In just a few steps, you'll learn how to draw this barn owl using colored pencils. All the tutorials on How2DrawAnimals.com are easy to follow and great for beginners and experienced artists alike. Get art basics while sketching your favorite animals step by step. Each free tutorial on this site has a video tutorial option, as well as step-by-step photos and written text to follow along with. Have fun drawing!

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To draw this flying barn owl step by step, follow along with the video tutorial below and pause the video after each step to go at your own pace. You may find it easier to follow the step-by-step images below the video. The new lines in each step are shown in red, so you'll know exactly what to sketch next. You may want to open the video in a new tab and use both drawing methods. Take your time and create art 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 two circles as guides for the barn owl's body and head. The circles are roughly the same size, and the body circle is partially hidden by the head.

DRAWING TIP: To draw a circle, first draw four small marks for the height and width of the circle, and then connect the marks using curved lines. Sketch lightly at first so that it's easy to erase if you make a mistake. But the circles don't have to be perfect. They're just guides.

Step 2: Draw a curved horizontal line across the bird's head. This is a construction line that will help you place the facial features later. Above that, add a curved vertical line for another construction line.

Connect the two circles at the top and bottom using a couple of curved lines, and add the back of the barn owl's body and tail with sloped lines that come together at a point.

Step 3: Sketch a large triangle-like shape for one of the bird's wings. Pay attention to the size of this shape in relation to the body. The owl in this drawing is flying, and it is in the middle of bringing its wings back up after flapping. The wings will be curved.

Step 4: Sketch another large shape to the left of the owl for the bird's other wing. The shape is about as big as the entire body.

That's it for the guidelines! From this point on, press down harder with your pencil for a more defined rendering of a barn owl in flight.

Step 5: Use the construction lines as guides for the placement of the barn owl's eyes. Sketch two small circles, but make the sides pointier. Make the eye on the left thinner because of the perspective. Draw a couple of curved lines around the eye for creases. Add dark pupils in the middle and draw tiny circles for highlights.

Step 6: Below the eyes, lightly sketch a curved triangle shape for the bird's beak. Add short strokes for the feathers at the base of the beak, up the face, and around the eyes.

Step 7: Add the disc-like shape of the face with parallel shapes and wavy lines. The owl's face is similar to the shape of the heart.

Step 8: Sketch the barn owl's first wing using the big triangular shape as your guide. The top and side are one smooth line. At the bottom, following the basic path of the guide, draw a series of short, curved lines for the feathers on the wing.

Step 9: Use the big shape on the left as a guide to draw the other wing. At the bottom, draw long, curved lines for the individual feathers. Make the lines long on the left and gradually make them shorter toward the right. Add the base of the wing by the head and a few short strokes in the shape for another row of feathers.

Step 10: Darken the outer edges of the body guides as well. A large part of the bird's body is hidden by the wings, so only draw the visible sections. Add a couple of short, curved lines at the right for the visible section of the barn owl's tail.

Step 11: Now go over the final lines with an ink pen. Take your time and be careful when you ink your drawing to avoid any accidents! When the ink dries, erase all of the guidelines. Then thicken some lines to indicate shadows. Add some tiny circular shapes and short strokes on the body and wings the barn owl's pattern.

Final Step: Now color your barn owl drawing! With colored pencils, add different shapes of brown on the top part of the body and wings. Color lightly at first and gradually build up to darker colors. Use strokes that go in the direction of the feathers as you color. Slowly and gradually blend the different shades of brown together. Use dark brown to create the individual feathers on the wing. Add a bit of white to the pattern on the feathers.

Leave the owl's face and the inner edges of the wings blank for the white feathers. Color the bird's eyes dark brown, but don't overlap the tiny highlight circles.

Add shadows throughout your barn owl drawing with gray and a bit of blue. Shadows give the figure more dimension and volume.

Add a black background if you'd like, to simulate your barn owl flying at night. Just be careful to not overlap the final drawing! Add tape to the edges of your paper before adding the black background, and remove it when you're done. This creates a clean border.

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