Please PAUSE the "How to Draw a Gorilla" video after each step to draw at your own pace.

Time-Lapse (Speed Drawing) video:

Written step-by-step video tutorial:

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

Step 1: Draw a half- circle near the top of the page as a guide for the top half of the gorilla's head. To create the half- circle, first draw a short, horizontal line with a slight bend, then draw a wide arc on top of it. Sketch lightly at first so that it's easy to erase if you make a mistake. But the half-circle doesn't have to be perfect. It's just a guide.

Step 2: Draw an arc similar to the letter U under the half- circle as a guide for the gorilla's lower jaw. The bottom edge of the arc should lean toward the right more than the left. The gorilla is going to have his mouth open, so don't draw the arc too short.

Step 3: Draw two curved intersecting lines (one vertical and one horizontal) inside the head. These are construction lines that will help you place the gorilla's facial features later on.

Step 4: Draw another curved line to the left of the half-circle as a guide for the rest of the head. Gorillas have very tall, domed heads. This guide will add the extra height needed for the head.

Step 5: Draw a big circle under the head as a guide for the gorilla's body. First draw four small marks for the height and width of the circle, then connect the marks using curved lines. Gorillas are big, so the circle should be about four times the size of the head. The top right edge of the circle should graze the guides for the head. You can make this circle bigger for an even bigger gorilla.