In just a few steps, you'll learn how to draw this Griffin. All the tutorials on How2DrawAnimals are easy to follow and great for beginners and experienced artists alike. Get art basics while sketching your favorite animals step by step. Each free tutorial on this site has a video tutorial option, as well as step-by-step photos and written text to follow along with. Have fun drawing!

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To draw this griffin 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
Colored pencils or markers

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 as guides for the griffin's body. The shapes don't have to be perfect; they're just guides. The circle on the left should be smaller than the first one, and do not place them too far apart. You can make them bigger for a larger mythical creature. Griffins are legendary beasts, so you can customize yours if you'd like.

Step 2: Draw another circle on the top right side as a guide for the head. This circle should be even smaller.

Step 3: Draw two small arcs on the right side of the face for the open beak. The arc on the bottom should be a tiny bit smaller and thinner than the one on top.

Step 4: Draw two smaller arcs on top of the head for the ear tufts.

Step 5: Draw a series of lines that connect the major shapes to form the body and tail. Two small lines make up the neck and two more lines complete the torso. Make the guide line for the tail long and wavy.

Step 6: Draw a few curved lines on top of the body as a guide for the wings. First draw a long curved line at the top and connect it to the body with a smaller curved line on the right side. Then draw a smaller curved line under the long line and connect it to the body with a small curved line on the left side.

Finish Up the "Skeleton"

Step 7: Draw four lines under the body (two below each circle) as guides for the legs. Add a few small lines on the ends of the front legs as guides for the individual toes. Draw the line on the other side higher up on the body for a raised front leg. Bend the lines on the right side to indicate where the joints and feet will be on the hind legs.

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

Now Add Details

Step 8: Draw the eye as a small circle inside the head on the top right. Add an angled line above the circle for the furrowed feathers. Draw a tiny circle to represent glare and a bigger dot in the middle for the pupil. Shade the eye except for the tiny circle. Use a value that's lighter than the pupil. Add a few lines around the eye for extra detail.

Step 9: Use the arc on the right side as a guide to draw the top part of the beak. Use quick, short strokes on the left side for the feathery base. Lightly sketch the shape of the beak as you follow the basic path of the guide. The shape should curve down and come to a sharp point on the lower right side. Darken the lines when you get the shape right. Add a small line inside for the nostril.

Step 10: Use the arc on the bottom as a guide to draw the lower part of the beak. Follow the basic path of the arc as you darken the line and make the shape thinner. Add a few wavy lines within the shape for the inside of the mouth and a few short strokes on the outside for the feathers.

Step 11: Use the arcs on the head as guides to draw the ear tufts. Use quick, short strokes as you follow the path of the guides for a feathery texture. Add a few small lines leading to the eye.

Step 12: Use the remaining shapes as guides to draw the rest of the head. Use quick, short strokes for the feathers as you follow the path of the guides. Add a few lines within the head for extra detail.

Stay Patient and Keep Drawing

Step 13: Use the curved lines on top of the body as guides to draw the wings. Follow the basic path of the guide as you darken the lines and add a couple of thin arcs along the way for the feathers. Add a lot more long, thin arcs for the feathers along the left side of the wing. Follow the path of the guide and draw the arcs smaller the closer you get to the bottom.

Step 14: Draw a few more curved lines within the shape of the wing for extra detail. Don't draw every individual feather; just a few curved lines to represent the basic texture. Add the visible section of the wing on the other side peeking from the back.

Step 15: Use the lines on the right as guides to draw the eagle-like front legs. Draw the base of the foot on the ground as a V-shaped line using quick, short strokes for the feathers. Now follow the path of the guide as you make the shape thicker to complete the limb. Use the lines at the bottom as guides to draw the toes. Add a curved pointy line at the end of each toe for the talons. Draw the raised foot on the other side the same way. Follow the initial lines as guides. Curve the toes downward at the end of the foot and don't forget to add the talons at the end of each toe. You can make your beast taller by drawing longer limbs.

Step 16: Use the lines on the left side as guides to draw the lion-like hind legs. Lightly sketch the shape of the first leg as you follow the basic path of the guide. When you get the structure of the limb right, darken the lines. Add a couple of curved lines at the bottom for the individual toes and some curved lines at the end of the toes for the claws. Use the other line as a guide to draw the hind leg on the other side the same way. The limb should bend at the joint. Don't forget to add the toes and claws at the bottom!

Step 17: Use the remaining lines as guides to draw the rest of the body and tail. Use quick, short strokes near the front for the feathery texture and smoother lines in the back for the lion section. Follow the path of the wavy line as you make the shape of the tail thicker. Use quick, short strokes at the end for the bushy hair on the tip.

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 lines that you may have accidentally removed.

Final Step (optional): Add some shading to your drawing to give it more dimension and volume. Pick the direction of the light source when shading so that the shadows are consistent with it. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. Use smoother strokes for the lion portion in the back and choppier, more spaced-out strokes for the feathery texture in front. Add the value lightly at first, then gradually build up to the level of darkness that you want.

Add a cast shadow underneath. This helps ground the figure so it doesn't appear to be floating.

You can add more value throughout your drawing for more detail. Since this is a mythical creature, you can shade your artwork however you'd like; there's no wrong way to do it. You can add stripes or spots or even color it different colors. Have fun with it! For a standard look, just add a single value throughout the body and space out the strokes at the front for a feathery texture. Remember to pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace.

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