In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Mourning Dove 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 Mourning Dove 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 front part of the mourning dove'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 a circle check out this tutorial: Four simple ways to draw a circle.

Step 2: On the lower, right side of the circle, draw a big arc as a guide for the bottom half of the mourning dove's body. Pay attention to the position and size of this arc in relation to the circle. The combined shape of both guides should br similar to an egg. On the top, left side of the body, draw a smaller circle as a guide for the head. This circle should be about half the size of the body circle. Don't place the head circle to high above the body or the neck will be too long.

Step 3: Inside the head, draw a horizontal line. This is a construction guide that will help you place the mourning dove's facial features later on. On the left side of the head, draw a small, arc-like shape as a guide for the beak. Pay attention to the size of this arc in relation to the head. Connect the head to the body using two curved lines to create the guide for the neck.

Step 4: Under the body, draw an angled line as a guide for the dove's leg. Bend the line near the top indicate where the joint will be. Don't draw this line too long. At the bottom, draw a horizontal line as a guide for the foot. On the lower, right side of the body, draw a long, thin, triangualr shape as a guide for the tail. This guide should be almost the same length as the entire body.

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

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Step 5: Inside the mourning dove's head, on top of the horizontal construction guide, lightly sketch a small circle for the eye. When you get the size and position of the eye right, darken the shape. Inside the eye, off to the side draw a tiny circle for a highlight. Shade the eye but don't overlap the tiny highlight circle as you shade. 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 arc on the left as a guide to draw the dove's beak. Darken the path of the guide to create the beak but make the shape thinner and the tip pointy. Inside the shape, near the bottom, draw a sloping line for the mouth. The mouth should extend into the head. Draw a curve line around the mouth. On the top part of the beak, draw a thick, short line for the nostril.

Step 7: Darken the initial small circle to create the shape of the mourning dove's head. Make the head wider and flatter at the top than the initial circle. Draw a curved line under the beak for the narrow shape of the throat. Add a few lines around the eye for extra detail. On the lower part of the head, draw a few wavy lines for feathers.

Step 8: Lightly sketch a long, curved shape across the entire body for the dove's folded wing. The right side of the wing should be thin and pointy and the left side should be wider and curved. The right side should also overlap the guide for the tail. When you get the overall shape of the wing right, darken the lines.

Step 9: Draw a series of curved, horizontal lines along the tip of the wing for the mourning dove's feathers. Curve the lines so that they overlap each other. Draw the feathers at the top short and the feathers at the bottom long.

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Step 10: Use the angled line under the body as a guide to draw the dove's leg. First draw a short, horizontal 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 skinny. At the bottom, draw the toe around the guide too. Make the tip of the toe pointy for the nail. Add a thin, shape near the middle for another toe. Add a smaller shape on the right side for the toe pointing backward.

Step 11: Use the remaining shapes and lines as guides to draw the rest of the dove's body. Simply darken the outer edges of the initial guides to create the shape of the body. Don't overlap the leg as you darken the underside of the body. Use short strokes on the underside of the body for feathers.

Step 12: Draw the dove's tail inside the triangular shape on the right side. Make the tail thinner than the initial guide. Add a few lines within the shape for feathers. At the top, draw a short, curved line for the tip of the folded wing that's on the other side of the body. To the left of the first leg draw the visible portion of the other leg. Use the first leg as a template to draw the second leg.

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: Add some shading to your mourning dove drawing. Use a medium value all over the body. Shade lightly at first, and then gradually build up to darker values. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. Use a slightly darker value for the folded wing area. Shade slowly and evenly for a smooth texture. Leave the edges of the feathers on the wing blank. Inside the middle of the wing, draw a few crescent-like shapes for the spotted pattern. Add a darker value to the neck feathers and beak too. Add shadows using a darker value throughout the bird's body to give the figure more dimension and volume. Pick the direction of the light source when shading so that the shadows are consistent with it. Use a medium value to add a cast shadow underneath to ground the bird. Shading can be time-consuming so be patient and take breaks. It's a good idea to use reference as you draw for an accurate depiction of a mourning dove. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

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