In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw an Osprey or Seahawk 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 Osprey 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 top part of the osprey/sea hawk's body. First make four marks to determine the circle's height and width. Then connect the marks using curved lines. With every step, 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: Above the circle, off to the left a bit, draw a smaller circle as a guide for the bird's head. Notice how small this circle is compared to the first one. Leave enough room between the circles for the osprey's neck.

Step 3: Draw a small, sideways arc on the left side of the small circle as a guide for the sea hawk's beak.

Step 4: Connect the two circles using two wavy lines to form the guide for the osprey's neck. Pay attention to where the lines begin and end. Curve the line on the right at the top to make the bird's head wider.

Step 5: Draw the guide for the lower half of the raptor's body by first making a small mark far down on the lower right side. Now connect the mark to the big circle using curved lines to form a giant upside-down arc. This arc should be a bit longer than the diameter of the big circle. Make the bottom of the arc narrow.

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Step 6: At the bottom of the body, draw two lines that slope to the right for the sea hawk's tail. Close off the bottom of the shape with a shorter line.

Step 7: Under the body, near the tail, draw three short lines similar in shape to an upside-down letter Y as a guide for the osprey's foot.

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, near the top, lightly sketch a small circle for the eye. Ospreys have big eyes, so don't draw the circle too small. When you get the size and position right, darken the shape. Draw two short, curved lines on the sides of the circle for the corners of the eye. Inside the raptor's eye, off to the side, draw a tiny circle for highlight. In the middle, draw a big dot for the pupil. Inside the eye, off to the side, draw a tiny circle for highlight. In the middle, draw a big dot for the pupil. Add a little bit of light value at the top of the eye. Above the eye, draw a curved line for the eyelid. Add a few more short lines around the osprey's eye for detail and creases on the skin.

Step 9: Darken the top part of the initial arc for the first part of the sea hawk's beak. At the bottom, extend the line farther down. Angle the line back up and inside the arc to create the pointy tip. Curve the line to the right for the mouth. The line should be close to the eye. Draw a few curved lines at the top for the base of the beak and the nostril.

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Step 10: Darken the bottom of the arc and add a few short strokes to the right for the bottom of the osprey's beak. Draw a curved line around the tip of the mouth and a broken line to the right of the beak for the base.

Step 11: Use the small circle and the initial curved lines as guides to draw the rest of the osprey's head. Darken the top edge of the guides but make the shape of the head flatter and wider. Draw a series of short strokes and angled lines along the curved guide on the right for the feathers on the bird's head. Use short strokes and a curved line along the guides on the left for the other side of the raptor's neck.

Step 12: Lightly sketch a very long, curved line across the entire body for the folded wing. The top part of the sea hawk's wing should be narrow and curved. The curve should be just above the initial circle. The left edge should follow the side of the body. The bottom should end at the tail, and it should be pointy. When you get the big shape of the folded wing right, darken the lines. Make the left edge of the folded wing a bit wavier for the feathers. The bottom of the osprey's wing should be thin. Don't close off the shape on the right side.

Step 13: Draw a series of lines within the shape of the wing for the detail on the feathers. Draw a curved line across the middle of the osprey's wing for the separation of the top and bottom feathers. Inside the small space created with this line, draw a series of shorter lines for the individual feathers. Draw a few more lines in the tip of the raptor's wing for more feathers.

Step 14: Use the small, angled lines under the body as guides to draw the osprey's foot. Draw the shape of the foot and first toe around the guide. The toe should be thin and long. On the tip of the toe, draw a curved pointy shape for the talon. To the right, draw a similar shape for another toe. Use the initial line as a guide to draw the bird's other toe pointing backward. Add the talon on the tip. On the left side, draw the visible portion of the final toe the same way.

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Step 15: Use the main shapes as guides to draw the rest of the body. Darken the outer edges of the initial guides to create the shape of the bird's body. Use a series of short strokes along the guide at the bottom for a feathery texture. Don't overlap the base of the foot at the bottom as you draw the underside of the body. Make the top, left side of the body a little thinner than the initial guide to leave room for the osprey's other wing.

Step 16: Draw a curved line along the path of the guide on the top, left side for the raptor's other folded wing. Use the initial shape on the lower, right side as a guide to draw the visible part of the sea hawk's tail. Draw a few curved lines within the initial shape for the feathers on the tail. Don't overlap the tip of the wing.

Step 17: Use the first foot as a guide to draw the visible part of the other foot the same way. To the left of the first foot, draw a couple of thin shapes for the toes. At the tip of the toes, draw the talons. Above the foot, draw a few short strokes that connect to the body for the feathery base of the bird's foot. Below the feet, draw a couple of curved lines as a rock for the osprey to stand on.

Step 18: 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: Add some shading to your drawing to give your figure the distinct osprey look. Use a dark value to draw a thick band across the head. Don't overlap the eye. The band should stretch to the back of the neck. Use a dark value for the beak too but leave a bit blank at the top to represent shine. Using random small markings, draw the speckled pattern on the right side of the neck. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

Shade the osprey's wing on the left but leave a series of small, curved lines blank for the white tips of the feathers. Shade the right side of the body the same way. Use a dark value but leave a few curved lines blank for feathers. Add the same pattern to the wing but make the blank, curved lines longer for bigger feathers. Shade lightly at first so that you get the feathers right. Slowly work your way up to a darker value. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks.

Shade the tip of the osprey's wing and tail but leave the edges of the long feathers inside blank. Shade the talons using a dark value but leave a bit blank on top for shine. Add a light value to the rock. Add random small markings on the bird's chest for the speckled pattern. Add shadows to the white areas by using a light value to give the figure more dimension and volume. It's a good idea to use reference as you draw for an accurate depiction of an osprey. Don't forget to pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace.

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