Please PAUSE the "How to Draw a Hyena" 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 hyena's body. The circles don't have to be perfect. They're just guides. The circle on the right should be placed lower than the one on the left. The circle on the left should also be smaller. The edges of the circles should touch slightly.
Step 2: Draw a smaller circle (about one-fourth the size of the first circle) on the upper left side as a guide for the hyena's head. The placement of this circle will determine the length of the neck. Hyenas have long necks, so don't place the circle too close to the body.
Step 3: Draw a U-shaped arc on the left side of the head as a guide for the hyena's muzzle.
Step 4: Draw a small, angled line similar to an upside-down letter V on top of the head as a guide for the hyena's ear.
Step 5: Draw a series of lines that connect the major shapes to form the hyena's body. Make the line at the bottom curvier for the bulging belly and draw a small line on the right for the hyena's tail.
Step 6: Draw four lines under the hyena's body (two below each circle) as guides for the legs. The lines in front should have a slight curve to them. They should bend forward a bit at the end for the toes. The lines in the back should bend near the middle for the joint in the leg.
That's it for the initial sketch! From this point on, press harder with your pencil to get a more defined sketch.
Step 7: Draw the hyena's eye on the upper left side of the circle. The shape of the eye is similar to a football. Draw a small circle inside the shape for the eyeball. Draw a tiny dot inside the circle for the pupil. Shade in the eyeball except for a tiny portion to represent glare. Shade the eyeball using a lighter value than the rest of the eye. Draw some lines above and below the hyena's eye for extra detail.
Step 8: Draw the hyena's nose on the tip of the initial arc guide. First draw the outer structure of the nose using the edge of the arc, then draw a small angled line inside the shape for the nostril.
Step 9: Draw the rest of the hyena's muzzle using the arc as a guide. Darken the top edge of the arc. Draw a line under the nose that extends to the right for the mouth. Draw another long line under the hyena's mouth for the jaw.
Step 10: Use the shape on top of the hyena's head as a guide to draw the ear. Darken the top of the shape and extend the lines down toward the inside of the head. Draw the fur inside the ear by drawing quick, short strokes inside the shape. Draw the visible portion of the ear on the other side.
Step 11: Draw the rest of the head using the circle as a guide. Use quick, short strokes at the top of the head to represent the fur that sticks up. Draw the hyena's lower jaw and a few lines inside the head for extra detail.
Step 12: Using the lines as guides, draw the hyena's front legs. Lightly sketch out the shape of the first leg as you follow the path of the line. When you get the structure right, darken the lines. Be sure to draw the small joint on the lower part of the leg. The top of the leg should be thick and get thinner at the bottom. Draw the hyena's paw and claws using a series of curved lines. Draw the leg on the other side by following the path of the other line. Draw lightly at first to get the structure right. Draw the joint near the bottom and bend the foot slightly forward. Draw the hyena's paw and claws at the bottom.
Step 13: Now use the other lines as guides to draw the hind legs. Remember to sketch lightly at first as you follow the guide line. The top of the hyena's hind leg should be thicker than the top of the front leg. There should be a more noticeable bend at the joint. Darken the lines once you get the structure right. Draw the paws and claws. The toes are created by drawing two small, curved lines. The claws are basically tiny triangles. Now draw the leg on the other side using the same technique. Make the top thicker than the bottom and bend the foot at the joint.
Step 14: Draw the rest of the hyena's body by using the remaining lines as guides. Use quick, short strokes at the top of the neck to indicate the mane-like fur that sticks up. Draw the tail on the right side using quick, short strokes too.
Step 15 (optional): For a cleaner look, erase as much as you can of the initial guide lines. Don't worry about erasing all of them. 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 hyena 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 hyena so it doesn't appear to be floating.
You can add more value throughout your hyena drawing for extra detail. It's a good idea to use reference for accuracy when shading the hyena's coat. This is a spotted hyena, so draw different-sized spots all over the body. Don't overthink it when adding the spots. Just draw blobs of a darker value randomly throughout the hyena's body. Remember to pause the "How to Draw a Hyena" video any time you need help.
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