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How to draw a penguin with a pencil step-by-step drawing tutorial

Updated: Dec 6, 2023

In this lesson, you will learn step-by-step how to draw an emperor penguin with a pencil. Penguins are birds, only they cannot fly. They live in coastal waters from the Galapagos Islands to Antarctica. The emperor penguin is the largest of all penguin species. Males can be distinguished from females by size, as males are taller and heavier (130 cm and 40 kg), and females are 115 cm tall and weigh 30 kg. Emperor penguins, like all penguins, eat fish and crustaceans. They hunt in packs, moving at an average speed of 4 km/h in water. Penguins live in large groups on ice floes near the water. If they are freezing, they are pressed to each other, and it becomes very warm inside, even if the ambient temperature is minus, for example, -20 C. Their eyesight is very well adapted to see in the water.



Step 1. Outline the head and the body of the penguin with basic shapes.

To start drawing a penguin, first draw a circle - this will be the size of the head, then determine the length of the body. You can measure it with a pencil and project this size onto paper, marking a horizontal strip. Draw an oval to outline the body of the penguin. Lastly, draw two curves to outline the top of its wings.

How to draw a penguin. Step 1. Outline the head and the body of the penguin with basic shapes.

Step 2. Draw the penguin's legs and neck. Outline the penguin's eye and beak.

Now, outline the legs of the penguin and add lines to outline its neck and beak. Then, draw an oval to position its eye.

How to draw a penguin. Step 2. Draw the penguin legs, neck, outline the penguins eye and beak.

Step 3. Draw the penguin's wings and beak in more detail. Draw penguin's feet.

Add additional lines to show the penguin's wings. Draw the rest of its beak. Then, add toes to its legs.


How to draw a penguin. Step 3. Draw the penguins wings and beak in more detail. Draw penguins toes.

Step 4. Add lines to denote the dark and white parts of the penguin's body.

Draw additional lines as shown below to denote the transition between the black and white parts on the body of the penguin.

How to draw a penguin. Step 4. Add lines to denote the dark and white parts of the penguins body.

Step 5. Start hatching the black parts of the penguin's body.

Hatch over the dark areas. Also, show the shade below its beak.


How to draw a penguin. Step 5. Start hatching the black parts of the penguin's body.

Step 6. Continue hatching the body of the penguin to show the darker parts.

Continue hatching the body of the penguin. Draw its flippers in more detail.

How to draw a penguin. Step 6. Continue hatching the body of the penguin to show the darker parts

From now on, you can continue hatching the penguin's body to show the shadow on its belly and finesse the hatching on its dark back. I will leave you at this stage above to imagine and draw the penguin how you like it.


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