In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a British Shorthair Cat sitting 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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The Time-Lapse (Speed Drawing) video:

To draw this British Blue Cat 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 top of the paper as a guide for the British shorthair's head. To draw the circle, first make four small marks to determine its 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 small, 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 horizontal line across the head to help you place the British shorthair's facial features later. Draw a short, vertical line on top for another construction guide. Curve the lines a bit.

Step 3: Draw a small circle on the bottom half of the head as a guide for the British shorthair's muzzle. Pay attention to the size of this circle in relation to the head. The bottom shouldn't touch the cat's head.

Step 4: On top of the head, draw two triangular shapes as guides for the cat's ears. Use the vertical construction line inside the head as a guide to space out the British shorthair's ears properly.

Step 5: Far down below the head, make a small mark as the first part of the guide for the torso. On either side, connect the mark to the British shorthair's head using long, curved lines to finish the guide. The resulting shape should be similar to the letter U. Pay attention to the size of this arc in relation to the cat's head.

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Step 6: Under the torso, on the left side, draw two long, vertical lines as a guide for the British shorthair's first front leg. Curve the lines to the right a bit. At the bottom, draw a small arc with a line under it as a guide for the cat's paw.

Step 7: To the right, draw the guide for the other leg the same way. Start with two long, vertical lines. At the bottom, draw a shape similar to a half-circle as a guide for the paw.

Step 8: To the left, draw a horizontal line for the first part of the guide for the hind leg. Don't make this line too long. Above it, draw a curved line to complete the guide.

Step 9: Draw a long, curved line from the top, left side of torso to the hind leg for the rest of the British shorthair's body. Sketch lightly at first. Add some short lines between the legs to complete the cat's body.

Step 10: On the lower, left side, draw an arc that's similar to the letter U on its Side as a guide for the cat's tail.

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

Step 11: Lightly sketch the eyes inside the head as two small circles. Use the initial lines as guides for the placement and size of the British shorthair's eyes. When you get the position and size of the eyes right, darken the lines. Draw a small, angled line on the inner edge of each eye for the corners of the eyes. Draw a few short strokes on the top outer edges of the cat's eyes for a bit of fur.

Step 12: Inside each eye, off to the side, draw a tiny circle to represent glare or highlight. In the middle of each eye, draw a thin slit and shade it in for the cat's pupils. You can also use big circles for dilated pupils. Don't overlap the tiny glare circles as you shade. Add a bit of light value on the top part of the eyes for detail on the irises.

Step 13: Inside the muzzle, near the top, lightly sketch a small triangle for the British shorthair's nose. When you get the position, size and shape right, darken the top edge but make it wavier. As you darken the sides, curve them inward to create the nostrils. Darken the bottom part but make it rounder. Draw an extra pointy corner at the bottom.

Step 14: Under the nose, lightly sketch a line that curves to the right for the first part of the mouth. Use the initial circle as a guide for the length of the mouth. To the right, sketch another curved line to finish the cat's mouth. The ends of the lines should extend outside the circle. When you get the shapes right, darken the lines. Use a series of short strokes along the sketched path of the mouth for a furry texture.

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Step 15: Draw a series of short strokes along the bottom edge of the initial circle for the fuzzy chin. On either side of the nose, above the mouth, draw a few rows of dots for the bases of the British shorthair's whiskers. Add a few short strokes between the eyes and the nose for the bridge of the cat's nose.

Step 16: Darken the triangular shape on the top, left side for the British shorthair's first ear. Add a series of strokes within the shape for the fur found inside the ear. Darken the triangular shape on the right side to create the cat's other ear. Draw a series of strokes along the bottom and inside the shape for the fur.

Step 17: Darken the top part of the initial circle but make it a bit flatter for the head. Follow the basic path of the initial circle to draw the shape of the British shorthair's head. Use a series of short strokes to create the furry edges of the head. Make the shape of the head a little bit wider than the original circle guide. Add a series of short strokes inside the head for more detail on the fur. These strokes also emphasize the shape and structure of the cat's head.

Step 18: Use the shape under the torso, on the left side, as a guide to draw the British shorthair's first front leg. Use a series of short strokes along the outer edges of the guide to create the shape of the leg and paw. Make the shape of the cat's paw rounder and add a couple of lines inside to separate the toes. Within each toe, draw a shorter line to indicate where the claws come out.

Step 19: Use the shapes to the right as guides to draw the other front leg the same way. Use short strokes along the outer edges of the guides to create the shape of the leg and paw. Inside the paw, draw a series of short lines to indicate the cat's toes and the claws.

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Step 20: Darken the shape to the left to create the British shorthair's hind foot. The other hind leg isn't visible from this angle. Make the front part rounder for the paw and add a few short lines inside for the cat's toes and claws.

Step 21: Use the remaining shapes as guides to draw the rest of the British shorthair's body. Draw a series of short strokes along the U-shaped guide for the chest and upper torso section. Use short strokes along the line on the left but add a curved line at the bottom for the back of the cat's foot. Add some strokes above the hind foot and around the chest to emphasize the fur.

Step 22: Darken the arc on the lower, left side using short strokes to create the shape of the cat's tail. Draw a line across the arc that curves downward to show the tail curving in front of itself.

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 drawing for extra detail. British shorthair cats are usually dark gray, so shade the entire body using a medium to dark value. As you shade, use strokes that go in the general direction of the fur. On the head, the strokes should radiate outward from the nose. Use values that vary from medium to dark throughout the cat's body to emphasize the shadows and highlights. 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.

The irises are light-colored, so don't overlap the shapes of the eyes as you shade the head. When you shade the body, use strokes that mainly have a vertical orientation. It's a good idea to use reference as you draw for a more accurate depiction of a British shorthair. If you have a pet British shorthair or a similar breed, try to duplicate its coat on your drawing.

Continue shading until the cat's entire body is covered. Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. Add a few short, extra-dark strokes across the cat's chest and legs to emphasize the fur. Don't forget to pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace. Add a bit of value under the cat for a cast shadow.

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