In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Tiger Cub 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 Tiger Cub 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 tiger cub's head. To draw the circle, first make four small marks to indicate 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 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 curved, horizontal line across the head to help you place the tiger cub's facial features later. Add a curved, vertical line on the top, right side of the head for another construction line.

Step 3: Draw a small circle inside the head as a guide for the tiger cub's muzzle. This circle should fit snugly between the horizontal construction line and the lower edge of the head.

 

Step 4: On top of the head, draw two short arcs as guides for the ears. Pay attention to the size of the tiger cub's ears in relation to the rest of the head.

 

 

Step 5: Draw a circle on the lower, left side of the head as a guide for the front part of the body. Use the four-marks method to draw this circle too. Don't draw the top, right side as it will be behind the head. This circle should be about the same size as the tiger cub's head.

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Step 6: Draw a slightly smaller circle to the left as a guide for the back portion of the body. Don't place the body circles too far apart, otherwise your tiger cub will be too long.

 

Step 7: Draw two short, vertical lines under the circle on the right as guides for the front legs. Bend the lines near the middle to indicate the joints and at the bottom for the tiger cub's feet.

Step 8: Draw two more lines under the circle on the left as a guide for the tiger cub's hind legs. These lines should be slightly longer, and they should bend more in the middle.

 

Step 9: Draw two short lines that connect the head to the body to create the guide for the neck. Draw two lines that connect the body circles to finish the guide for the torso. On the left side of the body, draw a long, curved line as a guide for the tiger cub's tail.

 

 

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

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Step 10: Lightly sketch the tiger cub's eyes inside the head as two small circles. Use the initial lines as guides. When you get the size and position of the tiger cub's eyes right, darken the lines. As you darken the circles, make the sides a bit pointier for a more eye-like shape. Draw a curved line above and below the eye for extra detail. Darken the eye on the right the same way but make it a bit smaller. Make the sides of the shape pointy and draw a curved line on the bottom.

 

Step 11: Inside each eye, off to the side, draw a tiny circle to represent glare or highlight. In the middle of each eye, draw a dot for the pupils. Shade the eyes but don't overlap the tiny glare circles. As you shade the eyes, use a value that's lighter than the tiger cub's pupils. Draw a series of short strokes above the eyes for the furry brow. Draw a line under the eyes too. The area inside these broken lines will be white fur later on.

Step 12: Inside the muzzle, near the right side, lightly sketch a small triangle for the tiger cub's nose. When you get the position and size right, darken the lines. Use a wavy line for the top edge. When you darken the left edge, curve the line inward to create the nostril. Make the bottom tip curvier. Draw a short line at the bottom. Draw a spike- like shape on the top, left for to extend the nostril.

 

Step 13: Under the nose, draw a curved line for the mouth. Draw a curved line to the right of the nose for the side of the muzzle. Use the small circle as a guide. Darken a small portion of the left edge of the initial circle to finish the shape of the tiger cub's muzzle.

 

 

Step 14: Use the lower edge of the small initial circle as a guide to draw the tiger cub's chin. Draw a series of short strokes along the basic path of the circle to create the fuzzy texture of the chin.

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Step 15: Darken the arc on the top, left side to create the tiger cub's ear. Make the lines at the bottom longer. Draw a series of short strokes within the arc for the fur found inside the ear. Use the arc on the top, right side as a guide to draw the other ear the same way.

 

Step 16: Use the bigger circle as a guide to draw the rest of the tiger cub's head. Use a series of short strokes along the basic path of the circle to create the shape of the furry head. Draw the right edge of the head more inward than the circle so that the head is thinner on that side. The lower part of the head should be farther from the edge of the circle. It should be higher than the tiger's chin.

Step 17: Use the second line from the right side as a guide to draw the first front leg. Follow the path of the guide and lightly sketch the shape of the tiger cub's leg around it. The top of the leg should be wider at the top than at the bottom. The paw should be wide too. When you get the shape right, darken the lines. Draw a couple of curved lines at the bottom for the tiger's toes. Curve the section above the paw for the joint. At the top, draw some short strokes for the fur.

 

Step 18: Use the line to the right as a guide to draw the tiger cub's other front leg the same way. Follow the path of the guide and draw the shape of the leg around it. Draw a curved line at the bottom for the toes. A big part of this leg will be hidden behind the first leg.

 

 

Step 19: Use the line on the far left side as a guide to draw the first hind leg. Lightly sketch the shape of the tiger cub's leg around the guide. Make the top part of the leg wide. Curve the shape in the middle to indicate the joints and at the bottom for the foot. Make the paw big. Darken the lines only when you get the shape of the leg right. Add a few strokes at the top for fur. Draw a couple of curved lines at the bottom for the tiger's toes.

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Step 20: Use the last line under the body as a guide to draw the other hind leg. Draw the leg around the guide and only darken the lines when you get the shape right. The top of this leg will be hidden behind the other hind leg and body. Don't forget the paws at the bottom!

Step 21: Use the remaining lines and shapes as guides to draw the rest of the tiger cub's body. Simply darken the outer edges of the initial guides to create the shape of the body. Use short strokes on the underside of the body and chest for the fur. Use the curved line on the left as a guide to draw the tiger's tail. Just like with the legs, lightly sketch the tail around the guide. When you get the shape right, darken the lines.

 

Step 22: 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 on your tiger cub that you may have accidentally erased.

 

 

Final Step: Use a dark value to add the tiger stripe pattern all over the body starting with the forehead. Draw a few spots right above the eyes and short, horizontal stripes higher along the head. Leave the area around the eyes blank. Draw longer, curved, vertical stripes on the sides of the head. Don't draw the stripes as a single shape and then shade them in. Draw the stripes using short strokes that simulate fur. Darken the sides of the mouth. Add some thin stripes on the sides of the nose for the base of the tiger cub's whiskers. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

Draw the tiger cub's stripes along the rest of the body but leave the chest and paws blank. The stripes on the body should be vertical, while the stripes on the legs and tail should be horizontal. Remember to use short, dark strokes to create the shape of the stripes for a fur-like texture.

Add a light value to the rest of the tiger cub's body. Make sure that this value is lighter than the stripes. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. Leave the ears, the cheeks, the muzzle and the chest blank for the white fur. Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks.

Use a medium value to add some shadows to your tiger cub 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. Continue to add value lightly to your tiger drawing until you're happy with the result.

Add a cast shadow underneath. This helps to ground the tiger cub so it doesn't appear to be floating. It's a good idea to use reference as you draw for a more accurate tiger cub drawing. Don't forget to pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace.

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