In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Harpy Eagle 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 Harpy Eagle 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 harpy eagle's body. 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, trace the outer rim of a coin, a bottle cap 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: On the lower, left side, make a small mark as a guide for the lower part of the harpy eagle's body. Connect the mark to the circle using curved lines to form an arc. The entire shape should be similar to an egg.

 

 

Step 3: On the top, right side, draw another circle as a guide for the bird's head. This circle should be about one-fourth the size of the first circle. Don't draw it too high above the harpy eagle's body.

 

Step 4: On the left side of the head, draw a small arc as a guide for the harpy eagle's beak.

 

 

Step 5: Draw two lines that connect the head to the body as the guide for the harpy eagle's neck. Make the shape of the bird's neck narrow at the top and wide at the bottom.

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Step 6: Under the body, draw a line as a guide for the harpy eagle's leg. The line should bend a bit at the top and slope toward the lower, right side. Pay attention to the length of the line. Near the middle, draw a small line for the bird's toe.

 

Step 7: On the lower, left side, draw the guide for the harpy eagle's tail using three lines to create a rectangular shape.

 

 

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 left side, lightly sketch a small circle for the bird's eye. Draw a thick line at the top of the eye for the heavy brow. Break up the line at either end to represent a feathery texture. Darken the edges of the eye but don't overlap the brow at the top. Add a few curved lines around the harpy eagle's eye for the extra skin. Make the sides of these lines pointy and don't overlap the brow at the top.

 

 

Step 9: Inside each eye, off to the side, draw a small circle to represent glare. In the middle of the eye, add a big dot using a dark value for the pupil. Now shade the rest of the eye using a value that's lighter than the pupil. Don't overlap the tiny glare circle as you shade the eye.

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Step 10: Use the arc on the left as a guide to draw the top part of the harpy eagle's beak. Follow the basic path of the arc and darken the top and left side of it. At the bottom, extend the line downward a bit to create a pointy tip. Curve the line to the left to create the bird's mouth. The line should end close to the bottom of the eye.

 

Step 11: Use the initial arc as a guide to draw the bottom part of the beak too. Follow the path of the arc but curve the line more as you darken it to make the beak more organic. Add a series of short strokes on the right side for the feathery base of the harpy eagle's beak. Inside the beak, near the middle, draw a couple of short lines for the nostril.

 

 

Step 12: Use the initial circle as a guide to draw the rest of the harpy eagle's head. Follow the top edge of the circle as you draw the head but make the shape flatter. Draw a series of short, curved lines along the right side for the base of the feathers that stand up. Continue to draw these short, curved lines along the bottom edge of the initial circle. Add a few lines under the bird's beak for the neck feathers. Add another row of short, curved lines on the right side for more feathers.

 

Step 13: Draw a series of curved lines along the outer edge of the initial circle for more head feathers. Follow the path of the row of feathers from the previous step and stagger the curved lines for new feathers. Add flatter lines along the bottom for more neck feathers.

Now add longer, more arc-like curved lines along the right side of the harpy eagle's head for the feathers that are standing up. The feathers should be smaller near the base and longer toward the right side. The bottoms of the feathers should overlap a bit. Don't draw too many feathers, otherwise they'll look crowded. Make the feathers smaller and flatter the closer they are to the neck at the bottom.

 

 

Step 14: Inside the body, lightly sketch a long, curved line for the harpy eagle's folded wing. This line should start near the neck at the top and then curve down and to the left near the tail. When you get the shape of the wing right, darken the lines. Make the line kind of choppy along the bottom for a more feather-like texture. The tip of the bird's folded wing should be pointy on the lower, left side. Add a series of curved lines across the middle of the wing for a row of feathers.

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Step 15: Use the sloping line under the body as a guide to draw the bird's first leg. At the top of the line, draw a wide shape for the feather-covered base of the leg. Now follow the path of the guides and draw the shape of the foot and toe around the lines. Add the middle toe at the bottom by drawing the shape of it around the initial line.

At the tip of each toe, draw a long, curved, pointy shape for the harpy eagle's sharp talons. Between these toes, draw a thin shape using curved lines for another toe. Add a talon to this toe too. To the right of the middle toe, draw another toe the same way. This toe should be a bit shorter, but the talon should be long and thick.

 

Step 16: Use the other lines and shapes as guides to draw the harpy eagle's body. Darken the outer edges of the initial guides to create the shape of the body. Add a couple of curved lines at the top, near the neck, for a row of feathers. Add a series of short strokes to the left of the leg for the fluffy feathery underside of the body. On the left side, draw long, curved line for the visible part of the eagle's other folded wing.

 

 

Step 17: Use the first leg as a template to draw the bird's leg on the other side the same way. Draw the feathery base at the top using short strokes. Then add the thick base of the foot. Add the toe using curved lines. At the tip, draw the sharp, pointy talon. Draw the harpy eagle's middle toe and talon using more curved lines. The other toes will be mostly hidden by the first toe and by the first leg, so don't worry about drawing them.

 

Step 18: Darken the shape on the lower, left side to create the harpy eagle's tail. Use a series of small arcs at the bottom and vertical lines inside for the individual feathers. Add a few strokes across the middle of the tail for the pattern on the bird's feathers.

 

 

Step 19: Draw a few curved lines under the feet to give the eagle a rock to stand on. Don't overlap the shape of the toes or talons as you draw the rock.

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Step 20: 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 your harpy eagle drawing for more detail. Use a dark value for the beak and the area around the eye. Leave a bit of the beak blank for shine. Use a dark value for the feathers standing up and a light value for the rest of the head. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

Use a dark value for the bird's neck but leave a few patches blank for a few white feathers. Use a dark value for the wing too. At the bottom, leave a few strips blank to emphasize the individual feathers. Add the value lightly at first and gradually build up to the level of darkness you like. Use a dark value on the harpy eagle's tail to create stripes. Use a light value for the underside of the body.

Use a slightly darker value along the bottom of the body to create a shadow. Use a dark value for the talons but leave a strip blank to represent shine. Shading can be time- consuming, so be patient and take breaks. 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.

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