How to Draw a Giraffe – Draw a Gentle and Majestic Giraffe

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Giraffes are some of the most fascinating creatures on the planet, with their impossibly long necks and striking spotted coats. These gentle giants can tower over most other animals, reaching heights of up to 18 feet, and their impressive necks can measure up to six feet long! But giraffes aren’t just known for their unique physical features – they’re also incredibly social animals, living in herds of up to 20 individuals and communicating with each other through a range of vocalizations and gestures. Whether you’re awed by their height, intrigued by their behavior, or simply charmed by their quirky appearance, giraffes are sure to capture your imagination. So, get ready for today’s exciting tutorial where we will teach you how to draw a giraffe step-by-step. All you need to do is grab your drawing kit and get started!

Easy Giraffe Drawing Tutorial 

Learning how to draw a giraffe can be both challenging and rewarding. It’s important to start with the basic shapes that make up the giraffe’s body, such as the oval for the body, the long rectangle for the neck, and the smaller ovals for the head and legs. When it comes to capturing the unique details of a giraffe, pay attention to the patterns of their spots, the shape of their horns, and the texture of their fur. You’ll also want to take into consideration the proportions of their body, as their legs are longer than their necks, and their bodies are larger at the front than at the back. With patience and practice, you’ll be able to create a beautiful and lifelike drawing of these magnificent creatures. So, grab your pencil and paper, and get ready to explore the art of drawing giraffes!

The below collage shows each step taken to achieve the final result of an easy giraffe drawing! 

Step 1: Draw the Giraffe Head

To begin your easy giraffe drawing, start by drawing the giraffe’s head represented by a vertically standing oval shape.  

Step 2: Draw the Main Body

Draw a narrow vertical oval shape beneath the giraffe’s head. Overlapping the narrow oval, draw a second oval shape to the lower half of the body.

Step 3: Draw the Horns and Legs

At the top of the head, draw the two horns represented by four short lines. Finish this step by drawing the legs within the previously drawn oval.

Step 4: Add the Facial Guidelines

Continue our tutorial on drawing giraffes, by drawing a centerline within the head and six horizontal guidelines.

Step 5: Draw the Facial Features

Use the previously drawn guidelines to aid you in positioning the facial features. Do this by drawing the giraffe’s eyes represented by two large ovals and below this, two nostril holes. Complete the step by drawing the two large ears, one on each side of your giraffe head. 

Step 6: Outline the Head

Begin to outline the giraffe’s head by using the previously drawn construction lines to aid you.

Step 7: Outline the Main Body

Continue to outline the front of the main body and legs on your giraffe drawing.

Step 8: Continue to Outline Your Giraffe Drawing 

Outline the rear, partially visible body of the giraffe. Complete the step by outlining the horns above the head.

Step 9: Outline the Ears

In this step, use the previously drawn construction lines to aid you in outlining each of the ears. Continue to draw the inner earlobes to your easy giraffe drawing.

Step 10: Outline the Facial Features

Outline the facial features beginning with the giraffe’s eyes. Once this is completed, draw a second oval shape within each eye. Continue by outlining the facial separation line, nostrils, and mouth line in the giraffe’s face.

Finalize this step by erasing any still visible construction and guidelines.

Step 11: Add the Patterns to Your Giraffe Drawing

Draw individual, abstract patterns wrapping around the giraffe’s body. Continue by drawing the sharp-end eyebrows and separation lines on the horns.

Step 12: Apply the First Coat of Color

With a fine, sharp brush and yellow paint, evenly coat your easy giraffe drawing.

Step 13: Add the Second Color Coat

Continue to add the second color coat using a thin brush and brown paint, and evenly color each of the pattern shapes and the horn separation lines. Continue using dark brown paint, and color the eyebrows and the hooves.

Step 14: Color the Ears and Face 

With a fine, sharp brush and light pink paint, evenly color the inner ear lobes. Switch to white paint and color the eyes. Continue using brighter yellow paint to color the lower half of the giraffe’s face. Finish using red paint to evenly coat the tongue.

