In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Bat (Flying Fox) step-by-step.

Stay tuned for more free drawing lessons by:

Liking us on Facebook>>

Subscribing on YouTube.com>>

Following us on Instagram>>

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.

RELATED TUTORIALS

To draw this Fruit Bat or Flying Fox 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.

The Written 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.

Step 1: Draw a small circle near the lower, left side of the paper as a guide for the flying fox's head. First make four marks to determine the circle's height and width. Then connect the marks using curved lines. If you're struggling to draw the circle, just trace the outer rim of a circular object like a coin or a lid. For a more detailed guide on the different ways to draw a circle check out this tutorial: Four simple ways to draw a circle.

Step 2: On the lower, left side of the head, draw a small sideways arc as a guide for the bat's muzzle. Pay attention to the size of this arc in relation to the circle. Don't make it too long. On top of the flying fox's head, off to the sides, draw two very small arcs as guides for the ears.

Step 3: To the right, draw a bigger circle as a guide for the front part of the body. Use the four-marks method to draw this circle too. This circle should be about twice as big as the flying fox's head. Don't draw the circles too far apart, otherwise the neck will be too long. To the right, draw a circle similar in size to the head as a guide for the back portion of the bat's body. There should be a gap between the body circles. Leave plenty of room above the circles for the wings.

Step 4: Draw a series of lines that connect the circles to complete the guides for the neck and torso. To the right, draw a long, sloping, vertical line as a guide for the flying fox's outstretched hind leg.

Step 5: Above the big circle, draw a long, angled line as a guide for the first part of the flying fox's wing. The bottom of the line should slope to the right and then bend upward at the top. At the top, draw a long line that curves to the right for the top edge of the bat's wing.

---

Step 6: On the top angle of the previous line, draw a long, horizontal line as a guide for the bat's finger. Draw a curved, vertical line between the outer tips of the top lines as a guide for the edge of the flying fox's wing. Below that, draw another curved line for the rest of the wing's edge. This line should curve inward more.

Step 7: Above bat's the neck, draw a long, curved line that angles to the right at the top for the other wing. At the top, add a line that slopes down toward the flying fox's first wing. Bend this line in the middle a bit.

That's it for the guides! From this point on, press harder with your pencil for a more defined drawing.

Step 8: Inside the head, off to the left a bit from the middle, draw a small circle for the bat's eye. Sketch lightly at first to get the position and size right. Then darken the lines and make the sides pointier. Near the middle of the eye, add a dot for the pupil. Off to the side, draw a tiny circle for a highlight. Shade the eye using a value that's lighter than the dark pupil. Use an even lighter value at the bottom for a rounder shape. Don't overlap the tiny highlight circle. Draw a series of lines around the eye for the detail on the flying fox's bare skin and fur.

Step 9: Lightly sketch a small circle on the top of the muzzle for the bat's nose. Darken the shape when you get the position right. Add a line at the bottom and a big dot inside for the nostril. Curve the right edge of the flying fox's nose in toward the nostril. Use short strokes at the top for fur.

---

Step 10: Under the nose, draw a line that curves to the inside of the head for the mouth. The flying fox's mouth should fit inside the initial arc. Use short strokes to represent fur. Draw a line under the mouth for the lower jaw. Use the arc as a guide to draw this line. Use the top part of the arc as a guide to draw the top edge of the bat's muzzle.

Step 11: Darken the arc on the top, right side of the head for the first ear. Add a series of lines within the shape for the inner ear structure and fur. Darken the other arc for the flying fox's other ear peeking from behind. Add some lines inside for detail.

Step 12: Darken the top edge of the initial circle using short strokes for the bat's furry head. Darken the bottom of the circle using short strokes too but make that line flatter. Draw a series of lines that are made up of short strokes inside the head for detail on the fur. Add a few short strokes inside the flying fox's muzzle for more fur and for the base of the whiskers.

Step 13: Use the angled line above the front part of the body as a guide to draw the first part of the flying fox's wing. Extend the bottom part of the line farther in for the shoulder. Darken the initial line but make it curvier. Above the section where the guide angles, curve the shape for the forearm. At the bottom, draw a line that's made up of short strokes to make the shape of the arm thicker. Continue to draw the line above that to create the bat's elbow joint, the thick forearm and the thin wrist. Use short strokes for a furry texture. Add some short strokes inside the arm too for extra detail.

