Step 15: Draw a series of short strokes around the eyes for the distinctive raccoon pattern on the face. Using short strokes, draw a tall shape on the top, right side of the eye on the left. Continue using short strokes to draw a big, thick, curved shape on the left side of the head. Draw similar shapes on the right side to complete the mask-like pattern on the raccoon's face. Draw a tall shape above the eye on the right. The inner, bottom line should connect to the pattern on the muzzle. Add the big, thick, curved shape on the right. The sides don't have to be perfectly symmetrical.

Step 16: For a cleaner look, erase as much as you can of the initial guides. Don't worry about erasing all of the guides. It's okay to leave some behind. Re-draw any final sketch lines you may have accidentally erased.

Final Step: Use a series of short strokes to shade your raccoon drawing for extra detail. Use darker, smoother strokes for the nose and leave a thin section blank at the top for shine. For the eyes, use a dark value at the top and gradually transition to a lighter value at the bottom for a rounder feel. Use dark strokes for the mask pattern on the face. The strokes should go in the general direction of the fur. Use dark strokes for the section above the raccoon's nose. Separate each individual stroke a bit so that the white of the paper comes through. Use strokes that have a medium value for the top part of the head. Leave a big blank section above the mask pattern. Use a medium value for the ears and a dark value in the middle. Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

Continue to shade using short strokes. Add the value very lightly at first, and then gradually build up to a darker value. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. Remember to use strokes that go in the direction of the raccoon's fur. Turn your paper if it makes it easier. Add some strokes on the white sections of the fur so that those areas aren't too blank. The strokes on the white areas also work as shadows to give the head more dimension and volume.

Make the area near the top edge of the raccoon's head darker. The ears should be light around the outer edges. Add a slightly darker value along the middle of the mask, below the eyes, to give the face more structure. It's a good idea to use reference as you draw for an accurate depiction of a raccoon. Don't forget to pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace.

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