How to Draw a Dog – 5 Important Tips to Know (+ Video)

Last Updated on June 23, 2022 by Dogs Vets

How to Draw a Dog

If you are planning to learn how to draw a dog, you should first understand the anatomy of the dog. Then, you should know how to trace outlines and add details and volume. Once you have a general idea of what a dog looks like, you can move onto creating a full sketch. Listed below are some helpful tips:

Basic anatomy of a dog

The basic anatomy of a dog has many parts, including its head, ears, legs, and tail. It also has seven bones that form the neck. A dog’s vocal cords also have different sizes and lengths, which determine the pitch and loudness of its voice. Despite its large size, dogs only have 320 bones in their body.

The length of its tail adds another nine bones to its total count. Compared to humans, dogs move food through their intestines and stomach at a much slower rate than does food in ours.

Tracing outlines

To make your dog’s silhouette more realistic, try to trace the outline using a 8.5″ x 11″ traceable. Whether it’s a reference photo or an online photo, it should be similar to the original but should be substantially different. For example, if you’re drawing a short-haired dog, you might want to add muscle definition to the outline. For long-haired dogs, add some fur outlines.

Adding details

There are many different ways to add details to a dog drawing. Adding shading, full color, and even color patterns can all help you achieve a more realistic drawing.

Some artists choose to draw their subjects with intense detail, while others prefer to draw sparsely. Whatever method you choose, drawing a dog is a rewarding challenge. Practice makes perfect! Listed below are the steps to add details to a dog drawing.

Adding volume

Adding volume to a dog drawing can enhance the overall beauty of the image. It can help the drawing to have more depth and detail than a black and white photograph.

Some breeds have bushy tails, and adding the volume to the tail will make the dog look more lively. However, the amount of volume you add depends on your skill level and drawing experience. The more you practice, the more voluminous your artwork will become.

Adding colors

The first step when adding colors to a dog drawing is to establish the shape of the dog. You can also sketch in details like its fur, ears, tail, and feet. It is best to start with basic shades of brown to capture the details of the dog’s features. Next, add colors and detail the drawing to make it more realistic. It is best to display the completed drawing to a friend so they can see the results of your work.

Adding accessories

If you’d like to add dog accessories to your drawing, you can use your own photo or a photo from the internet. You can also add your own embellishments, such as a collar or bow. You can use cheap supplies to create dog accessories, such as a headband. For the ears, you can make a wide headband and move the pattern up or down by the same amount. Similarly, you can add a bow on the second outer ear.

View more dog drawings on Pinterest

Final Thoughts

We hope you enjoyed this article… What are your thoughts?