Step 14: To the left of where the guide line bends, lightly sketch a small, thin, curved shape for the flying fox's thumb. When you get the shape right, darken the lines. Draw a small, pointy shape on the tip for the bat's claw. Above that, draw an even thinner shape along the edge of the guide for the first digit. This first digit isn't very big, so don't draw the lines too long. To the right, draw an even longer, thin shape for the second digit. Don't draw it too far from the first digit. When you hit the top edge of the guide, angle the shape of the digit along the edge all the way to the top tip.

---

Step 15: Use the line in the middle of the wing as a guide to draw the flying fox's bottom digit. Follow the path of the guide as you draw the thin shape of the digit. Curve the overall shape a bit. Add a few bumps along the thin shape for joints. The base of the shape should be wide. Above that, lightly sketch a long, sloping line for the last digit. Darken the line when you get the shape right. Add another line on top to make the shape slightly thicker. This digit should bend a bit near the edge. The tip should extend outside of the edge of the guide on the right.

Step 16: Connect the tips of the top two digits using a curved line for the first part of the edge of the wing. Use a slightly longer curved line to connect the tips of the digits below that. Darken the curved guide at the bottom to finish the right edge of the flying fox's first wing. Darken the guides at the top and add a small line that connects to the thumb for the top edge of the bat's wing. Draw a long, curved line from the shoulder to the thumb to complete the first wing.

Step 17: Darken the long, sloping line at the bottom for the top edge of the bat's leg. Below that, draw a curved line that's made up of short strokes for the thick, furry base of the leg. To the right, draw a wavy line along the path of the sloping guide for the bottom edge of the leg. On the right side, draw a few small, thin, pointy shapes for the claws at the end of the flying fox's toes.

Step 18: Use the initial circles and lines at the bottom as guides to draw the rest of the flying fox's body. Simply darken the outer edges of the initial guides to create the shape of the bat's body. Use short strokes along the path of the guides for a furry texture on the body. Above the first foot, draw the other foot peeking from behind the wing. Use the first foot as a template to draw the second foot. Make the shape thin and add the claws at the end. Use short strokes along the top edge of the guides for the section of the body that attaches to the bat's wing.

Step 19: On the left edge of the other wing, where the line bends, draw a small, thin shape for the other thumb. When you get the position and shape right, darken the lines and add a thin, pointy tip for the bat's claw. Darken the guide below that for the first part of the wing. Add a parallel line inside the shape for detail. Follow the basic path of the guide at the top to draw the upper edge of the flying fox's wing. Darken the edge using a series of small, curved lines for the stretched skin attached to the digits. Inside the shape, draw a few lines for the indentations of the digits on the other side.

---

Step 20: 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. Re-draw any final sketch lines you may have accidentally erased.

Final Step: Add some shading to your flying fox drawing for extra detail. Use a very light value on the wings. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. Use smooth strokes for a non-textured surface on the wings. Use a dark value for the arm and digits. Start with a light value and slowly work your way up to a dark value on the arm and digits. Use a light value for the skin on the bat's wing to emphasize the contrast with the dark arm and digits. Remember to use smooth, even strokes on the wings to avoid a textured surface. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

Shade the flying fox's ears and nose using a dark value and use a medium value for the rest of the head. Use a series of short strokes to shade the body for a fur-like texture. Use strokes with a horizontal orientation as you shade the fur on the bat's body. Use a dark value on the body for some shadows and a bit of a coat pattern. Use some dark value on the flying fox's head too. Shading can be very time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks.

It's a good idea to use reference as you draw for an accurate depiction of a flying fox. Draw a series of random lines on the wing on the right for veins and creases on the almost translucent skin. Don't forget to pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace.

Thanks for visiting! Subscribe to the How2DrawAnimals YouTube Channel for a new tutorial every week.

To learn how to draw popular cartoon characters, visit EasyDrawingTutorials.com.

RELATED TUTORIALS