In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Cheetah 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 and color this Cheetah 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 on the left side of the paper as a guide for the front part of the cheetah's body. First make four small marks to indicate 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 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 right, draw a slightly smaller circle as a guide for the back portion of the body. Draw this circle using the four-marks method too. Don't draw the circles too close together or the cheetah's body will be too short.

Step 3: On the top, left side of the first circle, draw a small circle as a guide for the head. Cheetahs have small heads relative to their bodies. This circle should be about one fourth the size of the first one. These circles should be close together with their edges almost touching.

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

Step 5: Draw a small circle on the bottom half of the head as a guide for the cheetah's muzzle. Pay attention to the size of this circle in relation to the big cat's head. The bottom should stick out of the head.

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Step 6: On top of the head, draw two short arcs as guides for the cheetah's ears. The arc on the right should be thinner.

Step 7: Draw a long line under each body circle as guides for the cheetah's legs. The line for the front leg should be vertical, and it should bend slightly at the top and bottom to indicate the joints. The line for the hind leg should slope to the right and then bend toward the bottom.

Step 8: Draw two short lines that connect the big cat's head to the body to create the guide for the neck. Draw two long, curved lines that connect the first two circles to create the guide for the cheetah's torso. On the right side, draw a long line that curves at the bottom as a guide for the tail.

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

Step 9: Lightly sketch the eyes inside the head as two small circles. Use the initial lines as guides for the placement and size of the cheetah's eyes. When you get the position and size of the eyes right, darken the lines. The eye on the right should be thinner.

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Step 10: Darken the edges of the eyes to make them stand out and give them more shape. Make the sides of the cheetah's eyes pointier for a more eye-like shape. Inside each eye, add a tiny dot for the pupils. Above each eye, draw a few short strokes for fur.

Step 11: Inside the muzzle, near the right side, lightly sketch a small triangle for the cheetah's nose. When you get the size and shape right, darken the top edge but make it wavier. Darken the sides of the shape but make the lines curve inward to create the nostrils. Complete the bottom edge and add an extra pointy shape on the top, left side.

Step 12: Under the nose, draw a line that curves to the left for the first half of the mouth. Add a shorter line that curves to the right for the other side of the mouth. At the bottom, draw a short, curved line that's make up of tiny strokes for the cheetah's fuzzy chin.

Step 13: Draw a line that connects the inner corners of the eyes to the sides of the mouth for the markings. These thick, tear- like lines should curve outward at the bottom to shape the muzzle. The line on the right should be thinner because of the way the cheetah's head is turned.

Step 14: Darken the arcs on the head to create the shapes of the cheetah's ears. Add a series of short strokes within each arc for the fur found there.

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Step 15: Darken the initial circle to create the shape of the cheetah's head. Make the right side of the head a bit thinner than the circle. Use short strokes to represent fur.

Step 16: Use the line on the left side as a guide to draw the first front leg. Follow the path of the guide and lightly sketch the shape of the cheetah's leg around it. The leg should bend forward a bit at the bottom. When you get the shape right, darken the lines. Use short strokes at the top for fur. Draw a couple of curved lines at the tip of the foot for the toes. At the front of each toe, draw a small, pointy shape for the big cat's claws. The top part of the leg should be wider than the bottom.

Step 17: Use the cheetah's first leg as a template to draw the other front leg on the left side. Most of this leg will be behind the first one, so only draw the left edge and the toes.

Step 18: Use the line on the right side as a guide to draw the first hind leg. Lightly sketch the shape of the leg around the guide. Pay attention to how the guide bends. 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. At the bottom, add a couple of curved lines for the toes. Draw pointy shapes in front of the toes for the cheetah's claws.

Step 19: To the left, draw a line parallel to the first hind leg for the other hind leg. Only draw the left edge of this leg. Add the cheetah's toes and claws at the bottom too.

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Step 20: Use the remaining lines and shapes as guides to draw the rest of the cheetah's body. Simply darken the outer edges of the initial guides to create the shape of the big cat's body. Use a series of short strokes on the neck and along the underside of the body for a fur-like texture.

Step 21: Use the long, curved line on the right as a guide to draw the tail. Just like with the legs, first lightly sketch the shape of the tail around the guide. Don't overlap the hind leg. When you get the shape of the cheetah's tail right, darken the lines.

Step 22: Carefully go over the final sketch lines with a pen, marker or any other type of permanent ink. After inking, get rid of every pencil mark with an eraser for a cleaner cheetah drawing.

Final Step: Something's missing. The spots! Add the cheetah's spots all over the body using ink. Don't overthink it. Just add a bunch of small circles all over the body and fill them in. This process shouldn't be too difficult, but it is very time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. Add smaller spots between the bigger spots. Leave some blank areas on the cheetah's chest and underside. Make the spots bigger on the tail until they turn into stripes toward the tip. Draw smaller spots on the cheetah's forehead and cheeks. Darken the nose too.

Color your cheetah drawing! Use yellow for the base of the coat. Start coloring lightly and slowly build up to the shade of yellow that you like. Add some yellow-orange on top of the yellow and leave the chest and underside blank. Add different shades of yellow and orange and blend them all together. Use some red-orange and even a bit of light brown on the cheetah's coat. Leave a section around the eyes and the chin blank. Use red for the eyes.

Use a bit of brown to create shadows and give the figure more dimension and volume. Pick the direction of the light source so that all the shadows are consistent with it. Use dark brown to get darker shadows along the white areas of the cheetah's coat. You can add more yellow to the body to soften the shadows. Add some gray at the bottom for a cast shadow. Don't forget to pause the video to draw at your own pace.

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