In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Cougar (Head Detail) step-by-step. Cougars are known by a variety of names, such as Mountain Lion, Puma, Panther, Catamount, Mountain Screamer, Painter and more. The Cougar holds the Guinness record for the animal with the most amount of names, with over 40 in English alone!

 

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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 Cougar 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 cougar'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 to help you place the mountain lion's facial features later. On top of the horizontal line, near the right side, draw a shorter, curved, vertical line for another guide.

 

 

Step 3: Draw a small circle on the lower, right side as a guide for the mountain lion's muzzle. Use the four-marks technique to draw this circle too. Pay attention to the size of this circle in relation to the cougar's head. The lower, right side of this circle should be outside the edge of the big circle.

 

Step 4: On the top, left side of the head, draw a small arc as a guide for the panther's first ear. Pay attention to the size and placement of this arc in relation to the head.

 

 

Step 5: Draw another arc on the top, right side of the head as a guide for the puma's other ear. This arc should be a tiny bit thinner than the first arc.

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

 

Step 6: Lightly sketch the eyes inside the head as two small half-circles. The cougar's eyes should be sitting on top of the horizontal guide line and on either side of the vertical guide line. When you get the position and size of the eyes right, darken the lines. Make the lines at the bottom thicker and darker. Use a bit of jagged lines on the top edge of the eyes for fur. Draw a few short lines on the inner edge of each eye that point down for the corners of the eyes.

 

 

Step 7: Inside each eye, near the top edge, draw a small circle for the mountain lion's pupils. When you get the size and position of the pupils right, shade them in. To the right of each pupil, draw a tiny circle to represent glare. Draw a curved line under each eye for the bit of bare skin found there. Draw a few short strokes above each eye for a fur-like texture.

 

Step 8: Lightly sketch a small triangle inside the muzzle for the cougar's nose. Draw the triangle near the right side of the small circle and within the circle for the head. When you get the size and position of the triangle right, darken the lines. Make the top edge wavy. As you darken the sides, curve the edges inward to create the nostrils. Curve the nostril on the left more. Draw a line near the bottom of the puma's nose. On the top, left side, draw a line that points toward the eye on the left.

 

 

Step 9: Draw a short line under the nose for the start of the mouth. Using series of short strokes, draw a line that curves toward the left for the first side of the mouth. Add another shorter line on the right for the other side of the panther's mouth. Keep the mouth inside the initial circle.

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Step 10: Darken the sides of the initial small circle to create the shape of the cougar's muzzle. As you darken the sides, use short strokes to create a fur-like texture. Add a few strokes above the nose to emphasize the top of the panther's muzzle.

 

Step 11: Darken the bottom edge of the small circle to create the puma's chin. Use short strokes to darken the edge for a fuzzy texture.

 

 

Step 12: Use the arc on the top, left side as a guide to draw the first ear. Darken the path of the arc but use short strokes along the top for fur. Add short strokes at the base of the arc too. Draw longer strokes within the arc for the fur found inside the mountain lion's ear.

 

Step 13: Use the arc on the top, right side as a guide to draw the cougar's other ear the same way. Darken the arc but make the sides wavier for a more organic shape. Add a series of short strokes within the arc for the fur found inside the ear.

 

 

Step 14: Use the main circle as a guide to draw the rest of the head. Use a series of short strokes along the top edge of the circle for the furry top of the head. On the right side, draw a curved line to form a bump next to the eye to emphasize the thick brow. Draw another bump farther down for the cougar's cheekbone. There should be a dip in the middle toward the eye.

Follow the edge of the circle on the lower, left side to create the rest of the mountain lion's head/jaw. Draw a series of broken up strokes along the edge of the circle to form the head/jaw. Add a few strokes inside the head for extra detail on the cougar's fur and structure. Draw a short line on the bottom and on the left side of the head for a small portion of the neck.

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Step 15: 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 mountain lion drawing for extra detail. Use a dark value for the inside of the ears and a medium value for the main part of the fur. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. Use tiny strokes as you add the value to emphasize the fur-like texture. These small strokes should go in the general direction of the fur. They should radiate outward from the middle. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

Leave a couple of sections around the eyes blank. Make the inner corner of the mountain lion's eyes longer and darker. Add the value very lightly at first, and then gradually build up to the level of darkness that you want. Use a smoother, slightly darker value for the bridge of the nose and the nose itself. Use a dark value for the sides of the muzzle. Add some thin stripes here too for the base of the whiskers. The front part of the cougar's muzzle is white but add a light value at the bottom for shadows.

Separate each individual stroke a bit so that the white of the paper comes through and emphasizes the fur-like texture. Use a dark value for the lower outer edge of the mountain lion's eyes. For the insides of the eyes, use a dark value near the top and gradually make it lighter toward the bottom. Shading can be a very slow process, so be patient and take breaks. Continue adding value a little at a time until you're happy with the result.

Add some smoother shading over the short strokes to make the cougar's fur sleeker. It's always a good idea to use reference for a more accurate drawing. Add a few long strokes to the mountain lion's muzzle for whiskers. Don't forget to pause the video to draw at your own pace.

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