In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw the head detail of a Tiger 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.

 

The Time-Lapse (Speed Drawing) video:

 

To draw this Tiger Head 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 big circle as a guide for the tiger's head. 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 circular object like a bowl or a lid. The bigger this circle is, the bigger the tiger's head will be. Sketch lightly at first so that it's easy to erase if you make a mistake. 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 long, curved, horizontal line across the circle as a guide to help you place the tiger's facial features later. Draw this line slightly higher than the middle. Add a curved, vertical line on top for another guide.

 

 

Step 3: Directly on top of the horizontal line, draw two small circles as guides for the eyes. Pay attention to the distance from the vertical line. The eyes should be very small compared to the tiger's head.

 

Step 4: Draw another circle below the horizontal line as a guide for the tiger's muzzle. Use the four-marks method again to draw the circle. Make the width a bit narrower than the height. Pay attention to the space between the guides above and below this circle.

 

 

Step 5: Inside the muzzle, draw a small triangle as a guide for the nose. Place the triangle higher up than the middle of the muzzle. Pay attention to its size in relation to the tiger's muzzle.

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Step 6: On the top, right side of the head, draw a small arc as a guide for the tiger's first ear.

 

Step 7: Draw a slightly smaller arc on the top, left side of the head as a guide for the tiger's other ear.

 

 

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

 

Step 8: Darken the small circle on the left side for the first eye. Draw a couple of lines on each side of the small circle to create the corners of the tiger's eyes. These shapes should be very small and roughly resemble small triangles. The inside corner of the eye should point down toward the nose. Darken the circle on the right too. Add the corners on the sides using tiny triangular shapes.

 

 

Step 9: Inside each eye, off to the side, draw a tiny circle to represent glare. Closer to the middle of each eye, draw a dot for the pupils. You can make the pupils bigger if you'd like but keep them round, not slits like smaller cats. Add a few short strokes above each eye for a bit of fur.

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Step 10: Use the triangle inside the muzzle as a guide to draw the tiger's nose. Darken the top edge of the guide but make the line wavier. Follow the path of the left edge of the guide but make that side wavier too. On the right side, draw a long shape that curves inward for the tiger's nostril. Make the bottom part of the nose rounder and narrower and add a small line at the bottom.

 

Step 11: Under the nose, draw a short line for the top of the tiger's mouth. Draw a line that curves toward the left for the left side of the mouth. Draw a slightly longer line that curves to the right for the other side of the mouth.

 

 

Step 12: Under the mouth, draw a big, curved line for the tiger's chin. This line should be made up of tiny, short strokes for the fuzzy fur on the chin. The bottom part of the chin should extend all the way to the edge of the big circle.

 

Step 13: Use the left edge of the initial small circle as a guide to draw the left side of the muzzle. Draw a few short strokes to form the bridge of the tiger's nose. Follow the basic path of the initial small circle to create the left side of the muzzle. Curve the sides of the mouth to meet the muzzle at the top and form one continuous shape.

 

 

Step 14: Darken the arc on the top, right side for the first ear. Make the bottom wavier and longer. Draw a series of short strokes within the shape for the fur found inside the tiger's ear.

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Step 15: Draw the tiger's other ear the same way. Darken the arc and then add some short strokes inside for fur.

 

Step 16: Use the main circle as a guide to draw the rest of the tiger's head. Follow the basic path of the circle and darken the lines to create the shape of the head. Use short strokes along the path of the circle to create a furry texture. Use longer strokes at the bottom of the head for the shaggier fur found there. The overall shape of the head should be narrower at the top. Add some strokes inside the head for extra fur and to give the tiger's face more structure.

 

 

Step 17: 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 a dark value to the outer section of each eye and the outer edges of the ears. Now add the distinctive tiger stripe pattern all over the head using a dark value. The stripes on top of the head should be thin, and they should have a horizontal orientation. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

The stripes on the tiger's forehead should be short and small, almost like spots. The stripes on the sides should be thin and gradually get thicker the farther away they are from the middle. Add some curved stripes under the eye on the right. Use short strokes as you draw the stripes for a fur-like texture.

It's a good idea to use reference as you draw for a more accurate stripe pattern on your tiger. Draw a series of dots arranged in rows on the sides of the muzzle for the base o f the whiskers. Darken the sides of the nose using a dark value too.

Add a light value to the eye but don't overlap the tiny glare circle. Use a series of short strokes inside the ears to create the furry texture found in there. Use a darker value near the middle of each ear for the opening. Use a medium value for the top of the tiger's head. It's okay if you overlap the stripes as you shade. Use a smooth, medium value for the bridge of the nose. Leave the area around the eyes blank.

Use a slightly darker value to the right of the bridge of the nose to create some shadows. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. Space out the strokes when you shade the outer sides for a more fur-like texture. Add a dark value to the right side of the tiger's chin. Use strokes that go in the general direction of the fur.

Add some strokes under the tiger's head for a hint of the fur on the neck. Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. Continue to add value to your tiger drawing until you're happy with the results. Don't forget to pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace.

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