In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a kitten walking (side view) step-by-step.

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All of the tutorials on How2DrawAnimals.com are good drawing tutorials for beginners and experienced artists alike. The online tutorials are easy to follow; they teach you the how to draw basics while showing you how to draw animals step by step. Each animal has a video drawing tutorial option, as well as step-by-step photos and written text to follow.

To draw this kitten (tabby cat) step by step, follow along with the video tutorial below and pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace. You may find it easier to follow the step-by-step drawings below the video. The new lines in each step are shown in red, so you'll know exactly what to draw next. You may want to open the video in a new tab and use both drawing methods. Take your time and draw at your own pace.

Below you can watch a narrated step-by-step video tutorial:

For the first few steps, don't press down too hard with your pencil. Use light, smooth strokes to begin so that it's easy to erase if you make a mistake.

Step 1: Draw three circles as guides for the kitten's head and body. The circles don't have to be perfect. They are just guides. The smallest circle on the left is the head guide. Note the size and placement of these guides in relation to each other.

Step 2: Lightly pencil in a diagonal line through the center the left-most circle as a guide line to help you place the kitten's facial features later on. Draw a rounded and tilted V shape as a guide for the ear, and three lines just outside of the bottom left of the head circle. This creates the guide for the muzzle.

Step 3: Create a series of straight lines under the kitten's body as guides for the legs and feet. Notice how one front leg is lifted up off the ground.

Step 4: Use curved lines to connect the body and head circles to form the kitten's body. The guide for the tail curves back and upward.

That's it for the guidelines! From this point on, press down harder with your pencil for a more defined drawing of your tabby cat.

Step 5: In this profile view, only one eye is visible in the final drawing. Begin sketching the eye inside the head using the guidelines to determine size and placement. Start with shape that looks like the greater-than symbol (">"). Then add a curved line to create the eyeball. Sketch in the pupil as a vertical slit shape, and add a small circle (make sure not to shade this in!) that represents glare. Add a few quick, short strokes above for fur, and draw some short lines to define the inner corner of the eye. Then create the side of the nose with a small, wavy shape on the muzzle.

Step 6: Draw the muzzle around the nose with curved lines. Use quick, short strokes to create the little mouth and chin.

Now follow the triangle-like shape on top of the head with quick pencil strokes, both long and short, to make the fur on the kitten's ear. Use more lines inside the ear for the inner ear structure.

Step 7: Using the head circle as a guide, finish the head and to place what's visible of the kitten's other ear. Follow the path of the guide and use quick strokes with your pencil to create a fuzzy, fur-like texture

Step 8: Sketching lightly at first, draw the kitten's front legs using the lines on the left as guides. Lightly sketch out the shape of the first leg as you follow the path of the line. When you get the structure of the kitty's leg right, darken the lines. Use quick, short strokes for the fur. The top part of the leg is wider than the bottom. Draw a couple of curved lines on the ends for the kitty's paws.

Step 9: Now use the other line as a guide to draw the kitten's hind legs. Remember to sketch lightly at first as you follow the paths of the guidelines to get the structure right. The tops of the kitty's legs are wider than the bottoms. Note how the hind legs bends more at the joint. Small, curved lines at the bottom make up the toes. Most of the kitten's leg on the other side is hidden by the leg in front, so only draw the portion that is visible.

Step 10: Finish drawing the rest of the kitten's body and tail by using the remaining lines as guides. Follow the basic path of the lines as you create the fur using quick, short strokes. Use longer strokes for a long-haired cat breed and place the edge of the fur farther from the guide lines. Follow the curving path of the guide line as you draw the kitten's tail.

Step 11: For a cleaner look, erase as much as you can of the initial guide lines. Don't worry about erasing all of the guides. It's okay to leave some behind. Also re-draw any final sketch lines that you may have accidentally erased.

Final Step: Add some shading to your kitten drawing to give it more dimension and volume. Pick the direction of the light source when shading so that the shadows are consistent with it. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value.

Add a cast shadow underneath. This helps ground the kitten so it doesn't appear to be floating.

You can stop here for a white kitty or you can add more value throughout your drawing for extra detail. Cats' coats come in a wide variety of colors and patterns that include spots and stripes. It's up to you to decide what your kitty will look like!

For a tabby pattern like this, add a series of short stripes throughout the body by shifting the pressure on your pencil to get different tonal values. You can also add a solid value to the kitten's entire body for a simpler drawing. Add the value using strokes that go in the general direction of the fur. Otherwise, be patient as you add the coat pattern because it can be very time-consuming. It's always a good idea to use reference to accurately draw the coat pattern you want. If you have a kitty, try to replicate its coat pattern on your drawing! Don't forget to watch the "How to Draw a Kitten" video and pause any time you need to.

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