In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Baboon 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 Baboon 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 left side of the paper as a guide for the baboon's head. 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: Draw a long, curved, horizontal line across the circle as a guide to help you place the baboon's facial features later. Draw this line slightly higher than the middle. Add a curved, vertical line on top, right for another guide.

Step 3: Draw a small circle on the lower, right side of the monkey's head as a guide for the muzzle. Pay attention to the size and position of this circle in relation to the baboon's head. Use the lines as guides.

Step 4: Draw a bigger circle on the lower, left side of the head as a guide for the front part of the body. Use the four-marks method to draw this circle too. Don't overlap the head with this circle. Only draw the lower, left side. Pay attention to this circle's size in relation to the baboon's head. It should be bigger.

Step 5: To the left, draw yet another circle as a guide for the back part of the baboon's body. Use the four-marks method to draw this circle too. This circle should be about the same size as the head. Place this circle lower than the first circle. The edges of the body circle should touch.

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Step 6: Draw two vertical lines under the first circle as guides for the arms. Bend the lines near the top and bottom to indicate where the monkey's joints and feet will be. The line on the right should slope more as the baboon is stepping forward.

Step 7: Draw two more long, angled lines under the circle on the left as guides for the legs. The first line should be vertical in the middle, and it should bend at the top and bottom for the baboon's joint and foot. The second line should slope to the bottom left, and at the bottom it should bend twice for the foot.

Step 8: Draw two lines that connect the body circles to finish the guide for the torso. Draw a curved line at the top from the monkey's head to the body for the neck. On the top, left side of the body, draw a long line that curves down as the guide for the baboon's tail.

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

Step 9: Lightly sketch the baboon's eyes inside the head as two small ovals. Use the initial lines as guides for size and placement. Place the eyes close together. When you get the size and position right, darken the lines. Make the sides of the eyes pointier so they look like little footballs. Add a curved line above each eye for the eyelids.

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Step 10: Inside each eye, draw a two short, curved lines for the irises. Inside each iris, draw a tiny circle off to the side for highlight and a dot in the middle for pupils. Between the eyes, draw two short, curved, vertical lines for the bridge of the baboon's nose. Add a few short, horizontal lines between the vertical lines for the wrinkles on the bridge of the nose. Shade the monkey's irises using a light value but don't overlap the tiny highlight circles.

Step 11: Draw the nose about halfway inside the small circle and close to the right edge. First draw two short, curved lines for the exterior part of the nose. Below those lines, draw two small, thin, oval-like shapes for the nostrils. Don't draw the baboon's nose too big. Add a line between the nostrils for extra detail. Draw a couple of sloping lines along the edge of the initial circle from the nose to the eyes for the top of the muzzle.

Step 12: Below the nose, draw a horizontal line for the mouth. Darken a bit of the right edge of the initial circle too. Don't make the baboon's mouth too long. The left tip of the mouth should not touch the edge of the initial circle. Follow the curvature of the initial circle and draw a short, curved line under the monkey's mouth for the chin.

Step 13: Draw a series of short strokes around the face for the edge of the fur. Draw a line made up of short strokes directly above the eyes for the furry brow. Curve the sides of the brow upward to emphasize its thickness. Add short strokes on the sides of the face. Use the initial lines and shapes as guides. Draw a curved line halfway on the side for an indentation on the bone structure. These strokes define the shape of the baboon's face. Keep the strokes close to the facial features for a thin face. Add a few strokes under the chin and a few more on the left side where the indentation is.

Step 14: Extend the strokes on the right side of the brow upward for the head. Draw a series of short strokes along the edge of the big circle to create the furry shape of the baboon's head. Draw the bottom edge of the head farther away from the initial circle for a bigger shape. Curve the bottom, middle part of the head up toward the chin. Keep the strokes short. If you make them too long, the monkey's fur will be shaggy. Draw the right side of the head farther from the circle too and curve the bottom part up toward the chin.

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Step 15: Use the second line from the right as a guide to draw the first arm. Follow the path of the guide and lightly sketch the shape of the baboon's arm around it. When you get the shape of the arm right, darken the lines. Use short strokes on the right side for fur. Make the top of the arm wide and gradually make it narrower toward the bottom. At the bottom, draw a couple thin, long arcs pointing to the right for the fingers. Draw the fingers along the guide and make them thin and almost flat. Add some fur on the wrist.

Step 16: Use the line on the right as a guide to draw the monkey's other arm the same way. Draw the shape of the arm around the guide. Sketch lightly at first. When you get the sloping shape of the arm right, darken the lines. Make the top part of the arm wider than the bottom. Curve the wrist downward a bit. At the bottom, draw a small, U-shaped line for the baboon's thumb. On the right, add a couple of thin, long shapes for the fingers. Use a series of short strokes along the left edge for a furry texture.

Step 17: Use the angled line to the left as a guide to draw the baboon's first leg. Draw the leg the same way. Follow the path of the guide and lightly sketch the leg around it. The top part of the leg should be a lot wider than the bottom part. Darken the left edge of the shape using short strokes for the fur. Follow the curvature of the initial circle as you draw the top part of the monkey's leg. At the bottom, draw a few thin, long shapes that point to the right for the toes.

Step 18: Use the line to the left as a guide to draw the other leg the same way. Make the top of the monkey's leg wider than the bottom and slope the shape to the lower, left side. Use short strokes for a furry texture. Part of the top of this leg will be hidden behind the first leg. On the bottom, left side, draw a thin, long, U-shaped line for the first toe. The baboon's foot should bend at the bottom. To the right of where the foot bends, draw a few thin, short arcs that point to the right for the other toes.

Step 19: Darken the curved line on the left side for the bottom edge of the baboon's tail. Using a series of short strokes, draw the wide base of the tail around the guide line on the top, left side of the initial circle. Draw a parallel line to the left of the initial guide to create the top edge of the tail.

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Step 20: Use the remaining lines and shapes as guides to draw the rest of the baboon's body. Simply darken the outer edges of the initial guides using short strokes to create the shape of the body. Keep the strokes short, otherwise the fur will be too shaggy. Add some strokes inside the monkey's body too. Below the tail, draw a curved line made up of short strokes for the bare patch of skin found there.

Step 21: 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 baboon drawing to give the figure more dimension and volume. Pick the direction of the light source when shading so that the shadows are consistent with it. Shade lightly at first, and then gradually build up to the level of darkness that you like. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

Add more value throughout your baboon drawing for extra detail. Use a light value for the bare skin and a medium value for the rest of the fur. Shade the fur using a series of short strokes to emphasize the texture. Use strokes that go in the general direction of the fur. In the monkey's head, they should radiate outward. Separate each individual stroke a bit so that the white of the paper comes through and creates a more fur-like texture.

Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. Remember to pause the video to draw at your own pace. If your shadows blend in too much with the monkey's fur, go back and darken them to make them stand out more. It's a good idea to use reference as you draw for an accurate depiction of a baboon.

Add a cast shadow underneath. This helps to ground the baboon so it doesn't appear to be floating.

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