In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Wildcat step-by-step.

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All of the tutorials on How2DrawAnimals.com are good drawing tutorials for beginners and experienced artists alike. The online tutorials are easy to follow; they teach you the how to draw basics while showing you how to draw animals step by step. Each animal has a video drawing tutorial option, as well as step-by-step photos and written text to follow.

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

Below you can watch a Narrated 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: Start by drawing a circle near the left side of the paper as a guide for the front part of the wildcat's body. To draw the circle, first make four marks to determine its height and width. Then connect the marks using curved lines. If you're struggling to draw the circle, just trace the outer rim of a circular object like a coin or a lid. For a more detailed guide on the different ways to draw a circle check out this tutorial: Four simple ways to draw a circle.

Step 2: To the right, draw another circle the same way as a guide for the back portion of the wildcat's body. This circle should be about the same size as the first circle. Don't place the circles too far apart or the cat's body will be too long.

Step 3: On the top, left side, draw yet another circle as a guide for the wildcat's head. Use the four-marks method to draw this circle too. This circle should be about one-third the size of the first circle. The edges of the two circles on the left should touch.

Step 4: Draw a curved, horizontal line across the head as a construction guide to help you place the wildcat's facial features later. Draw a short, curved, vertical line on the top, left side for another guide.

Step 5: Between the horizontal line and the bottom edge of the head, draw a small circle as a guide for the wildcat's muzzle. Pay attention to the size of this circle in relation to the head. On top of the head, on the sides, draw two small, triangular shapes as guides for the cat's ears.

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Step 6: Under the first circle, draw two long, vertical lines as guides for the wildcat's front legs. The line on the left should slope to the lower, left side a bit. Bend the lines at the bottom for the feet. Draw two long, angled lines under the second circle as guides for the cat's hind legs. The line on the right should slope to the right in the middle and then bend down to indicate the joints. The line on the left should slope to the left at the bottom.

Step 7: Draw two short lines that connect the circles on the left as a guide for the neck. Connect the circles in the middle using two long lines to complete the guide for the wildcat's torso. On the right side, draw a long curved line as a guide for the cat's tail.

That's it for the guides! From this point on, press harder with your pencil for a more defined drawing.

Step 8: Inside the head, lightly sketch two small circles for the eyes. Use the initial lines as guides for the size and placement of the cat's eyes. When you get the size and position right, darken the lines but make the sides pointier for the corners of the eyes.

Step 9: Inside each eye, near the middle, draw a thin, slit-like shape for the wildcat's pupils. On the sides of each pupil, draw a two tiny circles for highlights. On the inner sides of the eyes, draw a couple of short, angled lines for the corners of the eyes. Lightly shade the tops of the eyeballs to make the shapes rounders. Use a value that's lighter than the pupils and don't overlap the tiny highlight circles as you shade. Add a few short strokes above the eyes for fur.

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Step 10: Inside the muzzle, near the top, lightly sketch a small triangle for the cat's nose. When you get the size and position right, darken the lines. Make the lines on the sides wavier for the nostrils. Add a small line inside the nose, at the bottom. Make the top edge wavy and the top corners pointy.

Step 11: Under the nose, draw a line that splits into two at the bottom for the wildcat's mouth. Use short strokes for fur. On the outer sides of the initial circle, draw a few short strokes for the muzzle. Along the lower edge of the circle, draw a curved line that's made up of short strokes for the furr chin.

Step 12: Use the triangular shape on the top, right side of the head as a guide to draw the wildcat's first ear. Darken the shape but make the sides of the ear wavier and draw the lower into the head. Add short strokes at the top for the fur on the tip. At the bottom, draw short strokes for the furry base. Draw longer strokes inside the shape for more fur. Use the shape on the left as a guide to draw the other ear the same way. Darken the shape but make the sides wavier. Then add short strokes inside and the bottom for fur.

Step 13: Use the initial circle as a guide to draw the rest of the cat's head. Draw a line that's made up of short strokes between the ears for the top part of the head. Draw short strokes along the edge of the initial circle to create the furry head. Make the left side of the head wider than the initial circle and leave a gap at the bottom where the head connects to the body.

Step 14: Use the line on the far left as a guide to draw the wildcat's first front leg. Follow the path of the guide and lightly sketch the shape of the leg around it. The top part of the shape should be wide and the bottom narrow. When you get the shape of the leg right, darken the lines. Use short strokes at the top for fur and smoother strokes at the bott. Draw a couple of curved lines on the paw for the toes. Use the line on the right as a guide to draw the cat's other front leg the same way. Lightly sketch the shape of the leg around the guide. Darken the lines when you get the shape right. Add a couple of curved lines at the bottom for the toes.

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Step 15: Use the angled line on the far right side as a guide to draw the cat's first hind leg. Follow the path of the guide and lightly sketch the shape of the leg around it. The top of the hind leg should be a lot wider than the top of the front leg. Curve the lines where the guide bends to create the joints. When you get the shape right, darken the lines. Draw a couple of curved lines at the bottom for the cat's toes. Use the last angled line under the body as a guide to draw the other hind leg the same way. Draw the shape of the leg around the guide. The top part of the leg is behind the body, so don't draw it.

Step 16: Use the remaining lines and shapes as guides to draw the rest of the body. Darken the outer edges of the guide to create the shape of the wildcat's body. Use short strokes along the bottom for the fur. Darken the curved line on the right for the first part of the tail. Add a curved line below that to make the shape wider. Use short strokes for the tip.

Step 17: For a cleaner look, erase as much as you can of the initial guide lines. 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: Shade your drawing for extra detail. Shade using a series of strokes for a furry texture. For the head, the strokes should radiate outward from the nose. Shade lightly at first, and then gradually build up to darker values. Push hard on your pencil for darker values and push lightly on your pencil for lighter values. Add a couple of dark lines on the sides of the eyes for the coat pattern. Leave the area aroujnd the eyes and muzzle blank. Use a dark value on the forehead for more of the coat pattern. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

The strokes on the body should have a more horizontal orientation. As you shade, separate each individual stroke a bit so that the white of the paper comes through. Use a dark value throughout the body to create the spots and stripes. Don't overthink the coat pattern. Just add spot and stripes randomly all over the body using a darker value. Use thick stripes for the tail and leave the paws blank. Continu adding more strokes on top of strokes for the rest of the fur. Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks.

Add more value to the legs that are on the other side of the body for shadows. Add more value throughout he body for more shadows. Pick the direction of the light source as you shade so that the shadows are consistent. It's a good idea to use reference as you draw for a more accurate depiction of a wildcat. Draw a shadow on the bottom using a medium value. This grounds the cat so that it doesn't appear to be floating.

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