In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Tapir 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 Tapir 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 tapir's body. First make four marks to determine the circle's 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 left, draw a circle of similar size the same way as a guide for the back part of the body. Don't draw the circles far apart because the tapir's body will be too long.

Step 3: On the right side, draw yet another circle as a guide for the tapir's head. This circle should be about half the size of the other circles. Use the four-marks method to draw this circle too. The top edges of the three circles should line up, and they shouldn't be too far apart.

Step 4: Draw the guide for the muzzle by first making a small mark on the lower, right side of the head. Connect the mark to the tapir's head using curved line to create an arc for the muzzle.

Step 5: On top of the head, draw two short arcs as guides for the tapir's ears. Don't overlap the lines.

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Step 6: Under the first circle, draw a long vertical line as a guide for the tapir's first front leg. Bend the lines near the top and bottom to indicate where the tapir's joints and feet will be. To the right, draw a line that slopes and then bends at the bottom as a guide for the other front leg.

Step 7: Under the circle on the left, draw a line that slopes to the left and then bends at the bottom as a guide for the tapir's first hind leg. To the right, draw a line that bends in the middle and at the bottom as a guide for the other hind leg.

Step 8: Draw two short, curved lines that connect the head to the body as a guide for the neck. Draw two longer curved lines that connect the first two circles to complete the guide for the tapir's body.

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

Step 9: Inside the head, near the right edge, lightly sketch a small oval for the eye. When you get the size and position of the eye right, darken the lines but make the sides pointier like a tiny football. Shade the inside of the eye. If you can, leave a tiny circle blank for highlight. Draw a short, curved line above and below the eye to give the tapir's face more structure.

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Step 10: On the tip of the initial arc, lightly sketch a thick shape that curves down for the tapir's droopy nose. Don't draw the nose hanging to low below the face or your tapir will look like an elephant. When you get the shape right, darken the line. Extend the bottom line in toward the eye to create the mouth. Near the tip of the nose at the bottom, draw a couple of short, curved lines for the nostril on this side.

Step 11: Darken the small arcs on top of the head to create the tapir's ears. Draw curved lines inside and on the bottom of the arc on the left to give the ear more structure. Don't draw anything inside the arc on the right because that ear is facing away from us.

Step 12: Use the initial small circle and arc as guides to draw the rest of the tapir's head. Darken the top edge of the arc but make it a bit wavier for the bridge of the nose/top of the head. Use the bottom part of the arc as a guide for the lower part of the mouth but draw the mouth higher. Extend the line for the mouth into the initial circle and curve it up for the jaw. Draw a series of short strokes inside the shape of the tapir's head to give it more structure. Draw some lines inside the muzzle to define the muscles on the long nose. Add more lines around the eye to define the skeletal structure of the cranium.

Step 13: Use the second line from the right as a guide to draw the first front leg. Follow the path of the guide and lightly sketch the shape of the leg around it. The tapir's leg should be wide at the top and thin at the bottom. When you get the shape of the leg right, darken the lines. Bend the shape of the leg where the guide bends to indicate where the joints are. At the bottom, draw a couple of angled lines for the pointy toes. Add a line inside each toe for the hooves.

Step 14: Use the line on the right as a guide to draw the tapir's other front leg the same way. Lightly sketch the leg around the guide. Make the top part wide and the bottom part narrow. When you get the shape of the leg right, darken the lines. The toes should point down as the leg steps forward. The toes should be made up of small, V-shaped lines. Inside each toe, draw a small line for the hooves.

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Step 15: Use the angled line on the far left as a guide to draw the first hind leg. Draw this leg the same way. Follow the path of the guide and lightly sketch the tapir's leg around it. The shape of this leg slopes to the left at the top and then angles down at the bottom. At the bottom draw a few angled lines that are similar to greater-than signs (>) for the toes. Add the hooves inside each toe as a small line and darken the rest of the leg.

Step 16: Use the last line under the tapir's body as a guide to draw the other hind leg the same way. Draw the shape of the leg around the guide. Draw the toes at the bottom as short, angled lines and add the hooves too.

Step 17: Use the remaining lines and shapes as guides to draw the rest of the tapir's body. Simply darken the outer edges of the initial guides to create the shape of the body. Don't overlap the shapes of the legs that are on this side of the body as you draw the underside. On the left side of the body, draw the tapir's small tail as a short, curved line at the top of the leg.

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 tapir drawing for extra detail. Use a dark value for the ears but leave the tips blank. Draw a line on the body to the left of the front leg and another on the rear section. Leave the area between the lines blank. Add a medium value on the head. Shade lightly at first; then slowly build up the value. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

Use a slightly darker value around the eye and along the bottom of the head for shadows. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. Add a medium value to the rest of the tapir's body except for the area between the lines. Malayan tapirs have white fur there. Use a darker value throughout the body to create shadows and give the figure more dimension and volume.

Add a bit of light value inside the white section for some shadows there too. It's a good idea to use reference as you draw for an accurate depiction of a tapir. Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. Don't forget to pause the video to draw at your own pace.

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

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