How To Draw A Dog: A Simple, Step By Step Guide For Everyone

If you’d like to know how to draw a dog, you’ve come to the right place. By following these step by step instructions outlined by a professional artist, you can create the dog drawing of your creative dreams. This guide will help you out, whether you’re drawing your first or fiftieth cute little (or big) dog!

1. First off, let’s look at a picture of a dog. For the sake of this tutorial, I have to select a specific breed so I’m going with the French Bulldog because they’re silly and cute (and I can do whatever I want!).

How To Draw A Dog
How To Draw A Dog

2. Not to get all Rain Man on you, but if you really look closely, a dog’s body (or any kind of body for that matter) is just a bunch of different circles thrown together. So with that concept in mind, let’s begin.

How To Draw A Dog
How To Draw A Dog

3. Start off with drawing a circle. I squared mine a little bit since Bulldog heads are on the square side.

How To Draw A Dog
How To Draw A Dog

4. Next, let’s make the snout by drawing another, smaller circle within your larger heard circle.

How To Draw A Dog
How To Draw A Dog

5. Now we add in the snoot (that we will later boop).

How To Draw A Dog
How To Draw A Dog

6. Eyes are also circles. Who would have thought! Draw two on each side of your dog’s adorable face.

How To Draw A Dog
How To Draw A Dog

7. Next, add in those big ol’ ears just above each eye, on the sides of your dog’s face.

How To Draw A Dog
How To Draw A Dog

8. Now for the body. We’ll begin with the chest circle. Frenchies have quite the large chest.

How To Draw A Dog
How To Draw A Dog

9. Next, comes the pelvis/butt. Dogs usually have a larger chest and smaller ends so let’s make that butt circle smaller than our chest circle.

How To Draw A Dog
How To Draw A Dog

10. Now, connect the dots! Or, err, circles.

How To Draw A Dog
How To Draw A Dog

11. Next, we’re going to add four foot circles (aka paws)—two up front, and two in back.

How To Draw A Dog
How To Draw A Dog

12. Don’t forget to add those adorable little dog bean toes!

How To Draw A Dog
How To Draw A Dog

13. Now connect your foot circles to the torso.

How To Draw A Dog
How To Draw A Dog

14. The tail is next, and should be specific to the breed of dog you’re drawing so do a little research before you commit to a long or short, stubby tail.

How To Draw A Dog
How To Draw A Dog

15. Now add in the final exterior features of your dog. My dog is covered in rolls and wrinkles. I also added in some sharp nails to dig with.

How To Draw A Dog
How To Draw A Dog

16. I’m giving this dog a mouth to bark with!

How To Draw A Dog
How To Draw A Dog

17. Complete the exterior outline of the face.

How To Draw A Dog
How To Draw A Dog

18. And add in those face wrinkles if your dog’s got ’em.

How To Draw A Dog
How To Draw A Dog

19. This dog’s eyes are technically tucked back behind some snout wrinkles so I’m completing that shape now.

How To Draw A Dog
How To Draw A Dog

20. Add in some whiskers!

How To Draw A Dog
How To Draw A Dog

21. Does your dog have any spots? Blast those on now too.

How To Draw A Dog
How To Draw A Dog

22. Now erase/remove your “skeleton” lines! You know, all those pesky circles I just made you draw.

How To Draw A Dog
How To Draw A Dog

23. If you really want to go the extra mile, you can add some fur, texture or anything else to really make your dog pop.

How To Draw A Dog
How To Draw A Dog

24. Finally, let’s add some color. What a good boy! Snoot is now ready to boop.

How To Draw A Dog
How To Draw A Dog

Illustrator, designer, and all-around creative rover for Thought Catalog

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