In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Jackal 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 Jackal 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 jackal'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 smaller circle the same way as a guide for the back part of the body. This circle should be about half the size of the first one. Don't draw them too far apart or the jackal's body will be too long.

Step 3: On the top, right side of the first circle, draw yet another circle as a guide for the jackal's head. This circle should be about the same size as the second circle. Use the four-marks method to draw this circle too. The edges of this circle and the first circle should touch.

Step 4: Draw a horizontal line across the head to help you place the jackal's facial features later. Draw a shorter, vertical construction guide line on the top, right side.

Step 5: Draw a small circle on the lower, right side of the head as a guide for the jackal's muzzle. Pay attention to the size of this circle in relation to the head. Part of it should stick out of the head.

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Step 6: Draw two big, triangle-shaped lines on top of the head as guides for the ears. Jackals have big ears, so don't draw these shapes too small.

Step 7: Draw two vertical lines under the first circle as guides for the legs. Bend the lines near the top and bottom to indicate where the joints and feet will be. Jackals have long legs, so don't draw these lines too short.

Step 8: Draw two more long lines under the circle on the left as guide for the jackal's hind legs. The lines should slope to the left near the middle. Pay attention to how they bend for the joints. Draw the lines close to each other. At the bottom, they should be the same length as the front legs.

Step 9: Draw two lines that connect the head to the body to create the guide for the neck. Draw two lines that connect the first two circles to complete the guide for the torso. The top line should curve on the left side, and the bottom line should slope to the right. Draw a long, vertical line on the left side as a guide for the jackal's tail.

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

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Step 10: Lightly sketch the eyes inside the head as two small ovals. Use the initial lines as guides for placement. When you get the position and size of the jackal's eyes right, darken the lines. Make the sides pointier. Draw a line inside for the eyeball and a line underneath for extra detail. Draw the eye on the right the same way but make it narrower. This eye should fit between the vertical guide line and the right edge of the circle.

Step 11: Inside each eye, near the middle, draw a dot for the pupils. Next to the pupils, draw a tiny circle for highlight. Draw a series of short strokes above each eye for a bit of fur. Add some strokes under the jackal's eyes for more fur.

Step 12: Inside the muzzle, near the right side, lightly sketch a small oval as a guide for the nose. When you get the position and size of the oval right, darken the edges. Draw a couple of tiny ovals inside the nose and shade them in for the nostrils. Curve the sides of the nose so that they to connect to the nostrils. Add a line above the jackal's nostrils and use short strokes to darken the top edge of the nose.

Step 13: Draw a line below the nose for the jackal's mouth. On the right, the line curves up along the initial circle. On the left, the line stretches all the way to the edge of the initial circle.

Step 14: Use the bottom edge of the initial circle as a guide to draw the jackal's chin and lower jaw. Use a series of short strokes along the basic path of the circle's edge to create the shape of the jaw. Draw a sloping line from the nose to the eye on the left for the top of the muzzle.

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Step 15: Use the triangle-like line on the top, left side of the head as a guide to draw the jackal's first ear. Darken the line but make the top part rounder and the bottom part a bit wider. Draw a few curved lines along the left edge of the shape to give the ear more structure. Draw a series of short and long strokes within the shape for the fur inside the ear.

Step 16: Darken the triangular shape on the right to create the jackal's other ear. Add a long line inside for structure and short strokes for fur.

Step 17: Use the big initial circle as a guide to draw the rest of the jackal's head. Draw a series of short strokes along the path of the circle to create the furry shape of the head. Add short strokes inside the head to further define the structure.

Step 18: Use the second line from the right as a guide to draw the jackal's first front leg. Follow the path of the guide and lightly sketch the shape of the leg around it. Bend the shape where the guide bends for the joints. When you get the shape of the leg right, darken the lines. Make the top part thick and gradually make the leg thinner toward the bottom. Draw a couple of short, curved lines inside the jackal's paw to separate the toes.

Step 19: Use the line on the right as a guide to draw the other front leg the same way. Draw the shape of the jackal's leg around the guide. Sketch lightly at first. Keep the edges of the leg close to the guide so that the shape is skinny. Draw the curved paw at the bottom and add two short lines inside for the toes.

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Step 20: 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 leg around it. Notice how much thicker the top of this leg is compared to the front leg. When you get the shape right, darken the lines. Bend the shape at the joints. Use short strokes at the top of the leg for the fur. Add the toes at the bottom as two short, curved lines.

Step 21: Use the last angled line as a guide to draw the other hind leg the same way. A big section of the top leg will be hidden behind the first hind leg, so don't draw that part.

Step 22: Use the remaining lines and shapes as guides to draw the rest of the jackal's body. Simply darken the outer edges of the initial guides to create the shape of the body. Use short strokes along the underside of the body and neck for a furry texture. Draw the shape of the jackal's tail around the guide on the left. Make the middle section thick and the bottom pointy.

Step 23: 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 jackal drawing for extra detail. Use a dark value for the inside of the ears. Use a dark value for the nose and around the eyes too. Use a medium value for the rest of the head. Shade the head using a series of tiny strokes to emulate the fur. The strokes on the head should radiate outward from the nose. Leave a section around the eyes and on the lower half of the head blank for white fur. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

This is a black-backed jackal, so draw a series of black marks along the back for a speckled look. Leave some blank areas on the back for a bit of white fur among the dark fur. Use a dark value for the tip of the tail and a medium value for the rest of the body. Use a slightly darker value to add shadows throughout the jackal's body and give the figure more dimension.

It's a good idea to use reference as you draw for an accurate depiction of a jackal. Don't forget to pause the video to draw at your own pace. Add a cast shadow underneath. This helps to ground the jackal so it doesn't appear to be floating.

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