In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Prairie Dog 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 Prairie Dog 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 prairie dog'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.

Step 2: Inside the head, draw a curved horizontal line. This is a construction guide that will help you place the prairie dog's facial features later on. Place this line close to the top edge of the head circle. On the top, left side, draw a short, vertical line for another construction guide.

Step 3: Under the horizontal guide, draw a small circle as a guide for the prairie dog's muzzle. Pay attention to the size and position of this circle in relation to the head circle. The top edge of this circle should overlap the horizontal construction guide.

Step 4: Far down below the head, draw a bigger circle as a guide for the lower part of the prairie dog'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. Connect this circle to the head using curved vertical lines to finish the guide for the body.

Step 5: Inside the body, near the middle, draw a short, angled line as a guide for the prairie dog's first front leg. Bend this line to indicate where the joints will be. On the left side of the body, draw a short, curved line as a guide for the other front leg. Under the body, draw two lines that slope to the left side as guide for the feet. On the lower, left side of the body, draw a short, horizontal line as a guide for the tail.

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

Step 6: Inside the head, on top of the horizontal construction guide, lightly sketch a small circle for the prairie dog's eye. When you get the size and position of the eye right, darken the shape but make the sides wider and pointier. Inside the eye, off to the side draw a tiny circle for a highlight. In the middle of the eye, draw a big dot for the pupil. Shade the eye but don't overlap the tiny highlight circle as you shade. Add a few small, curved lines around the rodent's eye for a bit of the bare skin and fur.

Step 7: Inside the muzzle, near the left edge, draw a small, V-shaped line for the prairie dog's nose. Make the shape thicker at the bottom for the nostrils. Under the nose, draw a line that splits into two for the mouth. Use short strokes to draw the mouth for a furry texture. The left side of the mouth should be shorter than the right. Add a few short strokes above the nose for fur.

Step 8: Darken the left edge of the small initial circle using short strokes to create the side of the prairie dog's muzzle. To the right of the nose, draw a few rows of dots for the base of the whiskers. To the left of the eye, draw a short, curved line for the ear. Add a few short strokes under the ear and to the right of it for the fur that surrounds it.

Step 9: Use the first circle as a guide to draw the rest of the prairie dog's head. Draw a series of short strokes along the basic path of the circle to create the shape of the head. Make the top of the head flatter than the circle. Below the muzzle, add a few short strokes to emphasize the fur on the neck.

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Step 10: Use the angled line in the middle of the body as a guide to draw the prairie dog's front leg. Draw the toes around the bottom of the guide line. Each toe is similar to the letter U. Add a small, pointy triangle on the bottom of each toe for the nails. At the top, draw the shape of the leg around the guide line. Make the shape of the leg wide and use short strokes for a furry texture. Draw the leg on the left the same way. Draw the toes at the bottom of the guide and make the tips pointy for the nails. Draw the shape of the leg around the guide line using short strokes.

Step 11: Draw the rest of the prairie dog's body by using the shapes in the middle as guides. Simply darken the outer edges of the guides using short strokes to create the furry shape of the body. Add a few strokes between the top legs for the chest and more strokes at the bottom for the legs.

Step 12: Use the lines under the body as guides to draw the prairie dog's feet. Draw the shapes of the feet around the guide lines. Use short, curved lines along the tips of the guides for the toes. On the tip of each toe, draw a small, triangular shape for the nails. Keep the edges of the feet close to the guides so that the shapes are thin. Sketch lightly at first and only darken the lines when you get the shapes right. Use the line on the right as a guide to draw the tail. Make the shape of the tail thicker and use short strokes for a furry texture.

Step 13: 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 prairie 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. As you shade the body, use strokes that go in the general direction of the fur. The strokes on the head should radiate out from the nose while the strokes on the body should be mainly vertical. As you shade, separate each stroke a bit so that the white of the paper comes through and creates a more furry texture. Shade the muzzle and underside of the body using a lighter value. Add long strokes on the sides of the muzzle for whiskers. Use a dark value to shade the nails.

Add a darker value throughout the body to create shadows. Pick a light source as you shade so that the shadows are consistent. Here the light source is coming from the top, so most of the shadows are on the underside of the shapes. It's a good idea to use reference as you shade for a more accurate depiction of a prairie dog. 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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