In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Wolf (Running) step-by-step. Wolves hunt in packs and chase prey down. Wolves can run at speeds of 34–43 mph for short bursts while chasing prey!

 

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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 Wolf running 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 front part of the wolf'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, trace the outer rim of a coin, a lid 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 left side, draw a smaller circle as a guide for the back section of the body. The wolf will be stretched out as it runs, so don't draw the circles too close together, otherwise the wolf's body will be too scrunched up.

 

 

Step 3: Draw another circle on the right side as a guide for the head. This circle should be a bit smaller than the circle for the back section of the wolf's body. This circle's edge should barely touch the first circle, and it should be placed slightly higher.

 

Step 4: On the right side of the head, draw a small, U-shaped arc as a guide for the muzzle. Pay attention to the size of this arc in relation to the rest of the wolf's head.

 

 

Step 5: On top of the head, draw two small triangle-like shapes as guides for the wolf's ears. These guides should form a shape similar to the letter M.

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Step 6: Below the circle on the right, draw an angled line as a guide for the first front leg. Pay attention to how this line bends. This will indicate the wolf's leg joints later. It bends to the right first, then down. Add a diagonal line under the circle that overlaps the first line. This will be the guide for the second front leg that's striding forward.

 

Step 7: Under the circle on the left, draw another line that slopes toward the left as a guide for the first hind leg. Bend the line twice slightly in the middle to indicate where the leg's joints will be. Draw another line under the circle that bends to the right this time as a guide for the running wolf's other hind leg.

 

 

Step 8: Draw a series of curved lines that connect the circles to create the guide for the rest of the body. Draw two curved lines that connect the head to the big circle to create the guide for the neck. Add two longer lines that connect the main circles to create the guide for the torso. On the left side of the body, draw a long, curved line as a guide for the wolf's tail.

 

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

 

 

Step 9: Inside the head, near the right side, lightly sketch a small circle for the wolf's eye. When you get the position and size right, darken the circle. Use an angled line similar to a less-than sign (<) on the left side. Add a couple of lines above and below the eye for extra detail. On the lower, right side of the eye, draw a small, triangular shape for the corner of the eye. Darken the corner of the eye. Make sure that it points toward the muzzle. Inside the ear, near the top, draw a tiny dot for the pupil.

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Step 10: Draw the wolf's nose close to the top of the arc on the right. First draw an angled line close to the edge of the arc for the top and front of the nose. On the left side, draw a short, curved line for the nostril. Close off the shape of the nose on the left side by drawing a series of short strokes for a fur-like texture.

 

Step 11: Use the arc as a guide to draw the rest of the muzzle. Start by drawing a line under the nose that curves to the left and ends at the edge of the circle for the head. On the left side, break up the line into short strokes to emphasize the fur. Draw a series of strokes along the path of the arc at the bottom to create the lower jaw. The bottom part of the mouth ends slightly to the left of the top part. Follow the path of the initial arc to draw the top part of the wolf's muzzle but make the shape a bit thinner.

 

 

Step 12: Use the triangular shape on the top, left side of the head as a guide to draw the wolf's first ear. Darken the shape but make the bottom lines longer so that the base of the ear is inside the head. Add a series of short strokes within the ear for the fur found there. Don't make these strokes too long; keep them short for a fuzzy texture.

 

Step 13: Use short strokes along the path of the shape on the right to create the wolf's other ear.

 

 

Step 14: Use the main circle as a guide to draw the rest of the head. Draw a series of short strokes along the edge of the circle to create the fur-like texture. Don't make these strokes too long. You can also just darken the edge of the circle for shorter-looking fur. Add a few more strokes at the top and the bottom for the rest of the wolf's head. Add some strokes inside the circle too but don't close off the shape of the head on the left side.

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Step 15: Use the angled line under the circle on the right as a guide to draw the wolf's first front leg. Follow the path of the guide and lightly sketch the shape of the leg around it. Curve the shape downward to create the joint and the foot hanging down. When you get the shape of the leg right, darken the lines. Use short strokes along the lower edge of the leg for the longer fur. Draw a couple of curved lines on the left side of the foot for the padding on the paws. At the bottom of the shape, draw a couple of U-shaped lines that come to a point for the toes and nails.

 

Step 16: Use the sloping line under the circle on the right as a guide to draw the other front leg. Follow the path of the guide and draw the shape of the leg around it. When you get the shape right, darken the lines. Don't overlap the shape of the first leg. At the bottom of the wolf's paw, draw a few curved lines for the padding. At the tip of the paw, draw a couple of curved lines that end in a pointy tip for the toes and nails. Add the dewclaw higher up the foot.

 

 

Step 17: Use the angled line on the far left side as a guide to draw the wolf's first hind leg. Draw the shape of the leg around the guide. Curve the shape where the guide bends to create the joints. When you get the shape right, darken the lines. Use short strokes on the left edge for the fur. At the bottom, draw a couple of U- shaped lines for the individual toes. On the bottom edge of each toe, draw a pointy tip for the wolf's nails. The overall shape of the leg should be wide at the top and gradually get thinner toward the bottom.

 

Step 18: Use the last angled line under the body as a guide to draw the other hind leg the same way. Lightly sketch the shape of the leg around the guide. Curve the shape near the middle to form the joint. When you get the shape right, darken the lines. Use short strokes along the left edge, at the top. This is the only leg that is in contact with the ground, so make the paw flat at the bottom. Draw a couple of curved lines at the tip of the foot for the wolf's individual toes. The shape of the leg should be wide at the top and gradually get narrower toward the bottom.

 

 

Step 19: Use the remaining lines and shapes as guides to draw the rest of the running wolf's body. Use short strokes to darken the top edge of the initial guide to create the back. Use slightly longer strokes along the lower edge of the guides for the fur on the underside of the body. Wolves have thicker coats in the winter, so you can make these strokes even longer for shaggier fur.

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Step 20: Use the curved line on the left as a guide to draw the wolf's fluffy tail. Just like the legs, first lightly sketch the shape of the tail around the guide. Then, when you get the shape right, darken the lines. Draw the shape of the wolf's tail using longer strokes to create a bushy texture.

 

 

Step 21: 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 running wolf 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. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. You can actually stop here for an all-white wolf.

Add a cast shadow underneath to emphasize that three of the wolf's legs are off the ground.

You can add even more value to your wolf drawing for extra detail. Use a medium value for the head but leave an area around the eyes blank. The lower half of the head is pretty white, so leave that section blank. Shade the bridge of the nose lightly. Darken the shadows a bit too. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

As you add the value to the body, use strokes that go in the general direction of the fur. Separate each individual stroke a bit so that the white of the paper comes through and emphasizes the fur-like texture. Don't worry about shading too smoothly. The rough value gives the wolf's coat a furry texture.

If you make the value on the wolf's body as dark as the shadows, make the shadows darker so they stand out. Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. Continue to add value to your drawing until you're happy with the level of darkness. It's always a good idea to use reference as you draw. Remember to pause the video to draw at your own pace.

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