In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Polar Bear (Head Detail) step-by-step.

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To draw this Polar Bear Head 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 big circle as a guide for the polar bear's head. To draw the circle, first make four marks to determine its 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 bowl 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 polar bear'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 two small circles on top of the horizontal line as guides for the polar bear's eyes. Pay attention to how small these circles are in relation to the head and to their distance from the vertical guide line.

Step 4: Draw another circle below the horizontal line as a guide for the polar bear's muzzle. Use the four-marks method again to draw this circle. The bottom edge of this circle should overlap the edge of the big circle.

Step 5: Inside the muzzle, draw a small oval as a guide for the polar bear's nose. This oval should be pretty big in relation to the muzzle, and it should be close to the right edge.

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Step 6: On top of the head, draw two small arcs as guides for the ears. Don't draw the ears too high on the polar bear's head. They should be pretty low, almost on the sides.

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

Step 7: Draw a couple of curved lines around the small circle on the left for the polar bear's first eye. Draw one line above the circle and one below to create the shape of the eye. The lines should slope down toward the muzzle. The ends of the lines should form the corners of the eye. Add the eye on the right the same way. Draw curved lines around the circle and slope them toward the bear's muzzle. Add a couple of lines around each eye for the eyelids and a bit of fur.

Step 8: Inside the eye, draw a tiny circle off to the side for highlight. In the middle add a dot for the pupil. Darken the sides of the initial tiny circle and the corners of the eye. Do the same thing to the eye on the right. Draw a tiny circle for highlight and a dot for the pupil. Darken the corners of the eye. Then add a few more lines around each of the polar bear's eyes for extra detail. Use a series of short strokes around the eyes to represent fur.

Step 9: Use the small oval inside the muzzle as a guide to draw the bear's nose. Use a series of tiny strokes near the top edge for the furry top part of the nose. Darken the sides but make them thinner than the original oval. Before hitting the bottom, curve the lines inward. At the end of each curved line, near the middle, draw two small, oval-like shapes for the polar bear's nostrils. Darken the bottom edge but make it narrower and curvier. Draw a small, vertical line in the middle. Use more tiny strokes along the left edge of the initial oval for more fur.

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Step 10: Under the polar bear's nose, draw a line that angles to the right for the mouth. Use short strokes for fur. The bear's mouth almost touches the edge of the initial circle on the left. Extend the line to the right too but don't make it as long. Below the mouth, draw a few curved, horizontal lines for the lower lip.

Step 11: Draw a couple of curved lines made up of short strokes along the edge of the initial circle for fur. Below that, draw another curved line made up of short strokes for the furry chin.

Step 12: Darken the right edge of the small circle for the first part of the polar bear's muzzle. At the top, draw a line that extends almost to the eye on the right for the bridge of the nose. To the left of the nose, near the edge of the initial circle, draw a curved line made up of short strokes to finish the bear's muzzle.

Step 13: Use the small arc on the top, right side of the head as a guide to draw the bear's first ear. Use a series of tiny strokes along the path of the arc to create the furry shape of the ear. Draw short strokes at the bottom for the base of the polar bear's ear. Add longer strokes inside for the fur found there.

Step 14: Use the small arc on the right as a guide to draw the polar bear's other ear the same way. First darken the path of the arc using short strokes. Then add more strokes inside for the detail on the base and fur.

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Step 15: Use the big circle as a guide to draw the rest of the polar bear's head. Darken the top edge of the circle but make the shape dip down a bit in the middle. Use short strokes as you follow the basic path of the circle to create the shape of the head. As you darken the right side of the head, make the bottom part narrower than the initial circle.

Draw the right side of the polar bear's head a lot farther in than the edge of the initial circle. Add a few more strokes within the shape of the head for extra detail. Draw a series of lines above the nose to give the bear's muzzle more structure. Add some strokes on the sides of the head to emphasize the bone structure.

Step 16: Draw a series of strokes along the outer edge of the initial circle for a bit of the polar bear's neck. Create a series of curved shapes made up of short strokes for the fur on the loose skin of the neck. Draw lines made up of strokes that slope to the lower, left side for more fur on the bear's neck.

Step 17: 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 polar bear drawing for extra detail. Use a dark value inside the ears for shadows. Shade the eyes but don't overlap the tiny highlight circles. Make the top part darker than the bottom. When you shade the bear's nose, leave a thin strip at the top blank for shine. Make the inside of the nostrils extra dark. Draw a series of short strokes all over the head to emphasize the fur. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

Polar bears are white, so use a light value. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. Use strokes that go in the general direction of the fur. The strokes should radiate outward from the bear's nose and eyes. Continue to add the fur using short strokes. Slowly add a darker value to the dark areas like the nose and eyes. Add the fur mainly where the shadows are. Pick the direction of the light source so that the shadows are consistent with it. Polar bears are white, so you can stop at any time if you don't want your drawing to have a lot of shading.

Keep the strokes on the polar bear's head light so the fur remains white. Use a dark value for the lips but leave a strip blank for highlight. Shade the head lightly using short strokes until you're happy with the result. Use a darker value for the fur around the nose but don't over-do the shading or you'll end up with a grizzly bear drawing! It's a good idea to use reference as you draw for a more accurate depiction of a polar bear. Don't forget to pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace.

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