In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Tabby Cat (Head Detail) 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 a Tabby Cat 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 tabby cat's head. First make four small marks to indicate the circle's 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, trace the outer rim of a glass, a bowl or any other object with a circular edge. 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 tabby cat's facial features later. Draw this line slightly higher than the middle. Add a vertical line on top for another guide.

 

 

Step 3: Directly top of the horizontal line and to the left of the vertical line, draw a small circle as a guide for the first eye. Use the four-marks method to draw the circle or trace the outline of a small coin. Pay attention to the distance between the circle and the vertical guide line. Draw another small circle to the right of the vertical line as a guide for the other eye. The tabby cat's eyes should be roughly the same size and equal distance from the vertical line.

 

Step 4: Draw another circle below the horizontal line as a guide for the tabby cat's muzzle. Use the four-marks method again to draw the circle. Notice that the sides of the circle line up below the eyes. The bottom of this circle shouldn't reach the bottom of the main circle.

 

 

Step 5: Draw the guide for the tabby cat's first ear by first making a small mark above the top, left side of the head. Now connect the mark to the head using curved lines to create a thin, tall arc.

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Step 6: Draw the ear on the right the same way. You can lightly sketch a line across to make sure that both arcs are the same height. Once you make the mark at the appropriate height, connect it to the cat's head using curved lines to form the rest of the arc.

 

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

 

 

Step 7: Inside each small circle, draw a short, diagonal line for the eyelids. Sketch lightly at first so that the line on each eye looks the same. When you get the slope of the lines right, darken them. Darken the bottom part of the initial circles to complete the outer shapes of the tabby cat's eyes. Make sure that the eyes look roughly the same for a symmetrical look. Make the top, outer edges of the eyes thicker for the eyelashes. Don't draw individual hair strands. Just make the lines edges thicker and darker. Whatever you do to one side, you should do to the other side as well to keep the cat's symmetry.

 

Step 8: In the middle of each eye, lightly sketch a thin, long oval for the cat's pupils. You can also make the pupils bigger and rounder or extremely thin slits. Off to the side of each pupil, draw a tiny circle to represent glare. When you have the shape and position of the pupils and glare right, darken the lines. Shade the tabby cat's pupils but don't overlap the inside of the glare circles. As you shade, use a value that's as dark as the eyelashes. Add a few short lines on the inner, lower edges of the eyes to extend the corners of the eyes.

 

 

Step 9: Lightly sketch a small triangle near the middle of the small circle for the nose. Pay attention to the size of this triangle in relation to the initial circle. Don't make it too big. When you get the size and position right, darken the top edge using a wavy line. Make the top corners longer so that they're pointing toward the cat's eyes. Make the sides curve inward as you darken the lines to create the nostrils. Make the bottom tip pointy and draw a short, vertical line inside at the bottom.

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Step 10: Add the mouth by first drawing a short, vertical line under the nose. Now lightly sketch a line that curves toward the left edge of the initial circle. Draw a line that curves toward the right edge of the initial circle for the rest of the tabby cat's mouth. Go over the sketch lines with a series of darker, short strokes to represent the fur along the mouth.

 

Step 11: Use the bottom edge of the initial circle as a guide to draw the tabby cat's chin. Draw a series of short strokes along the path of the circle for the furry chin.

 

 

Step 12: Darken the arc on the top, left side of the head for the first ear. Draw a few short, curved lines inside the shape, near the bottom, to give the tabby cat's ear more structure. Draw a series of strokes across the middle of the shape for the fur found inside the ear.

 

Step 13: Draw the other ear the same way. Make the ears look the same as much as you can. Darken the initial arc and add a few short, curved lines at the bottom to give the tabby cat's ear more structure. Add the fur by drawing a series of strokes across the inside of the shape.

 

 

Step 14: Use the main circle as a guide to draw the rest of the cat's head. As you draw the sides of the head, follow the path of the circle but make the shape a bit wider. Sketch the side lightly at first. When you get the shape right, go over the lines using short strokes for the fur. At the bottom, curve the line inside the circle toward the chin. Draw the other side of the head the same way. Keep the sides symmetrical as much as you can. You can draw the sides closer to the initial circle if you want your cat to have a narrower face.

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Step 15: Draw a series of short strokes within the shape of the head to emphasize the cat's fur. Draw some strokes between each eye and the nose to create the bridge of the nose. Add some strokes on either side of the mouth to make the shape of the muzzle a little wider. Add some strokes on the cheeks to emphasize the structure of the tabby cat's face. Draw some strokes along the lower edge of the main circle for a bit of the neck.

 

Step 16: 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 give your cat for the distinctive tabby pattern. You can also skip this step for a white cat. Add some strokes around the eyes. This area will be blank. Add some stripes on the sides of the head and on the forehead. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

Shade the cat's ears using a dark value around the edges. Inside, use lighter, longer strokes for the fur found there. Use a very dark value around the nose, the bridge of the nose and the stripes on the forehead. Shade the top part of the nose using tiny strokes to duplicate the texture of the fur. Don't use smooth shading. Cover the tabby cat's head in a series of short strokes of different value for the furry texture. Yes, this method of shading can take a VERY long time, so be patient and take breaks.

Add a few small, dark spots on the outer edges of the muzzle for the base of the cat's whiskers. Start shading lightly, and then gradually add darker strokes and more value until you reach a level you like. The strokes should go in the general direction of the tabby cat's fur. They should radiate outward from the middle. Separate each individual stroke a bit so that the white of the paper comes through and creates a more fur-like texture.

Tabby cats usually have lighter fur on the lower half of their head, so don't add too much value there. It's always a good idea to use reference as you draw for a more accurate tabby cat pattern. If you have a pet tabby or a similar cat breed, try to duplicate its fur on your drawing. Shade the eyes but don't overlap the tiny glare circles. Use a smooth value that's lighter than the pupils for the irises. Make the outer edges of the irises slightly lighter to make the eyes rounder.

Add some value to the lower part of the tabby cat's head to create shadows and give the head more dimension and volume. Continue to slowly build up the value by adding more and more strokes until you're happy with the result. Make the stripes on the sides and on the forehead dark to emphasize the tabby pattern. Don't forget to pause the video to draw at your own pace.

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