In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Giraffe 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 Giraffe 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 giraffe's body. The first circle should be a little longer, like an oval. The second circle should be smaller, and the top part should be about where the half point of the oval is. The shapes don't have to be perfect; they're just guides. Instead, pay closer attention to their placement.

Step 2: Draw a smaller circle on the top right side as a guide for the giraffe's head. The higher the circle, the longer the neck will be.

Step 3: Draw an arc on the right side of the giraffe's head as a guide for the muzzle.

Step 4: Draw an angled line similar to an upside-down letter V on top of the head as a guide for the giraffe's ear.

 

 

Step 5: Draw a series of curved lines to connect the major shapes and form the giraffe's long neck and body.

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Step 6: Draw four lines under the giraffe's body as guides for the legs. The giraffe's legs in the back should angle more than the ones in the front. Also draw a small curved line on the left side as a guide for the giraffe's tail.

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 giraffe's eye near the middle of the circle. The shape of the eye is similar to that of a flattened football. Draw a couple circles inside for the giraffe's eyeball and pupil and shade them in. Darken the top part of the eye to represent the long eyelashes an draw a few lines around the giraffe's eye as extra detail.

Step 8: Use the upside-down V shape as a guide to draw the giraffe's ear. Draw a few lines within the shape to give the giraffe's ear more structure.

 

 

Step 9: Draw the giraffe's horn-like ossicones next to the ear as short pillars with furry tops.

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Step 10: Draw the giraffe's muzzle using the arc as a guide. The top lip extends to the outside of the arc, while the chin stays within it. Draw a small slit on the top part for the giraffe's nostril.

Step 11: Use the remaining lines and shapes to draw the rest of the head. Angle the top part for the brow and curve the bottom part for the jaw.

Step 12: Use the initial lines as guides to draw the giraffe's long neck. Use quick, short strokes all along the back side of the neck to represent the short mane.

Step 13: Use the initial lines as guides to draw the giraffe's hind legs. Draw lightly at first. When you like what you have, go ahead and darken it. The base of the giraffe's leg should be thicker. Draw a bump where the leg angles back for the joint and draw a line at the bottom for the giraffe's hoof. Do the same thing for the leg on the other side. Draw lightly at first, then darken it when you like what you have.

 

 

Step 14: Use the initial lines as guides to draw the giraffe's front legs. Use the same technique as with the hind legs. Remember to draw the bump for the joint and the line at the bottom for the giraffe's hoof. Finish up the leg on the other side the same way.

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Step 15: Use the initial lines as guides to draw the rest of the giraffe's body.

Step 16: Draw the giraffe's tail using the line as a guide. Use long strokes at the bottom to represent the hair at the end of the giraffe's tail.

Step 17 (optional): For a cleaner look, erase as much as you can of the initial guide lines. Don't worry about erasing all the guides. It's okay to leave some behind. Also re-draw any of the final lines you accidentally erase.

 

 

Final Step (optional): This giraffe looks nekkid! Quick, draw the patches! Start with smaller blotches on the giraffe's head. They're not spots, just random shapes along the jaw. Then start drawing bigger shapes as you progress down the giraffe's neck. The patches aren't any particular shape, but they are a bit angular like pentagons. Think of the shapes as puzzle pieces that could interlock but don't quite come together. Add the shapes randomly. Each individual giraffe has a unique pattern, so don't overthink it. If you really want to be accurate with your giraffe drawing, remember to PAUSE the video or use reference to get the patches just right. The patches get smaller the farther down the legs they are.

You can add some shading to give your giraffe drawing more dimension and volume. Pick the direction of the light source when shading so that the shadows are consistent with it. Add a cast shadow underneath your giraffe. This helps ground the giraffe so it doesn't appear to be floating.

You can add more value throughout your giraffe drawing for extra detail. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value.

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