In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Cat restin in a "Loaf" position step-by-step.

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To draw this Cat Loafing 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 left side of the paper as a guide for the loafing cat'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 cup 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: Draw a curved, horizontal line across the head to help you place the cat's facial features later. On top of that, slightly off to the left from center, draw a vertical construction guide line.

Step 3: Draw a small circle as a guide for the muzzle between the horizontal line and the bottom edge of the cat's head. Pay attention to the size and position of this circle in relation to the bigger circle. Use the lines as guides.

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

Step 5: To the far right of the cat's head, make a small mark. This will determine how long the body will be. Draw a long, curved line from the ear on the right to the mark as a guide for the top part of the cat's body. The line should slope upward a bit before curving down toward the mark. Sketch lightly.

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Step 6: Under the head, on the left side, draw a short, vertical line for the first part of the bottom of the loafing cat's body. At the bottom, continue to draw the line so that it angles and stretches to the right. Bend the line a bit and slope it upward so that it meets the line for the top of the body.

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

Step 7: Lightly sketch the cat's eyes inside the head as two small ovals. Use the initial lines as guides for the position and size of the eyes. When you get the position and size right, darken the lines. Make the sides pointier for the corners of the eyes. Make the top part flatter. The inner corner should point down toward the muzzle. Draw a curved line under the cat's eye. Draw a curved line over the eye on the right to make the shape flatter. Darken the lower part of the initial oval for the shape of the inner eye. Draw a curved line under the eye. Extend the inner corner of the eye down toward the muzzle. Extend the line at the top to make the outer corner of the eye longer too.

Step 8: Inside each eye, off to the side, draw a tiny circle for highlight. In the middle of each eye, draw a small shape similar to a half oval with a pointy bottom for the slitted pupils. You can make these shapes thinner for more slitted pupils or more circular for dilated pupils. Shade the inside of the cat's pupils. Don't overlap the tiny highlight circles as you shade. Draw a series of short strokes over each eye for a bit of detail of the fur.

Step 9: Inside the muzzle, near the middle, lightly sketch a small triangle for the cat's nose. When you get the size and position right, darken the lines. Make the edge wavier and the top corners longer. As you darken the right side, curve the line inward to create the nostril. The nostril on the left isn't too visible from this angle. Make the bottom part thin and pointy. Draw a short line at the bottom.

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Step 10: Under the nose, draw a line that's made up of short strokes that curves to the right for the first part of the cat's mouth. Add a line on the left for the other side of the mouth. Curve the line up along the edge of the initial circle. Extend the line on the right farther outside of the initial circle. Use short strokes for the fur. Under the mouth, draw a curved line that's made up of short strokes for the chin. Use the lower edge of the circle as a guide.

Step 11: Use the triangular shape on the upper, right side as a guide to draw the first ear. Darken the initial guide. On the bottom, right side, make the shape curvier and add extra lines for structure. Draw a series of short strokes along the bottom of the shape for the fur at the base of the ear opening. Draw a series of longer strokes within the shape for the fur found inside the cat's ear.

Step 12: Use the triangular shape on the left as a guide to draw the other ear the same way. Draw the shape of the ear as a thin arc inside the triangular shape. Make the sides wavy. On the lower, right side, draw a short, curved line for the visible portion of the back of the ear. Draw a series of short strokes along the bottom of the cat's ear and within the shape for the fur.

Step 13: Use the initial circle as a guide to draw the rest of the cat's head. Draw a series of short strokes along the path of the circle to create the furry shape of the head. The side of the head should be a bit wider than the initial circle. The bottom should be higher than the initial circle. Draw the top of the head slightly higher than the initial circle. Draw the right side of the head farther right for a wider shape. The bottom of the cat's head should be higher than the initial circle. It should be close to the mouth. Draw a few more short strokes within the shape of the head for extra detail on the fur.

Step 14: Draw a curved line under the head that's made up of short strokes for the front part of the cat's body. Draw the left side of the line on top of the initial guide. As the line curves to the right, draw it higher than the initial guides. This line is for the furry chest that will be resting on the folded front legs. Use short strokes to draw the line and make it wavy. Draw a curved line on the lower, left side along the initial guide for the first folded front leg. To the right, draw a longer curved line along the path of the guide for the other folded leg. Use short strokes on the right. At the top, to the right of the ear, draw a curved line made up of short strokes for the cat's furry scruff.

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Step 15: Use the lines on the right as a guide to draw the rest of the loafing cat's body. Draw a series of short strokes along the path of the guide to create the furry shape of the body. At the bottom, make the shape curvier and higher up than the initial guide. Darken the bottom of the guide for the cat's tail tucked under the body. Inside the body, draw a few more short strokes for the fur and to emphasize the folded hind leg.

Step 16: 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 drawing for extra detail. Cats have a variety of coat patterns, so you can shade yours however you'd like. You can also just add some shadows for a white cat. For this tabby look, draw some stripes on the forehead using a dark value and use a medium value for the rest of the head. Leave an area around the eyes blank. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

On the head, use strokes that radiate outward from the cat's nose. Draw some dots on the muzzle for the base of the whiskers. Leave the bottom of the head blank for white fur. Shade lightly at first, and then gradually build up the level of darkness that you like. Use strokes that go in the direction of the fur. Add stripes to the body using a darker value. Use a medium value to shade the eyes but don't overlap the tiny highlight circles.

Add more value for shadows to give the figure more dimension and volume. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. Separate each individual stroke a bit so that the white of the paper comes through and creates a more fur-like texture.

It's a good idea to use reference as you draw for an accurate depiction of a cat. If you have a pet cat, try to duplicate its coat on your drawing. Add a bit of value under the cat for a cast shadow. Don't forget to pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace.

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