In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Calico Cat 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 Calico Cat 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.

The 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 circle near the middle of the paper as a guide for the front part of the calico cat's body. To draw the circle, make four marks to determine height and width. Then connect the marks using curved lines. Sketch lightly at first so that it's easy to erase if you make a mistake. 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 as a guide for the back portion of the body. Use the four-marks method to draw this circle too. The two circles should be about the same size. The edges of the circles should touch. If you draw them far apart, the calico cat's body will be too long.

Step 3: On the top, left side, draw a third circle as a guide for the calico's head. This circle should be about two-thirds the size of the first circle. The edges of the circles on the left should touch. If these circles are too far apart, the cat's neck will be too long.

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

Step 5: On the bottom, left side of the head, draw a small circle as a guide for the calico's muzzle. This circle should fit snugly between the horizontal line and the edge of the cat's head.

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Step 6: On top of the head, draw two small, triangular shapes as guides for the calico cat's ears. Pay attention to the size and position of the ears in relation to the head.

Step 7: Under the first circle, draw a long, vertical line as a guide for the calico's front leg. The line should slope to the left slightly. To the right, draw an angled line as a guide for the cat's hind leg. Bend the tips of the lines a bit to indicate where the feet will be.

Step 8: Connect the circles on the left using two short lines to create the guide for the neck. Use two more lines to connect the circles on the right and finish the guide for the cat's torso. Pay attention to the length of these lines and how they curve. On the top, right side of the calico's body, draw a long, curved line as a guide for the tail.

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

Step 9: Inside the head, lightly sketch two small circles for the calico cat's eyes. Use the initial lines as guides for placement. When you get the size and position right, darken the shapes. For the eye on the left, make the top, left side and the bottom right side pointy for the corners of the eye. Pay attention to the spacing between the calico's eyes. Don't place them too far apart. For the eye on the right, make the top, right side and the bottom, left side pointy for the corners of this eye. The corners of the eye on the right should be bigger and wider because of the way the cat's head is turned. The eye on the left should be a bit smaller. The inner corners of the eyes should point down toward the muzzle.

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Step 10: Inside each eye, draw a thin, slit-like shape for the pupils. You can also make the calico cat's pupils round. Place the pupils in the middle of each eye. On either side of the pupils, draw a tiny circle for highlights. Add a series of short strokes above each inner corner of the eyes for some fur.

Step 11: Inside the muzzle, near the top, left side, lightly sketch a small triangle for the calico cat's nose. When you get the size and position right, darken the shape and make the top edge wavy. As you darken the shape, curved the sides inward to create the nostrils. Make the lower tip pointy and add a small line at the bottom.

Step 12: Under the nose, draw a line that curves to the right for the first part of the calico's mouth. Use short strokes to draw the line for a furry texture. Add another line that's made up of short strokes that curves to the left for the other side of the cat's mouth. Follow the edge of the small circle and add some strokes there for the sides of the muzzle. Under the mouth, draw a short, curved line that's made up of short strokes for the calico cat's furry chin. Above the nose, draw a couple of lines that point toward the eyes for the bridge of the nose.

Step 13: Use the triangular shape on the top, right side of the head as a guide to draw the calico's first ear. Darken the shape but extend the bottom lines farther down and make them wavier. Add a few lines along the inner edges of the shape to give the ear more structure. Add a series of strokes within the shape for the fur found inside the calico cat's ear.

Step 14: Darken the triangular shape on the top, left side of the head to create the other ear. Make the bottom tips a bit longer and add a long line within the shape to give the cat's ear structure. Add a series of strokes within the shape for the fur found inside the calico's ear.

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Step 15: Use the big initial circle as a guide to draw the rest of the calico's head. Draw a series of short strokes along the edge of the circle to create the shape of the furry head. Make the left side a bit thinner than the original circle. The longer the strokes are, the shaggier the fur will be. Leave a few gaps on the lower, right side to emphasize where the head meets the neck. Add some short strokes inside the cat's head for extra detail on the fur.

Step 16: Use the line under the body, on the left side, as a guide to draw the first front leg. Follow the path of the guide and lightly sketch the shape of the cat's leg around it. The top part of the shape should be wide and the bottom narrow. Darken the lines when you get the shape right. Use some short strokes as you darken the shape for fur. Draw a couple of curved lines on the tip of the paw for the calico's toes. Bend the shape at the top and bottom to indicate the joints on the leg.

Step 17: Use the angled line on the right as a guide to draw the hind leg the same way. Follow the path of the guide and lightly sketch the calico cat's leg around it. The top part of the hind leg should be wider than the top part of the front leg. Bend the shape for the joints. When you get the shape right, darken the lines. Use a couple of curved lines on the paw for the toes. Use short strokes at the top for the cat's fur.

Step 18: To the left of the front leg, draw a similar shape for the front leg on the other side of the calico cat's body. Use the first front leg as a template to draw the second front leg. The right side of this leg will be hidden. Draw the second hind leg to the left of the first hind leg. Only the front part of this leg will be visible.

Step 19: Use the remaining lines and shapes as guides to draw the rest of the body. Use a series of short strokes along the outer edges of the initial guides to create the shape of the calico's furry body. Don't overlap the legs that are on this side of the body. Draw a series of short strokes around the curved line on the top, right side to create the calico's tail. The farther away the strokes are from the guide, the wider and fluffier the tail will be. The longer you draw each individual stroke, the shaggier the cat's coat will be.

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Step 20: Go over the final sketch lines with a pen, marker or any other type of permanent ink. Take your time and be careful when you ink to avoid any accidents. After inking, get rid of every pencil mark with an eraser for a cleaner drawing of a calico cat.

Final Step: Color your drawing! Calico cats are white, black and orange. Start by adding some random black patches. As you color, use strokes that go in the general direction of the fur. Color lightly at first and slowly build up the level of darkness. Your drawing doesn't have to look exactly like this one. Add the black spots randomly on your drawing.

Just like with the black, add random patches of orange all over the calico's body. Remember to use strokes that go in the direction of the fur and color lightly at first. You can also use this drawing as a template for a white cat. Just skip the coloring part! Use a blend of light brown, peach and pink for the cat's nose and the inside of the ears. Add some black to the inside of the ears for shadows. Use yellow, orange and green for the calico's eyes.

Use some red-orange or light brown to make the orange spots darker. Add some yellow to the orange spots too. Slowly push harder on your pencil to blend all the colors together. Gradually add more black too for darker patches. Coloring can be time-consuming, so be patient ad take breaks. Add some brown to the orange patches to add some variety to the fur.

Use some gray and a bit of blue to create shadows on the cat's body. This will give the figure more dimension. Add the gray lightly at first. It's a good idea to use reference as you draw for a more accurate depiction of a calico cat. If you have a pet calico cat or a similar breed, try to duplicate its fur pattern on your drawing. Add some dark brown to the orange to emphasize the fur. Don't forget to pause the video to draw at your own pace. Use gray and blue to add a shadow at the bottom. This grounds the cat so that it doesn't seem to be floating.

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