large "OINK!" seemed to make the image look better - but maybe that's just me.
Polar Bear
Drawing a polar bear was a struggle.
They are mostly white and that is hard to draw.
In the end I focussed on the eyes, nose, mouth and ears because it was important to get at least part of him right.
This guy was worth the effort because the polar bear is a magnificent and important part of our precious wildlife.
They are mostly white and that is hard to draw.
In the end I focussed on the eyes, nose, mouth and ears because it was important to get at least part of him right.
This guy was worth the effort because the polar bear is a magnificent and important part of our precious wildlife.
Rabbit
The rabbit is one of the more popular pets.
It is also a successful wild animal. Near all-round vision and amazing speed and agility over short distances.
My drawing is less amazing.
But it looks like a rabbit.
It is also a successful wild animal. Near all-round vision and amazing speed and agility over short distances.
My drawing is less amazing.
But it looks like a rabbit.
Royal Lizard
Sometimes it is necessary or nice to draw a creature that does not exist, or doing something they don't usually do. That has been a large part of Disney output over the years.
The example drawing of a lizard wearing a crown was required to illustrate a web article.
There were a number of ways to make that happen.
Once you have some confidence with drawing it is possible to create pretty much anything you need. Even if it happens to be a Royal Lizard!
The example drawing of a lizard wearing a crown was required to illustrate a web article.
There were a number of ways to make that happen.
- Borrow a lizard, put a toy crown on its head and get it to stand still for the picture
- Find a copyright free image of a lizard and Photoshop a crown onto it
- Draw one
Once you have some confidence with drawing it is possible to create pretty much anything you need. Even if it happens to be a Royal Lizard!
Seal
The seal line drawing has minimal detail to provide visual clues.
A few whiskers on the nose, large dark eye and the curve of the elegant body plus flippers.
Anyone can see that is a seal which is fine for its purpose.
A few whiskers on the nose, large dark eye and the curve of the elegant body plus flippers.
Anyone can see that is a seal which is fine for its purpose.
Sheep
Baa Sheep is a sheep saying Baa. This is a simple freehand drawing which surprisingly looks like the creature it was intended to be.
Snail
A snail is simple to draw and an easily recognisable shape.
The squirly shell, slimy body and stalk eye make it easy to represent.
Add a little color and and a friendly looking cartoon face. Hey presto - it's snail time.
The squirly shell, slimy body and stalk eye make it easy to represent.
Add a little color and and a friendly looking cartoon face. Hey presto - it's snail time.
Snakes and Reptiles
Snakes and Reptiles have their own page. It helps me stay organised.
T Rex
Here is a graphic style T Rex drawing which seems to work.
It is obvious what it is using a strong outline and some squiggly paint lines for some texture.
Large head, small hands and the two legged stance give plenty of visual clues. The large "T Rex" name helps!
It is obvious what it is using a strong outline and some squiggly paint lines for some texture.
Large head, small hands and the two legged stance give plenty of visual clues. The large "T Rex" name helps!
Having Fun With Animal Drawing
Using the simple techniques described above and having a reasonable amount of chutzpah - it is possible to draw any creature.
It may not be perfect but if it is recognisable that is a major achievement in my small book of drawing.
If this page made you want to get your pens or iPad out and do some drawing of your own that is really good! The point of drawing is to do it and enjoy it. For building skills or simply passing the time - art at any level is a great hobby.
Thanks for your visit.
It may not be perfect but if it is recognisable that is a major achievement in my small book of drawing.
If this page made you want to get your pens or iPad out and do some drawing of your own that is really good! The point of drawing is to do it and enjoy it. For building skills or simply passing the time - art at any level is a great hobby.
Thanks for your visit.