In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Himalayan Cat 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 Himalayan 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.

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 circle near the right side of the paper as a guide for the Himalayan cat's head. To draw the circle, first make four marks to determine its 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 bottle cap. 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: Draw a curved, horizontal line across the head to help you place the Himalayan cat's facial features later. Draw a short, curved, vertical line on the top, right side for another construction guide.

Step 3: Draw a small circle on the bottom half of the head as a guide for the Himalayan's muzzle. Pay attention to the size of this circle in relation to the cat's head. Use the construction lines as guides.

Step 4: On the top, left side of the head, draw a small, triangular shape as a guide for the cat's first ear. On the top, right side of the head, draw a slightly smaller triangular shape as a guide for the other ear.

Step 5: On the lower, left side of the head, draw a big circle as a guide for the front part of the Himalayan cat's body. Use the four-marks method to draw this circle too. The top, right side should be behind the head. This circle should be about twice as big as the head. The circle needs to be big for the cat's fluffy fur.

---

Step 6: To the left, draw another big circle as a guide for the back portion of the Himalayan's body. Use the four-marks method to draw this circle too. The two body circles should be around the same size. The edges of the body circles should touch. If you place them far apart, your cat will be too long.

Step 7: Below the circle on the left, draw an angled line as a guide for the cat's hind leg. Bend the line in the middle and bottom. To the right, draw another line as a guide for the front leg but only bend it at the bottom and not the middle.

Step 8: Draw a series of lines that connect the three circles to create the guides for the torso and neck. The Himalayan cat's torso is big because of the fluffy fur. On the left side of the body, draw a long line that slopes down as a guide for the tail.

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

Step 9: Inside the head, lightly sketch two small circles for the Himalayan's eyes. Use the initial lines as guides for placement. When you get the size and position of the eyes right, darken the lines but make the sides pointier. For the shape on the left, make the lower, right side pointy for the corner of the eye. Darken the circle inside. Draw the eye on the right slightly narrower because of the way the cat's head is turned. Add the corner of the eye on the lower, left side but don't make the shape as pointy as the other eye.

---

Step 10: In the middle of each eye, draw a thin, slit-like shape for the Himalayan cat's pupils. The shapes should be similar to ovals with pointed ends. You can also draw circles for dilated pupils. Next to each pupil, draw two tiny circles to represent highlights. Use a very light value to shade the inside of the cat's eyes but don't overlap the tiny highlight circles. Leave the bottom of the eye mostly blank to emphasize the roundness of the eyeball and the light-colored iris. Draw a series of short strokes around the edge of the eyes for a bit of fur and structure. Extend the inner corners of the eye shapes downward so that they point to the cat's muzzle.

Step 11: Inside the muzzle, near the top, lightly sketch a small triangle for the Himalayan's nose. When you get the size and position right, darken the shape. Curve the left side inward to create the nostril. Make the bottom thin and pointy and draw a short line in the middle. At the top, draw a series of short strokes that lead to the cat's eyes for the bridge of the nose.

Step 12: Under the nose, draw a line that curves to the left for the first half of the cat's mouth. Use a series of short strokes to create this line. The line should end on the edge of the initial circle. To the right, draw a shorter line that's also made up of short strokes for the other side of the mouth. Draw a curved line that's made up of short strokes under the mouth for the chin. Follow the path of the initial circle. Above the mouth, draw a series of short strokes for the furry detail on the muzzle.

Step 13: Darken the shape on the top, left to create the ear. Use short strokes at the top for the pointy, furry tip. Draw a series of short strokes along the bottom of the shape for the fur at the base of the Himalayan cat's ear. Use the shape on the right as a guide to draw the other ear the same way. Make this ear a bit smaller.

Step 14: Darken the top part of the big initial circle using short strokes but make the shape flatter for the cat's head. Follow the basic curvature of the circle on the left side and draw short strokes for the side of the head. Make the side of the head wider than the initial circle. Draw the bottom part of the Himalayan cat's head higher than the circle too. Follow the right side of the initial circle more closely to create the other side of the head.

---

Step 15: Use the line on the right as a guide to draw the Himalayan cat's first front leg. Follow the path of the guide and lightly sketch the shape of the leg around it. Make the top part wide and the bottom narrow. Draw a curved shape at the bottom for the Himalayan's foot. When you get the shapes right, darken the lines. Use a series of short strokes along the edges of the leg and at the top to represent fur. On the tip of the foot, draw two short, curved lines to separate the cat's toes.

Step 16: To the right, draw the other front leg using the first front leg as a template. Most of this leg will be hidden behind the first leg, so only draw the visible front portion.

Step 17: Use the angled line on the left as a guide to draw the first hind leg. Lightly sketch the shape of the leg around the guide. Make the top part of the Himalayan's leg big and round. The bottom part of the leg slopes down a bit. When you get the shape of the leg right, darken the lines. Add a short, curved line at the tip of the foot to separate the cat's toes. Use a series of short strokes along the top part to create the round, furry section of the leg.

Step 18: To the right, use the first hind leg as a guide to draw the Himalayan cat's other hind leg the same way. Most of this leg is hidden, so only draw the visible bottom portion.

Step 19: Use the remaining lines and shapes as guides to draw the rest of the Himalayan cat's body. Use short strokes to darken the outer edges of the initial guides to create the shape of the body. Use slightly longer strokes along the bottom for the shaggier fur that hangs down. Don't overlap the legs that are on this side of the body as you draw the fur on bottom. The longer you draw these strokes, the shaggier the fur will appear.

---

Step 20: Draw a series of short strokes along the guide line on the left for the top edge of the cat's tail. On the bottom, draw a curved line that's made up of short strokes for the bottom edge of the tail.

Step 21: 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 Himalayan cat drawing for extra detail. Use a dark value for the ears. Using short strokes, draw a shape that surrounds the face. Then shade the inside using a dark value. Shade lightly at first, and then gradually build up the level of darkness that you like. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

Himalayan cats have a point coloration. This means that their "points" (face, ears, feet and tail) are darker. Use a dark value for a seal point coloration. You can use a lighter value for a different type of point coloration. Use a lighter value to shade the rest of the body. Use longer strokes that go in the direction of the fur. Separate each individual stroke a bit so that the white of the paper comes through and creates a more fur-like texture. The Birman is a similar cat breed, but the ends of the feet are light. Use a light value on the feet to turn your cat drawing into a Birman. It's a good idea to use reference as you draw for an accurate depiction of the cat breed you like.

Add some shadows all over using a slightly darker value to give the figure more dimension and volume. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. Pick the direction of the light source when shading so that the shadows are consistent with it. Add a cast shadow underneath to ground the Himalayan cat so it doesn't appear to be floating. 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