Tutorial: Draw a Snow Leopard with BeckyKidus by team on DeviantArt (original) (raw)
Pounce on creative progress with this tutorial from @BeckyKidus to earn a Profile badge designed by @Doosio !
Winter is coming, so what better time to practice some snow-adjacent skills? Read through the tutorial below from @BeckyKidus to learn how to draw the head of a snow leopard on the prowl, then create your own version and submit it with the tag #DATutorialLeopard to get a badge for your Profile!
To participate, follow these steps:
- Read: Follow along with the written tutorial below as @BeckyKidus breaks down the steps to draw a snow leopard.
- Create: Using the tutorial steps, illustrate your own version of a snow leopard, or apply what you’ve learned to a new artwork.
- Upload: Submit your work as a deviation with the tag #DATutorialLeopard to get the Profile badge.
You can add the tag yourself during the submission process or click the button below to have the tutorial's tag automatically added!
The Tutorial
This guide is presented from the perspective of someone drawing with pencil and pen, but use whatever drawing tools you like. That’s all you’ll need to start your snow leopard!
Step 1: Head, Nose, and Eyes
Head
Draw an oval that’s slightly wider than it is tall. Then, make a vertical line down the middle and add two evenly-spaced horizontal lines, cutting the oval into six parts.
Nose
Add a small, downward-pointing triangle just beneath the lower of the two horizontal lines, slightly wider than it is tall. Then, draw a line from each of the two top points of the triangle to the upper horizontal line to create the bridge of the nose.
Eyes
For the eye area, create angled lines extending from the left and right sides of the upper horizontal line, then connect those lines with the bridge of the nose you already created.
Step 2: Muzzle, Cheeks, and Ears
Muzzle
Sketch two vertical lines through the head that pass through the middle of the eyes. These will be your guide for the width of the muzzle.
Draw a wide "⅄" shape that connects to the bottom of the nose, and then draw arcing lines to connect the two bottom parts of the ⅄ to the bottom of the bridge of the nose. The widest parts of these arcing lines should touch the vertical lines. Then, draw a U-shape beneath the ⅄ for the chin.
Cheekbones
Draw a curved line on each side of the muzzle, starting at the widest part of the muzzle and connecting to the sides of the eyes.
Ears
To draw the ears, draw two wide rounded lines that start on top of the head at each of the vertical lines, and connect to the head further down. Then, draw a small curved line that extends from the top horizontal line and connects with the bottom of the rounded lines you just drew.
Step 3: Outline and Detail
Outline
Now that you’ve created the rough drawing of your snow leopard, swap to your pen and outline the main shape of the head. Make most of the outline fluffy and try to replicate how fur looks with short individual lines.
From there, outline the muzzle and eyes, taking care to add the nostrils of the nose. Add small triangles to the inner corner of each eye and inside the ears to give both a more realistic appearance.
Detail
Erase the lines you did in pencil, and add the snow leopard’s characteristic markings. Each of the eyes should have a large spot above it, with an upside-down U shape around it comprised of other spots. In addition, add larger spots beneath the cheekbones and smaller spots to the bridge of the nose, top of the head, and area beneath the eyes.
Draw markings around the muzzle, add whiskers coming from the muzzle and above the eyes, and your snow leopard is all done!
Optional Step: Coloring
Use a golden gray for your main color when coloring in your snow leopard, and add color the bridge of the nose, the forehead, around the eyes, and the upper part of the muzzle. Add darker shades above the nose and on the forehead for some color variation.
For the nose, use a pink, grayish pink, or a brick red. The eyes can be varied in color, from blue to gray-green, to gold, so have fun with it. Be sure to add a small white highlight in the eyes as well, to make them more shiny!
Now that you’ve drawn a snow leopard, make sure to submit it with the tag #DATutorialLeopard to get your Profile badge! You can add the tag during the submission process, or you can click the button below to have the tag automatically added to your submission!
Looking for inspiration? Check out the examples below and browse other submissions.
Want to keep practicing your skills? See past creative challenges.
Join the Conversation
Answer these questions in a comment on this journal, and be sure to share your snow leopard in your comment!
- What’s your favorite animal?
- Are there any creative techniques you learned through this tutorial, or would want to explore more?
- What tutorial would you like to see in the future?