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How to draw an owl with a pencil step-by-step drawing tutorial

Updated: Dec 6, 2023

In today's drawing tutorial we will learn how to draw an owl with a pencil in stages. To draw an owl, we must understand the structure of the feather and wings.

How to draw an owl with a pencil step-by-step drawing tutorial

Step 1. Outline the body and the head of the owl.

With thin lines draw the contours of the head, body and wing.

How to draw an owl. Step 1. Outline the body and the head of the owl.


Step 2. Draw a beak, area of ​​legs and back feathers in our owl drawing.

Add additional contours for the beak, legs, back feathers to the original contours.

How to draw an owl. Step 2. Draw a beak, area of ​​legs and back feathers in our owl drawing.


Step 3. Draw the owl's head, eyes, and toes.

Draw the eyes and pupils, they are incomplete circles. Next, erase the outline (lighten) and in place of it with lines of different lengths create the appearance of feathers. Then draw the owl toes and trunk.

How to draw an owl. Step 3. Draw the owl's head, eyes, and toes.

Step 4. Outline the owl feathers in our drawing.

In this drawing, the light source is on the left, so the tint on the right is darker. Add slanted hatching lines on the head to represent the small, soft feathers. Pay close attention to the direction of the strokes, they are important as they help convey the illusion of depth to the various shapes. Draw feathers of various shapes and lengths on the wing. Add some twisted strokes on the feet of the paws to show the direction the tiny soft feathers are growing.

How to draw an owl. Step 4. Outline the owl feathers in our drawing.

Step 5. Continue hatching the owl feathers on the darker side.

Remember that the hatching lines used to draw the feathers come in different lengths and shades. The outlines do not end abruptly, but rather are feather-shaped (or jagged) to convey a more realistic appearance.

How to draw an owl. Step 5. Continue hatching the owl feathers on the darker side.

Using the 2H pencil, lightly shade the owl feathers on the left and central parts of the paws, the lower part of the body. With a 2B pencil, make an intermediate shadow on the right. Then, using the 2B and 4B pencils, add dark shades of feathers on the lower body, on the right shoulder, under the beak and under the wing. Draw a circle around the perimeter of the iris for the outer rim.


Step 6. Drawing owl's eyes.

Fill in the outer rims with a 2B pencil. Using a 6B pencil, paint over the pupil, leaving a highlight, and draw a darker shade on the beak.

How to draw an owl. Step 6. Drawing owl's eyes.

Step 7. Draw the eyes and the beak of the owl.

Using a 2H and HB pencil, paint over the eye and beak of the owl.

How to draw an owl. Step 7. Draw the eyes and the beak of the owl.

Step 8. Draw the feathers on the owl's head.

Use hard pencils to add more strokes on all areas of the head. Use 2H for highlights and 2B and 4B for darker areas. Add some tiny feather ovals to the forehead and sides of the head. If you want some of them to stand out more, then just go over them with your eraser to show and highlight the central parts of each.

How to draw an owl. Step 8. Draw the feathers on the owl's head.

Step 9. Draw feathers on owl's chest and toes.

Use a sharpened hard pencil and short strokes to draw soft downy feathers on the owl's chest and legs.

How to draw an owl. Step 9. Draw feathers on owl's chest and toes.

Step 10. Shading the feathers on the owl's tail.

Shade the feathers on the owl's tail. Each feather has a dark tint on the right that fades into a light tint on the left. Add diagonal lines to individual feathers. Look closely at the drawing and notice that the diagonal lines drawn on each of the feathers complete the shading and bring out the details.

How to draw an owl. Step 10. Shading the feathers on the owl's tail.

Step 11. Shade the feathers on the owl's wing.

Shade the feathers in the upper area of ​​the wing, while the area on top is darker, as the shadow from the owl's head falls.

How to draw an owl. Step 11. Shade the feathers on the owl's wing.

Step 12. Continue hatching the feathers on the owl's wing.

Use pencils of different softness and shading with lines of different lengths to convey the texture of the feathers in the upper part of the wing. Individual feathers have light areas at the tips.

How to draw an owl. Step 12. Continue hatching the feathers on the owl's wing.

Step 13. Draw the owl's claws and the trunk in more detail.

Add dark shadows to the claws, leaving room for highlights. Use hatching with different lines to create the texture of the branch.

How to draw an owl. Step 13. Draw the owl's claws and the trunk in more detail.

Step 14. Finalizing the drawing of the owl.

If necessary, add more lines of your choice to complete the drawing. To create light areas, use an eraser, for dark areas, apply additional shading. Date and sign the drawing.

How to draw an owl. Step 14. Finalizing the drawing of the owl.


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