In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Flying Squirrel 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 Flying Squirrel 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 Narrated 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 so that it's easy to erase if you make a mistake.

Step 1: Start by drawing a circle as a guide for the flying squirrel's body. To draw the circle, first make four marks to determine the height and width. Then connect the marks using curved lines. Sketch lightly at first so that it's easy to erase if you make a mistake. If you're struggling to draw the circle, just trace the outer rim of a circular object like a coin or a bottle cap. For a more detailed guide on the different ways to draw circles check out this tutorial: Four simple ways to draw a circle. Inside the head draw two lines as construction guides to help you place the facial features later on.

Step 2: Under the horizontal guide, draw a small circle as a guide for the squirrel's muzzle. On top of the head, draw two small triangular shapes as guides for the ears. Pay attention to the sizes and positions of these shapes in relation to the head circle.

Step 3: To the right of the head, draw a bigger circle as a guide for the top part of the flying squirrel's body. Use the four marks method to draw this circle too. This circle should be about two times the size of the head circle. On the bottom, right side, draw a long, curved line as a guide for the lower part of the body. This guide should be similar to an upside-down arc.

Step 4: On the top part of the body, near the head, draw two long lines as guide for the squirrel's front legs. On the tips of the lines, draw a couple of curved shapes as guides for the feet. Draw similar shapes at the bottom of the body but make the guides for the feet longer. The squirrel will have its limbs stretched out as it glides, so pay attention to the lengths and positions of these lines in relation to the body.

Step 5: Connect the legs on the sides using two long lines to create the guides for the flying squirrel's skin flaps. Flying squirrels don't really fly, they use these skin flaps to glide from tree to tree. The end result should be similar to a big square around the body. Under the body, draw a line that curves to the left as a guide for the tail.

That's it for the guidelines! From this point on, press down harder with your pencil for a more defined drawing of a flying squirrel.

Step 6: Inside the head, lightly sketch two small circles for the squirrel's eyes. Use the initial lines as guides to help you place the eyes inside the head. The eye on the left should be smaller and thinner because the head is turned. When you get the size and position of the eyes right, darken the shapes. Inside each eye, off to the side draw a tiny circle for highlights. Shade the eyes but don't overlap the tiny highlight circles. Make the middle of the eyes slightly darker for the pupils. Add a few small, curved lines around the rodent's eyes for a bit of the bare skin and fur.

Step 7: Inside the muzzle, near the middle, lightly sketch a small oval for the flying squirrel's nose. When you get the size and position right, darken the shape but make it curvier at the bottom and add short strokes at the top for fur. Under the nose, draw a wavy line for the mouth. Use short strokes to draw the mouth for a furry texture. Continue to draw strokes along the side of the small circle for the muzzle. Add strokes above the nose to emphasize the shape of the muzzle. Under the mouth, draw a short, curved line for the chin.

Step 8: Use the small, triangular shapes on the head as guides to draw the squirrel's ears. Darken the guides but make the sides curvier. Draw a few lines inside the shapes to give the ears more structure. Add a series of short strokes along the bottom of the shapes to create a furry texture.

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Step 9: Use the initial circle as a guide to draw the rest of the flying squirrel's head. Darken the path of the circle using short strokes to create a furry texture. Make the sides of the head wider and the bottom shorter as you darken the shape.

Step 10: Use the lines and shapes at the top as guides to draw squirrel's splayed front legs. Draw the small feet inside the initial curved shapes. Draw a series of short lines inside the shapes to separate the toes. Make the tips of the toes pointy for the claws. The inside of the foot on the left is facing away from the viewer. Above the feet, draw a couple of small curved shapes using short strokes to create the top of the skin flaps. Darken the tops of the guides for the top edges of the limbs and add sloping lines inside the body that are made up of short strokes for the bottom edges of the limbs and inner edge of the skin flap.

Step 11: Use the lines at the bottom as guides to draw the flying squirrel's hind legs the same way. Draw the feet inside the initial shapes but make the toes longer than the toes for the front legs. Add the tops of the legs using lines that are made up of short strokes. The top edges of the legs should be inside the body.

Step 12: Darken the guides in the middle using short strokes to create the shape of the squirrel's furry torso. Use the lines on the sides as guide to draw the loose skin flaps. Follow the paths of the guides but make the lines wavier as you darken them. Add an extra curved line on the right for a fold on the skin.

Step 13: Use the line on the bottom as a guide to draw the flying squirrel's tail. Draw a wide shape around the guide line that's made up of short stroke for the fur on the tail. In the middle of the shape draw a series of short strokes along the initial guide for the furry middle of the tail.

Step 14: 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: Shade your flying squirrel drawing for extra detail. Use a medium on the head and on the visible part of the top of the body that's next to the head. Leave the area around the eyes and the bottom of the head blank for the white fur. Use a light value for the white fur on the underside of the body. Shade lightly at first and gradually build up to darker values. For light values, push down very lightly on your pencil and push down harder for darker values. As you shade the body, use strokes that go in the general direction of the fur. Also as you shade, separate each stroke a bit so that the white of the paper comes through and creates a more furry texture. Add a darker value throughout the body to create shadows. Shadows will give the figure more dimension and volume. Shade the tail using long strokes that curve along the path of the tail. It's a good idea to use reference as you shade for a more accurate depiction of a flying squirrel. Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

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