In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Mule 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 Mule 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 right side of the paper as a guide for the front part of the mule's body. 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: To the left, draw another circle as a guide for the back portion of the mule's body. Draw this circle using the four-marks method as well. This circle should be a bit smaller than the first one. Don't space the circles too far apart, otherwise your mule will be too long.

Step 3: On the top, right side, draw yet another circle as a guide for the mule's head. This circle should be a little over half the size of the first one. Don't place the circle too high up!

Step 4: Draw an arc on the lower, right side of the head as a guide for the mule's muzzle. The base of the arc should be pretty wide, and the whole shape should slope down a bit.

Step 5: On top of the head, draw two thin, tall arcs as guides for the ears. Mules have long ears, like donkeys, so don't make these arcs too small like horses' ears.

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Step 6: Under the first circle, draw two long, vertical lines as guides for the mule's front legs. Bend the bottom tips of the lines a bit to indicate where the joints will be.

Step 7: Under the circle on the left, draw two lines that bend in the middle and near the bottom as guides for the mule's hind legs. The lines should slope to the left at the top. The line on the right should be a bit shorter.

Step 8: Draw a series of lines that connect the circles together to form the rest of the mule's body. Connect the head to the body using two lines to create the neck. The lines should be farther apart at the bottom. Connect the first two circles together using a couple of lines to complete the guide for the torso. On the left side, draw a long, vertical line as a guide for the mule's tail.

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, above and to the right of the center, draw a small circle for the eye. Draw small, angled lines on the sides of the circle to create the corners of the mule's eyes. Shade the inside of the eye except for a tiny circle to represent glare or highlight. Make the top part of the eye darker than the bottom for a rounder look. Draw a couple of curved lines around the eye to indicate the eyelid and wrinkles.

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Step 10: Inside the muzzle, near the tip, draw a small shape similar to curved oval for the mule's nostril.

Step 11: Under the nostril, draw a line that curves upward for the mouth. Make the tip of the mule's mouth thicker. Draw a curved line under the mouth for a bit of loose skin.

Step 12: Darken the top part of the initial arc but make it flatter to give the muzzle more shape. Draw a couple of curved lines under the mouth for the mule's lower lip and chin. Stay inside the shape of the arc.

Step 13: Darken the arcs on the head but make the lines wavier to create the mule's ears. Draw a few wavy lines inside the arcs for the ears' openings and for some wrinkles. The ear on the right should be a bit smaller because it's on the other side of the head.

Step 14: Use the initial circle and arc as guides to draw the rest of the head. Darken the outer edges of the guides to create the shape of the mule's head. Make the top part angular for the brow. Make the bottom part of the muzzle a bit thinner than the initial arc. Curve the left side of this line up to create the strong, round jaw. Curve the left side of this line up to create the strong, round jaw. Draw a series of short strokes inside the head to help define the shape and muscles.

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Step 15: Use the second line from the right as a guide to draw the front leg. Follow the path of the guide and lightly sketch the shape of the mule's leg around it. Don't make the leg too thick. Keep the lines close to the guide. The top part should be wide. Draw an extra bump in the middle for the joint. The hoof at the bottom should be square-like. When you get the shape of the leg right, darken the lines. The hoof at the bottom should slope to the right a bit. Draw a line inside to complete the shape.

Step 16: Use the line on the right as a guide to draw the mule's other leg the same way. Lightly sketch the leg around the guide. Darken the lines when you get the shape right. Make the shape extra curvy in the middle for the joint. Keep the shape of the leg thin and draw the blocky hoof at the bottom.

Step 17: Use the angled line on the far left as a guide to draw the mule's first hind leg. Draw this leg the same way. Follow the path of the guide and lightly sketch the leg around it. This leg slopes to the left before angling down near the middle. The top part of this leg should be a lot wider than the top part of the front leg. When you get the shape of the leg right, darken the lines. Draw the mule's blocky hoof at the bottom and a round joint above it.

Step 18: Use the line to the right as a guide to draw the last leg the same way. Draw the shape of the mule's leg around the guide. Don't forget to add the curvy joints. The top part of this leg will be hidden behind the first hind leg.

Step 19: Use the remaining lines and shapes as guides to draw the rest of the mule's body. Simply darken the outer edges of the initial guides to create the shape of the body. As you darken the lines, don't overlap the legs that are on this side of the body.

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Step 20: Darken the line on the left for the mule's tail. Add a few short strokes at the bottom for loose hair. On top of the neck, draw a curved line that's made up of short strokes for the mule's mane.

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 mule drawing for extra detail. Mules can have different coat patterns. For this look, use a medium value all over the body. Use a lighter value on the muzzle and on some streaks across the body for highlight and sheen. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. Use a dark value to shade the mule's tail, the mane and the bottom part of the legs. Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

Add shadows to your mule drawing to give it more dimension and volume. Pick the direction of the light source when shading so that the shadows are consistent with it. Add the shadows lightly at first and gradually increase the darkness to a level that you like. It's a good idea to use reference as you draw for a more accurate depiction of a mule. Add some darker shadows on the neck and legs to emphasize the muscle structure.

Add a cast shadow underneath. This helps to ground the mule so it doesn't appear to be floating. Don't forget to pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace.

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