In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Northern Mockingbird 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 Mockingbird 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: Draw two circles as guides for the mockingbird's head and the body. To draw each circle, first make four marks to determine the circle's 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. Pay attention to the sizes and placements of the circles. For a more detailed guide on the different ways to draw a circle check out this tutorial: Four simple ways to draw a circle.

Step 2: Inside the head, draw a two intersecting lines that are similar to a plus sign. These are guide lines that will help you place the mockingbird's facial features later on. On the right side of the head circle, draw a long, thin triangular shape as a guide for the beak. Pay attention to how long this guide is in relation to the head.

Step 3: Connect the two circles using sloping lines to create the guide for the neck. On the lower, left side of the big circle, draw a big arc as a guide for the bottom half of the northern mockingbird's body. Pay attention to the position and size of this arc in relation to the circle.

Step 4: On the lower, left side of the body, draw a long, thin shape as a guide for the mockingbird's tail. The tail should be pretty long in relation to the body. Under the body, draw two angled lines as guides for the legs. The bottoms of the lines should slope to the right side. At the bottom of each line, draw a short, curved line as guides for the feet and toes. The legs should also be long in relation to the body.

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

Step 5: Inside the head, on the top, right side, lightly sketch a small circle for the northern mockingbird's eye. When you get the size and position of the eye right, darken the lines. Inside the eye, off to the side draw a tiny circle for a highlight. In the middle of the eye, draw a slightly bigger circle and shade it in for the pupil. Don't overlap the tiny highlight circle as you shade in the pupil. Add a few small, curved lines around the bird's eye for a bit of the bare skin and corners of the eyes.

Step 6: Use the triangular guide on the right side as a guide to draw the mockingbird's beak. Draw a line near the middle of the guide that extends toward the inside of the head for the mouth. Add the base of the beak using a series of shorter curved lines. Place the base of the beak near the middle of the triangular guide. The beak should be shorter than the initial triangular guide. Inside the top part of the beak, draw a small circle for the nostril.

Step 7: Use the other shapes and lines as guides to draw the rest of the mockingbird's head. Darken the top parts of the guides but make the shape of the head longer than the initial circle. The top line for the head should extend toward the top of the beak. Add a sloping line at the bottom for the neck. Inside the head, draw a few short strokes for the a feathery texture.

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Step 8: Draw a long, curved line across the entire body for the bird's folded wing. The bottom edge of the wing should be close to the bottom edge of the body. The left side of the wing should be thinner than the right and it should extend into the shape of the tail. Along the middle of the wing, draw a series of longer curved lines for feathers. Each of these lines should be similar to the letter J on its side.

Step 9: Draw a few long lines near the bottom of the wing for more feathers. Add shorter lines near the top to finish the feather pattern on the wing. Use the sloping line under the body that's on the left side as a guide to draw the northern mockingbird's first leg. First draw a curved line at the to that's made up of short strokes for the feathery base of the leg. Then draw the shape of the leg around the guide line. Draw the edges of the leg close to the guide to keep the shape of the leg thin. Draw the shape of the foot and toes around the curved line at the bottom. Make the tips of the toes pointy and curved for the nails.

Step 10: Use the angled line on the right as a guide to draw the mockingbird's other leg the same way. Draw the shape of the leg and foot around the guide lines. Keep the shape of the leg thin and the make the tips of the toes thin and pointy for the nails. Use the remaining shapes and lines as guides to draw the rest of the bird's body. Simply darken the outer edges of the initial guides to create the shape of the body. On the top, left side, draw a few short lines for the visible part of the other folded wing.

Step 11: Draw the shape of the tail within the long, thin guide on the left side. The tail is made up of long, sloping lines. Make the base of the tail wider than the tip. Under the feet, draw a few lines to give the mockingbird a branch to perch on. On the bottom of the branch, draw a series of jagged lines for the broken tip.

Step 12: 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 mockingbird drawing for extra detail. 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. Use a medium value on the top part of the body and a light value for the bottom. Shade the beak and the feathers on the wing using a dark value. Leave the tips of the feathers blank. Leave a strip on the top of the beak blank for a highlight. Shade slowly and evenly for a smooth texture. Add a medium value along the bottom of the body to create a shadow. It's a good idea to use reference as you shade for a more accurate depiction of a northern mockingbird. 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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