Please PAUSE the video after each step to draw at your own pace.

For the first few steps, don't press down too hard with your pencil. Use light, smooth strokes to begin.

Step 1: Draw two circles as guides for the horse's body. The circles don't have to be perfect. They're just guides. The circle on the left should be a bit smaller and placed lower than the circle on the right. Don't place the circles too far apart, otherwise your horse will end up too long.

Step 2: Draw another circle on the top, right side as a guide for the horse's head. This circle should be about one-fifth the size of the first one.

Step 3: Draw a U-shaped arc on the lower, right side of the head as a guide for the horse's muzzle.

Step 4: Draw a triangle-like shape on the top of the head as a guide for the horse's ears.

Step 5: Draw a series of lines that connect the major shapes and form the body. The first two lines form the neck. Notice the curvature of the line at the bottom. The second set of lines connect the two circles and form the horse's torso.

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Step 6: Draw two angled lines under the horse's body as guides for the feet and one on the side for the tail. Pay attention to where the lines bend. This indicates the joints on the legs. The line for the tail should be curved.

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

Step 7: Draw the eye inside the horse's head close to the right side. The shape of the eye is similar to a little football. Shade the inside of the eye except for a tiny circle to represent glare. Horses usually have dark-colored eyes, so use a dark value when shading. Add a line above the eye for extra detail.

Step 8: Draw the horse's nose on the tip of the muzzle near the bottom of the arc.

Step 9: Draw the rest of the horse's muzzle using the initial arc as a guide. Draw a curved line to the left of the nose for the mouth. Follow the basic path of the guide as you darken the lines to create the top and bottom part of the muzzle.

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Step 10: Use the triangle-like shape as a guide to draw one of the horse's ears. Use a series of curved lines for the front part of the mane. Add the tip of the ear on the other side too.

Step 11: Use the initial circle and arc as guides to draw the rest of the horse's head. Follow the basic path of the guides as you darken the lines and shape the head.

Step 12: Use the lines under the body as guides to draw the horse's legs that are on this side. Lightly sketch the shape of the folded front leg as you follow the path of the line. Make the joints a bit rounder where the guide line bends. When you get the structure of the leg right, darken the lines. Add the square-like hoof at the end of the leg as you darken the lines. Horses fold their front legs up close to their bodies as they jump to clear obstacles. Use the line on the left as a guide to draw the hind leg on this side of the body. Lightly sketch the shape of the leg as you follow the basic path of the guide. Darken the lines only once you have the structure right. The bottom of the horse's hoof should face backward. Add the joints where the guide line bends.

Step 13: Draw the horse's mane and tail by using the initial lines and shapes as guides. Draw the mane as a series of curved lines along the back of the neck. Don't draw every individual hair strand. The mane is blowing backward, so it should go directly over the neck. You can make it longer if you'd like. Follow the basic path of the line as you darken the shape of the horse's tail. Draw the basic outline of the tail using curved lines instead of every individual hair strand.

Step 14: Use the rest of the shapes and lines to draw the horse's body. Darken the lines as you follow the path of the initial guides.

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Step 15: Draw the set of legs on the other side of the body by using the first set as a template. Sketch lightly as you duplicate the shape of the leg. Then darken it when you get the structure right. Lightly sketch the shape of the hind leg to the right of the first one. Draw the horse's hoof pointing down touching the ground for added variation. Once you get the structure of the leg right, darken the lines.

Step 16 (optional): Erase as much as you can of the initial guide lines for a cleaner look. Don't worry about erasing all of the guides. It's okay to leave some behind. Re-draw any final sketch lines that you may have accidentally erased.

Final Step (optional): Add some shading to your horse 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. Don't worry too much about the shading if you're going to add more value to your horse drawing.

You can add more value throughout your horse drawing for extra detail. You can also emphasize the shading more and skip this step for a white horse. Horses can have darker coats, coats with different-sized patches and even spots! Shade your horse however you'd like.

Add a single dark value to the entire body for a simpler coat. Try to add the value evenly across the body for a smooth coat and avoid a rough, gritty texture. Use a lighter value on a few parts of the body to represent the shine of the coat. To get different degrees of tonal value, vary the pressure on your pencil. It's always a good idea to use reference when drawing for a more accurate drawing. If you own a horse, try to duplicate its pattern on your drawing. Remember to pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace.

Finally, add a cast shadow underneath. This helps emphasize the jump of the horse.

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

 

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