In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Dalmatian Dog step by step. Dalmatian Dogs are known for the spots on their coat. Puppies are actually born with all-white coats and their first spots usually appear within 3 to 4 weeks after birth!

 

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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 Dalmatian Dog 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 on the left side of the paper as a guide for the front part of the Dalmatian'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 right side, draw a smaller circle as a guide for the back section of the Dalmatian's body . This circle should be about one-third the size of the first one. Don't place the circles too far apart.

 

 

Step 3: Above the first circle, draw another circle as a guide for the dog's head. This circle should be around the same size as the second circle or about one-third the size of the first one. Don't draw this circle too high up, otherwise the Dalmatian's head will be too long.

 

Step 4: Draw a horizontal line across the head as a guide to help you add the Dalmatian's facial features later. On the top, left side of the horizontal line, add a curved, vertical line for another construction line.

 

 

Step 5: Draw a small circle on the bottom half of the head as a guide for the Dalmatian's muzzle. A small sliver of this circle on the lower, left side should be outside of the head circle.

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Step 6: Add the guide for the ear by first drawing a vertical line on the right side of the head. Draw an angled line on the right to form a triangle and finish the guide for the first ear. On the left side of the head, draw an angled line that's similar to a less- than sign as a guide for the Dalmatian's other ear.

 

Step 7: Under the circle on the left, 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 Dalmatian's joints and feet will be.

 

 

Step 8: Under the circle on the right, add the guide for the Dalmatian's first hind leg by first drawing a line that slopes to the right. Then bend the line downward so that it's as long as the guides for the front legs. Draw a similar line to the left side as a guide for the dog's other hind leg.

 

Step 9: 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 body. The bottom line should slope upward. On the right side, draw a curved line as a guide for the tail. Dalmatians have long tails, so don't draw this line too short.

 

 

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: Lightly sketch the eyes inside the head as two small ovals. Use the initial construction lines as guides for size and position of the eyes. When you get the size and position right, darken the dog's eyes. The eye on the left should have a small line on the right side for the top of the muzzle. As you darken the shapes of the Dalmatian's eyes, make the sides pointier like footballs. Add a few short strokes around the eyes for a bit of fur.

 

Step 11: Draw a couple of lines inside the eyes for the irises. Shade the inside of the irises using a medium value. As you shade the iris, leave a tiny circle blank to represent glare. Shade the eye on the right the same way. Don't forget the tiny glare circle! Use a darker value for the middle of each eye for the Dalmatian's pupils.

 

 

Step 12: Add the dog's nose by first lightly sketching a small oval inside the muzzle. Place the nose on the left side, overlapping the edges of the guides a bit. When you get the size and position of the oval right, darken the lines. Curve the side of the nose inward and make the tips thick to create the Dalmatian's nostrils. Use short strokes at the top for a fur-like texture. Make the bottom of the nose pointier and add a short vertical line inside.

 

Step 13: Add the mouth by first drawing a short line under the nose. Curve the line to the right to create the first part of the top lip. Make the line a bit wavy. Draw a shorter wavy line on the left side for the other side of the top lip/mouth. Darken the left edge of the initial circle guide for the side of the Dalmatian's muzzle.

 

 

Step 14: Draw a line from the nose to the eye on the left for the top part of the muzzle. Use the circle as a guide. Draw a wavy line under the mouth for the dog's chin/lower jaw. This line should be somewhat parallel to the mouth. Use a few short strokes for fur.

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Step 15: Use the triangle on the right side as a guide to draw the Dalmatian's first ear. Follow the basic path of the guide but make the lines wavier for a more organic shape. Curve the bottom corner so that it's rounder. Add some short strokes at the top for fur. Use the angled line on the left as a guide to draw the other ear the same way. Follow the basic path of the guide but make the shape rounder as you darken the lines.

 

Step 16: Use the main circle as a guide to draw the rest of the Dalmatian's head. Draw the edge for the top of the head a bit lower than the circle. The line for the left side of the face should be wavier for the brow and cheekbone. Add a few short strokes inside the dog's head for a fur-like texture.

 

 

Step 17: Use the second line from the left as a guide to draw the first front leg. Follow the guide and lightly sketch the shape of the Dalmatian's leg around it. Bend the shape of the leg where the guide bends to indicate the joints. When you get the shape of the leg right, darken the lines.

Draw a series of short, curved lines at the bottom to split the individual toes. Pay attention to how the shape of the foot bends at the bottom and creates a bump on the right side. The Dalmatian's leg should be wide at the top and gradually get thinner toward the bottom. Keep the overall shape of the leg close to guide so that it's not so wide.

 

Step 18: Use the line on the far left side as a guide to draw the 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. Use a couple of curved lines on the tip of the foot to create the Dalmatian's toes. The top, right side of this leg will be behind the first leg, so don't draw it.

 

 

Step 19: Use the line on the far right 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. The top, left side of the leg should overlap the guide for the Dalmatian's other hind leg.

The hind leg should be thicker at the top than the top of the front leg. When you draw the toes, make them a bit pointy to represent the dog's nails. As with the front legs, the shape of the leg should be wide at the top and gradually get thinner at the bottom. Add a couple of lines inside, near the middle, for more structure.

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Step 20: Use the last line under the body as a guide to draw the other hind leg the same way. Use the first hind leg as a template to draw the Dalmatian's other hind leg. A big portion of the top of the leg will be behind the other hind leg, so don't worry about drawing it.

 

Step 21: Use the remaining lines and shapes as guides to draw the rest of the Dalmatian's body. Darken the lines under the head to create the neck and chest. Curve the lines a bit at the bottom for the muscle structure. Darken the outer edges of the guides to create the shape of the rest of the body. If you made your initial guides too thin or wide, now is the time to correct them to give your dog the proper body shape.

 

 

Step 22: Use the long, curved line on the right as a guide to draw the Dalmatian's tail. Draw the shape of the tail around the guide. The tip of the tail should come to a point.

 

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 some shading to your Dalmatian 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. 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 dog so it doesn't appear to be floating.

Hmm, something's missing. The Dalmatian's spots! But first shade the nose using a dark value. Now add the spots randomly all over the body! The spots are basically blotches, so just draw irregular, curved shapes and shade them in with a dark value. You can make the spots big or small. You can draw a lot of them or only a few. It's up to you! Adding the Dalmatian's spots can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. If you have a pet Dalmatian or a similar breed, try to replicate its spots on your drawing! Don't forget to pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace.

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