In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Saiga Antelope step-by-step. The Saiga is a critically endangered antelope that is found in central asia. It is distinguished by it's prominent bloated nostrils that droop down over their mouths.

 

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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 Saiga Antelope 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 saiga antelope'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. Don't draw these circles too far apart, otherwise your saiga will be too long.

 

 

Step 3: Draw another circle as a guide for the saiga antelope's head on the top right side. This circle should be about one-fourth the size of the first one.

 

Step 4: On the right side of the head, draw a small, U-shaped arc as a guide for the saiga's head.

 

 

Step 5: On top of the head, draw two long, curved lines as guides for the saiga antelope's horns. The horn on the right should be a bit wavier. The longer these lines are, the longer the horns will be.

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Step 6: Draw two small arcs on top of the head as guides for the saiga's ears. The arc on the right should be smaller than the one on the left. Place it between the horns.

 

Step 7: Draw two lines that connect the head to the body to create the guide for the neck. Draw two lines to connect the body circles to complete the guide for the saiga antelope's body.

 

 

Step 8: Under the circle on the right, draw two long, vertical lines as guides for the front legs. Bend the lines a bit at the top and bottom to indicate where the saiga's joints and feet will be.

 

Step 9: Under the circle on the left, draw two more lines as guides for the saiga's hind legs. These lines should slope diagonally at the top. The bottom tips should bend forward a bit.

 

 

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

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Step 10: Inside the head, near the top, lightly sketch a small oval for the eye. When you get the size and position right, darken the eyes but make the sides a bit pointier. The final shape should be similar to a football. Draw a small line at the bottom for a wrinkle. Add a few short strokes above the saiga antelope's eye for fur. Inside the eye , draw a tiny circle to represent glare.

 

Step 11: Shade the inside of the eye using a medium value. Don't overlap the tiny glare circle as you shade. Shade the bottom part of the eye slightly lighter. Add a few lines around the eye to emphasize the saiga's brow structure. Use broken lines to draw the brow to represent a fur-like texture. The top part of the brow should be very close to the guide for the horn on the left.

 

 

Step 12: Use the arc on the lower, right side as a guide to draw the first part of the saiga antelope's muzzle. Follow the basic path of the arc to draw the muzzle but make the line wavier as you darken it. Before getting to the bottom of the arc, curve the line upward to create the mouth. Add a curved line at the top to emphasize the wrinkles on the droopy muzzle. Some saigas have noses that droop down more than others.

 

Step 13: At the bottom of the nose, draw two small circles for the saiga's nostrils. Draw these circles so that they come together at the bottom. Shade the nostrils using a dark value. Darken the line on the left to emphasize the mouth under the nose. Add a line under the mouth to finish the muzzle. Draw some strokes within the shape for the fur. These short strokes also help emphasize the structure of the muzzle.

 

 

Step 14: Use the curved line on top of the head, on the left side, as a guide to draw the saiga antelope's first horn. Draw some short strokes at the bottom for the furry base . Then draw the shape of the horn around the guide. The horns should be thick at the bottom and gradually get thinner toward the top. Make the edges of the horns ribbed to represent the rings on the saiga's horn.

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Step 15: Use the wavy line on the right as a guide to draw the other horn the same way. The bottom of the horn should be wide , and the top should end in a pointy tip. It's okay if the bottom of the saiga's horn overlaps the guide for the ear a little bit.

 

Step 16: Darken the small arcs on the head but make them pointier to create the shape of the saiga's ears. Draw a few short strokes inside the ear on the left for the fur found there.

 

 

Step 17: Use the main circle as a guide to draw the rest of the saiga antelope's head. Darken the bottom edge of the circle to create the jaw. Darken part of the lines under the head to create the top of the neck. Add a series of short strokes inside the head for extra detail on the fur.

 

Step 18: Use the second line from the right as a guide to draw the first front leg. Follow the guide and lightly sketch the shape of the leg around it. Make the shape bulge out a bit near the middle to indicate the joint. When you get the shape of the saiga's leg right, darken the lines. Draw a few short strokes near the middle to emphasize the joint. Bend the foot slightly to the right at the bottom. Use a short line to split the hoof.

 

 

Step 19: Use the line on the far right side as a guide to draw the saiga's second front leg the same way. First lightly sketch the shape of the leg around the guide. Then, when you get the shape right, darken the lines. Make the middle section bulge out a bit for the joint and bend the foot forward slightly.

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Step 20: Use the line on the far left side as a guide to draw the first hind leg. Sketch lightly at first. When you get the structure of the leg right, darken the lines. Follow the guide line closely as this leg bends more than the front legs. The saiga's hind leg should be thicker at the top than the top of the front leg. Add some strokes near the bottom for the hoof.

 

Step 21: Use the last line under the saiga's body as a guide to draw the other hind leg the same way. Use the first hind leg as a template to draw the other hind leg. Don't overlap the shape of the first hind leg at the top.

 

 

Step 22: Use the remaining lines and shapes as guides to draw the rest of the saiga antelope's body. Darken the outer edges of the guides at the top to create the back. Now darken the outer edges of the guides at the bottom to create the underside. Add an extra bump to the right of the front legs for the chest. On the top, left side of the body, draw the tail using a series of short strokes that point down.

 

Step 23: 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 series of short, horizontal strokes on the saiga's horns to create the rings. Now add some shading to your drawing to give it more dimension and volume. Pick the direction of the light source so that the shadows are consistent with it. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. Don't worry about shading too smoothly. A rough value creates a coarser texture for the saiga's coat. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

Add a cast shadow underneath. This helps ground the saiga antelope so it doesn't appear to be floating.

Add more shading for extra detail. Use a medium value for the rest of the saiga antelope's body. As you shade the body, use strokes that go in the general direction of the coat hair. Use a lighter value for the underside of the body. Shading your saiga drawing can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. 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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