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To draw this Jaguar step by step, follow along with the video tutorial below and pause the video after each step to go at your own pace. You may find it easier to follow the step-by-step images below the video. The new lines in each step are shown in red, so you'll know exactly what to sketch next. You may want to open the video in a new tab and use both drawing methods. Take your time and create art at your own pace.

Materials You’ll Need

Before starting, gather these basic drawing supplies:

Pencil (an HB lead pencil is best for light sketches)
Eraser
Black ink pen or marker
Drawing paper

For the first few steps, don't press down too hard with your pencil. Use light, smooth strokes to begin.

Start with Simple Lines and Shapes

Step 1: Draw two circles near the middle of the paper as guides for the first part of the jaguar's body. First draw four small marks for the height and width of the circle, then connect the marks using curved lines. Sketch lightly at first so that it's easy to erase if you make a mistake. But the circles don't have to be perfect. They're just guides. If you do want a perfect circle, trace the outer rim of a glass, a lid or any other object with a circular edge. The circle on the right should be a bit smaller. Don't draw them too far apart, otherwise your big cat will end up too long.

Step 2: Draw another circle on the top, left side of the body as a guide for the head. This circle should be smaller, about one-third the size of the first one. Don't place it too far away from the first circle. Their edges should almost touch.

Step 3: Draw a curved horizontal line across the head. This is a construction line that will help you place facial features later. Add a short, curved vertical line on the top left side of the head for another construction line.

Step 4: Draw a small circle on the lower left side of the head as a guide for the muzzle. Pay close attention to the size of this circle in relation to the head. It should be about one-third the size of the head. The top edge of this circle should touch the construction line, and the lower edge should be outside of the head.

Step 5: Draw two small arcs on top of the head as guides for the ears. These animals don't have huge ears, so don't draw these arcs too big.

Step 6: Draw four lines under the body (two below each circle) as guides for the legs. The first line should have somewhat of a diagonal orientation because the jaguar will be stepping forward. The second line should be vertical but bend near the bottom as a guide for the foot. The third line should be vertical at the top but bend near the middle to indicate the joint. The line bends again at the bottom for the foot. These predators have short, stocky, muscular limbs, so don't draw these lines too long. The last line should start with a diagonal orientation and then bend straight down. It should bend at the bottom too for the foot.

Finish Up the "Skeleton"

Step 7: Draw two lines that connect the head to the body to form the guide for the neck. Now draw two longer lines that connect the first two circles to complete the guide for the body. Draw a curved line on the right side as a guide for the tail. Their tails are the shortest of any big cat, so don't draw this line too long.

That's it for the initial sketch! From this point on, press harder with your pencil to get a more defined sketch.

Now Add Details

Step 8: Lightly sketch the eyes inside the head as two small ovals. Use the construction lines as guides for placement. When you get the placement right, darken the lines. The eye on the left should consist of a short line for the top and right sides and a curved line on the lower left side. For the eye on the right, simply darken the oval but make the top part flatter. Make the sides a bit pointier to represent the corners. Add a tiny dot inside the eye on the left on the upper right side for the pupil. Now add a tiny dot inside the eye on the right at the top, near the middle, for the other pupil. Shade the eyes except for a tiny circle near the pupils, which represents glare. As you shade, use a value that's lighter than the pupils. Add a dark, thick line on the lower left side of the eye for the markings found there. The line should point diagonally to the muzzle. Add a darker line to the bottom edge of the eye on the left as well. Draw a small line under the eye on the left for the fur's pattern. Do the same for the eye on the right but break up the line for a more furry texture.

Step 9: Draw a triangle near the left edge of the small circle. When you get the size and placement right, darken the top edge using a wavy line. Darken the left edge and add a short vertical line inside coming from the bottom corner. Draw a hook-like line inside the shape near the right edge for the nostril. Now darken the left edge of the triangle using a curved line. Draw a short line above each top corner for the bridge of the nose.

Step 10: Use the small circle as a guide to draw the rest of the muzzle. First draw the mouth as a line that starts under the nose and curves right until it touches the circle for the head. Now draw a line under the nose that curves to the left and up the edge of the small circle for the rest of the mouth. Continue drawing the line until it reaches the eye on the left to create the side of the muzzle. Use the bottom edge of the small circle as a guide to draw the chin. Use quick, short strokes as you follow the path of the circle to create a furry texture.

