In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Shoebill Stork step-by-step.

Stay tuned for more free drawing lessons by:

Liking us on Facebook>>

Subscribing on YouTube.com>>

Following us on Instagram>>

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.

RELATED TUTORIALS

To draw this Shoebill Stork 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 top part of the shoebill stork'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: At the top, draw another circle using the four-marks method as a guide for the bird's head. This circle should be about half the size of the first one. Leave enough space between the circles for the shoebill stork's neck.

Step 3: Draw a big arc on the lower, left side of the head as a guide for the shoebill stork's bill. Pay attention to the size of this guide in relation to the bird's head; it should be big.

Step 4: Draw two curved lines that connect the head to the body to create the guide for the neck. The shape of stork's neck should be wide at the bottom and narrow at the top.

Step 5: Draw a big arc on the lower, right side of the first circle as a guide for the bottom half of the shoebill stork's body. To draw this arc, make a small mark on the lower, right side. Then connect the mark to the circle using curved lines.

---

Step 6: Under the first circle, draw a long line that bends at the bottom as a guide for the shoebill stork's first leg. This guide should be similar to a backward letter L. It should be almost as long as the bird's entire body.

Step 7: To the left, draw another long, line that bends at the bottom as a guide for the shoebill's other leg.

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

Step 8: Inside the head, near the middle, draw a small circle for the shoebill stork's eye. At the top of the eye, draw a thick line for the eyelashes. Inside the eye, off to the side, draw a tiny circle for glare. In the middle of the eye, draw a big dot for the pupil. Don't overlap the glare circle as you draw the pupil. Draw a few curved lines around the eye for the detail on the bird's feathers.

Step 9: Use the initial arc as a guide to draw the top part of the shoebill stork's sloping bill. Follow the path of the guide but make the shape thinner. Make the tip hooked and pointy. Near the bottom of the initial arc, curve the line up toward the eye to create the mouth. Use a series of short strokes for the feathery base of the bill. The base should be very close to the eye. Sketch lightly at first and only darken the lines when you get the shape of the bird's bill right.

---

Step 10: Darken the bottom part of the arc to create the bottom of the bill. Draw a series of short strokes at the top to finish the base of the shoebill stork's bill. Draw a line on the top part of the bill for a crease and an extra small line at the top for the nostril.

Step 11: Use the initial circle as a guide to draw the shape of the shoebill's head. Darken the edge of the circle but make the top part a bit flatter. On the top, right side, draw the tuft of feathers using a series of short, curved lines. Don't draw every individual feather, just the overall shape of the clump of feathers using curved lines. Darken the right edge of the circle for the back of the head. Add a few lines inside the bird's head for extra detail.

Step 12: Use the line on the right as a guide to draw the shoebill stork's first leg. Follow the path of the guide and lightly sketch the shape of the bird's leg around it. Add an extra bump near the middle to indicate the joint on the leg. Draw the shape of the stork's middle toe around the bent part of the guide. Make the tip pointy for the nail. Draw two more toes on the sides of the middle toe using thin, long shapes with curved pointy tips for the bird's nails. Draw one more toe that points backward using another thin, long shape.

Step 13: Use the line on the left as a guide to draw the shoebill stork's other leg the same way. Draw the shape of the leg around the guide. Add a small bump near the middle for the joint. Draw the edges of the leg close to the guide so that they're skinny. Draw some creases on the joints too. Use the bent part of the line at the bottom as a guide to draw the bird's toes. The toes on this foot will be partly hidden by the first foot, so only draw the visible parts.

Step 14: Draw a long, curved line across the entire body for the shoebill's folded wing. Sketch the wing lightly at first and only darken the line when you get the shape right. Draw a few short strokes along the path of the wing for a feathery texture. Add a few short, curved lines within the shape of the folded wing for more detail on the shoebill stork's feathers.

---

Step 15: Darken the outer edges of the initial guides to create the shape of the shoebill stork's neck and body. Make the lines a bit wavier as you darken them for a more organic shape. Don't overlap the top of the leg that's on this side as you draw the underside of the body.

Step 16: Draw a series of curved lines and strokes inside the curved shape of the initial arc for the bird's tail. Draw a short, curved line on the top, left side of the body for the visible part of the shoebill stork's other folded wing.

Step 17: For a cleaner look, erase as much as you can of the initial guidelines. 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. Shoebill storks don't have much of a pattern on their feathers, so just use a medium-gray value all over the body. Use a slightly lighter value for the bird's bill. You can color your shoebill stork drawing instead if you'd like. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

Use a dark value for shadows to give the figure more dimension and volume. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. Pick the direction of the light source when shading so that the shadows are consistent with it. Using a dark value, add a stripe-like pattern on the folded wing to emphasize the shoebill stork's feathers. Add the value lightly at first and gradually build up the level of darkness that you like.

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

Thanks for visiting! Subscribe to the How2DrawAnimals YouTube Channel for a new tutorial every week.

To learn how to draw popular cartoon characters, visit EasyDrawingTutorials.com.

RELATED TUTORIALS