Step 15: Shade and Highlight the Giraffe

In this step, apply even shading to the ears, face, and body using a soft brush and brown paint. Repeat using a fine, sharp brush and white paint, and add several highlight brushstrokes onto the ear and face. The first color coats should still be visible.

Step 16: Shade and Highlight the Patterns

Use the same brush as previously and switch to black paint, and enhance the shading on the lower patterns. With a combination of yellow and tan paint, add highlights to some of the patterns. Complete this step using a thin brush and white paint, and add highlights to the body.

Step 17: Shade the Facial Features

Begin by using a small, soft brush and black paint, and add shading to the lower half of each of the horns. The brown color should still be visible at the top. Continue by using a small, soft brush and add shading to the top edge of each of the ears.

Note! A fine, sharp brush can also be used to enhance the structure of the inner ear areas.

Continue this step using a thin brush and pink paint, and evenly coat the nostrils before using black paint to shade the edges. Finally, use a soft brush and black paint to add soft shading along the facial structure of the giraffe’s face. 

Step 18: Add Final Details to Your Giraffe Drawing

Begin this step, by coloring the eyes using a thin brush and dark brown paint. Make sure you leave the white circle visible within each eye. Continue to draw an additional line surrounding each of the eyes. Switch to a soft brush and black paint, and add soft shading around each of the eyes. 

With a fine, sharp brush and dark brown paint, add several spots and streaks along the facial features. Repeat using pink, white, and black paint. Add final highlighted spots using white paint to your entire giraffe drawing.

Repeating this step using black paint for the hoof separation lines and center chest line.

Step 19: Add a Ground Shadow

With a small, soft brush and black paint, add shading between the giraffe and the surface. Continue using a blending brush to spread and soften the shading. 

Step 20: Finalize Your Easy Giraffe Drawing

You have reached the last step of our tutorial on drawing giraffes! To finalize your drawing, select a fine, sharp brush and black paint, and trace the entire outline and any inner texture lines. 

Well done on learning how to draw a giraffe! You should be proud of your hard work and dedication to perfecting your craft. Now that you have mastered the basics, consider adding some personal touches to make your giraffe drawing even more special. Experiment with different shading techniques to add depth and texture to the fur and spots. Try out different positions and angles to capture the unique characteristics of these gentle giants. And don’t forget to have fun with it – drawing is all about expressing your creativity and imagination! Whether you want to draw a realistic portrait of a giraffe or create a whimsical and playful interpretation, the possibilities are endless. Keep practicing and refining your skills, and who knows – maybe one day your giraffe drawings will inspire others to pick up a pencil and start drawing too!

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Make My Giraffe Drawing Look More Realistic?

To make your giraffe drawing look more realistic, focus on capturing the unique details of the giraffe’s body, such as the pattern of its spots and the texture of its fur. Use shading techniques to create depth and dimensionality in your drawing, paying attention to the direction of light and shadow. Use reference images to get a sense of the giraffe’s proportions and anatomy, and make sure that your drawing reflects these details. Keep practicing and refining your technique until you’re satisfied with the level of realism in your drawing. Remember that every artist has their style, so don’t be afraid to experiment and find what works best for you! 

How to Make Sure the Proportions of My Giraffe Drawing Are Accurate?

To ensure that the proportions of your giraffe drawing are accurate, start by breaking down the giraffe’s body into basic shapes such as ovals and rectangles. Pay attention to the length and width of each shape and how they relate to each other. For example, the legs of the giraffe are longer than the neck, and the body is larger at the front than at the back. Use reference images to check your proportions and make adjustments as needed. Remember that practice makes perfect, so keep sketching and refining your drawing until you’re happy with the proportions. 

Izzy Benloulou( Digital Artist and Content Creator )

Israel Benloulou aka IzzyBll is a digital artist and content creator from Israel, currently living in South Africa. Originally, he started his career in videography but later shifted his focus to digital graphic art. He specializes in using digital drawing software like Photoshop and Procreate. Drawing and photo editing have always come naturally to Izzy, and he now has 5 years of experience in the industry, working on commissions for various renowned brands such as Audi. Izzy creates drawing tutorials on his drawing tablet and produces related content for Craft Art since 2021.

Learn more about Israel Benloulou and about us.