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

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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.

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To draw this Leopard Gecko 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.

Below you can watch a NEW step-by-step video tutorial with NARRATED steps:

The following is a video tutorial where the steps are WRITTEN out within the video:

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 gecko's body. The circles don't have to be perfect. They're just guides. Geckos have long bodies, so place the circles far apart. The farther apart they are, the longer the body will be.

Step 2: Draw a slightly smaller circle on the upper left side as a guide for the gecko's head.

Step 3: Draw a U-shaped arc on the left side of the head as a guide for the gecko's muzzle. The combined shapes will look similar to an egg.

Step 4: Draw three short, angled lines under the gecko's body (two in front, and one in the back) as guides for the feet. Geckos have short legs, so don't draw the lines too long. Also pay attention to the placement of the lines in regards to the circles and the way the lines angle.

Step 5: Draw a series of curved lines that connect the major shapes to form the gecko's body. Draw a curved line on the right side of the right circle as a guide for the gecko's tail. The longer the line is, the longer the tail will be.

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

Step 6: Draw the eye on the top left part of the circle. The shape of the eye is similar to an oval that comes to a point on the left side. Add a long, thin line in the middle of the gecko's eye for the pupil. Draw a small circle on top to represent glare. Add curved lines to the sides for the actual eyeball. Draw many random squiggly lines on the either side of the pupil for the gecko's iris. Shade in the eye except for the glare and a small space on either side of the pupil. Notice that the top part of the gecko's eye is a darker value than the bottom. Draw a few lines above and below the eye for the ridge that is around it. Draw the visible portion of the eye on the other side by drawing a few curved lines on top of the gecko's head.

Step 7: Draw the gecko's muzzle using the initial arc as a guide. Darken the sides of the arc and make them a bit thinner. Draw a wavy line that extends to the right, below the eye. Draw a small circle above it for the nostril.

Step 8: Finish the rest of the gecko's head by using the initial circle as a guide. Draw a few wavy lines under the mouth for the detail on the gecko's throat. Draw a crescent-like shape on the right side for the ear opening.

Step 9: Using the lines as guides, draw the gecko's front feet. Lightly sketch the shape of the foot as you follow the path of the line. When you get the structure right, darken the lines. The lines on top overlap to indicate the top of the foot coming forward. Draw the digits at the end by drawing a few curved lines that come to a point. Draw the foot on the other side using the same technique. Draw lightly at first and darken when you get the structure right. Draw the pointy digits at the bottom.

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Step 10: Now use the other line as a guide to draw the gecko's hind leg. The other hind leg will be hidden on the other side of the body, so there's no need to draw it. Follow the path of the line as you lightly sketch the structure of the foot. When you have the shape right, darken it. Have the top right lines overlap to bring the leg forward. Add the pointy toes at the bottom.

Step 11: Draw the rest of the gecko's body by using the remaining lines as guides. Darken the lines and make them curvier for a more organic feel.

Step 12: Use the curved line on the right as a guide to draw the gecko's tail. Follow the path of the line as you lightly sketch the shape of the tail. The base of the tail ends at a point. When you darken the shape of the tail, use small, curved, overlapping lines to represent the rough ridges on the gecko's tail.

Step 13 (optional): 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. Also re-draw any final sketch lines that you may have accidentally erased.

Final Step (optional): Add some shading to your gecko 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. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value.

Draw a cast shadow underneath. This helps ground the gecko so it doesn't appear to be floating.

You can add more value throughout your gecko drawing for extra detail. Shade the entire body evenly to give the skin a solid value. To make this leopard gecko, you have to add spots all over the body! Add the different-sized and different-shaped spots all over the body. Don't overthink it. Just have fun and add them randomly. If you want more accuracy when adding the spots, use reference. Or if you have a pet gecko, imitate its spots on your drawing. Adding the spots can be very time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks as you draw them. Geckos have bumpy skin. To indicate this rough texture, add squiggly lines randomly all over the leopard gecko's body. Don't forget to pause the "How to Draw a Gecko" video when you need to so that you can follow at your own pace.

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