Step 11: Use the small arcs on the head as guides to draw the ears. Darken the arcs to create the outside shape. The base of the ear on the right should extend inside the head. Use a series of quick, short strokes inside each arc to create the fur found inside.

Step 12: Use the main circle as a guide to draw the head. First darken the top part using quick, short strokes for the fur. Follow the basic path of the circle but when you darken the left side, dip the line toward the eye more. Use quick, short strokes as you darken the bottom right side of the head to create the fur around the jaw. Add a few more lines to the right of the nose to emphasize the shape of the muzzle.

Stay Patient and Keep Drawing

Step 13: Use the line under the body on the left side as a guide to draw the first front leg. Follow the basic path of the guide and lightly sketch the shape around it. These cats have stocky, limbs, so don't draw them too skinny as you go around the guide. When you get the shape right, darken the lines. The top part of the leg should be wider than the bottom. Take your time to get the structure right as you follow the guide. Add a couple of short, curved lines at the tip of the foot to separate each individual toe. Darken the right side and curve the line up toward the body to emphasize the step forward.

Step 14: Lightly sketch the shape of the other front leg around the second guide line from the right. Darken the lines when you get the structure right. Add a curved line at the bottom to separate the toes. This leg should be a lot shorter than the first one, as it is not stepping forward.

Step 15: Use the third line from the left as a guide to draw the first hind leg. Lightly sketch the shape of the leg as you follow the path of the guide. When you get the structure right, darken the lines. The top of the leg should be wide, and it should get narrower at the bottom. Use curved lines along the side for the muscle structure. Add a couple of curved lines at the bottom for the toes. Darken the line on the right side to finish the shape.

Step 16: Draw the other hind leg the same way. Follow the basic path of the guide as you make the shape wider. Add the toes at the bottom. The tail will be blocking the left side of this limb, so don't worry about drawing all of it.

Step 17: Use the remaining lines as guides to draw the rest of the body. Simply darken the outer edges of the initial guides to create the shape. If you made your initial guides thinner or wider, now is the time to correct them to give your subject the proper body shape. Use the line on the right as a guide to draw the shape of the tail. Follow the path of the guide as you draw around it and make it thicker. They have short tails compared to other felines, so if your guide is too long, make sure to draw it shorter.

Now It's Time to Shade

Step 18 (optional): For a cleaner look, erase as much as you can of the initial guide lines. Don't worry about erasing all of them; it's okay to leave some behind. Re-draw any final sketch lines you may have accidentally removed.

Final Step: The pattern of the coat finishes the piece! Start by adding tiny spots on the head. The spots should get bigger the closer they are to the back. Don't add spots to the area directly around the eyes, above the nose or around the mouth and chin. Add a few tiny spots in the whisker pad area. Make the section around the side of the mouth dark too.

Now add the distinct markings called rosettes all over the body. Rosettes are basically spots that cluster together to form misshapen circles. Add one or more spots inside each rosette. A difference between this pattern and that of a leopard is that leopards don't usually have spots inside their rosettes. Jaguars also have bigger rosettes that are spaced out more. These spots should be dark, so press down firmly with your pencil to get a dark value.

Adding the rosettes all over can be VERY time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. There's really no trick or shortcut for adding the coat pattern. You just have to be patient and add one rosette at a time. The farther back on the body they are, the smaller they should be. The markings on the underside and on the lower part of the limbs are basically spots.

You can draw the pattern on a certain section, say the legs, then take a break and do another section later so it's not too overwhelming. Otherwise just continue to add the markings until the entire body is covered. You can also use a single dark value all over the body if you want to make a black panther! At the base of the tail, the rosettes are bigger, and then they clump together to form stripes near the tip.

Use a light value on the rest of the body to give it more detail. Don't add this light value around the eyes, muzzle, lower jaw and underside, as those sections are mostly white. Add the value smoothly to get an even, light base tone throughout the body. Shade right over the rosettes. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value.

You can stop here if you'd like or you can add a medium value inside each rosette. The value inside the rosettes should be a bit darker than the base tone but not as dark as the actual rosettes. You can also use this medium value to create shadows and give the body more dimension and volume. Pick the direction of the light source when adding the shadows so that they're always consistent. It's always a good idea to use reference as you draw.

Add a cast shadow underneath. This helps ground the subject so it doesn't appear to be floating. Remember to pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace.

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