How to Draw a Giraffe
Hey aspiring artists! Ready to learn how to draw a giraffe? This lesson is perfect if you're just starting out. We'll break it down step-by-step so you can create your own African safari scene that includes a nice, tall giraffe!
Grab your pencil, drawing paper, crayons or colored pencils, and a black marker if you want some extra pop. Learning how to draw a giraffe might seem tough at first, but I'll guide you through each part. From basic shapes to detailed features, you'll see it's all about taking it one step at a time.
We'll start with simple shapes and gradually build up the details. By the end of this lesson, you'll have a beautiful giraffe standing tall on your paper. It's all about having fun and expressing yourself.
Don't stress over getting it perfect. Just follow along and do your best. Each step brings you closer to capturing the essence of this majestic African animal.
So let's get those supplies ready and jump into this adventure together! You're going to surprise yourself with what you can create in just 60 minutes.
Estimated Time: 60 minutes
Level: Intermediate
Materials
- Pencil
- Drawing Paper
- Crayons or Colored Pencils
- Black Marker (optional)
Lesson: How to Draw a Giraffe
Alright fam, today we're learnin' how to draw a giraffe. We'll break it down into 18 steps, starting with some basic shapes and lines. As we go, we'll add those key details that make a giraffe look so unique. Keep your lines light at first, so you can tweak as needed. By the end, you'll have a fine looking giraffe ready to show off. Let's get started!
Form the Giraffe’s Head
Begin by forming the curved shape of the giraffe’s head.
Add the Eyes
Add the oval-shaped outline of the giraffe’s eyes.
Draw the Snout
Draw the elongated shape of its snout attached to the base of its head. Next, add two dots for its nostrils. Then, draw a curved line at the bottom of its snout for its mouth.
Attach the Ears
Attach the pointed shape of its ears at the sides of its head.
Add the Ossicones
Add the giraffe’s horn-like structure on top of its head known as ossicones.
Draw the Neck
Draw two lines extending from the base of the giraffe’s head to form its neck.
Outline the Body
Outline the giraffe’s oval-shaped body.
Form the Legs
Form the giraffe’s tall, slender legs attached to the base of its body. Then, outline the shape of its hooves. Make sure to erase any overlapping lines.
Attach the Tail
Attach its thin, long tail with a tuft at the end.
Outline the Mane
Outline the giraffe’s mane along the back of its neck.
Draw the Spots
Draw the oval spots all over the giraffe’s body and legs.
Draw an Acacia Tree
Giraffes live in savannahs filled with acacia trees. Let’s draw an acacia tree in the background by first forming its trunk as shown.
Outline the Leaves
Outline the leaves of the acacia tree by drawing wavy lines.
Add Foliage
Add short bumpy foliage in the background to highlight how tall the giraffe is.
Fill in the Eyes
Fill in the eyes with black. Next, add small white shimmer in them.
Color the Body
Use a brown color to fill in the spots and the tip of its ossicones. Next, shade the inner ears with pink. Then, color the giraffe’s body with yellow.
Fill in the Snout, Hooves, Mane and Tail
Color the hooves, mane, and tail tuft with dark brown. Then, shade the snout with a lighter shade of brown.
Add Shading to the Background
Shade the sky with light blue. Next, color the trunk of the acacia tree with brown. Then, fill in the grass and leaves of the acacia tree with shades of green.
Artist & Educator