How to Draw a Jacob Sheep
Please PAUSE the "How to Draw a Jacob Sheep" video after each step to draw at your own pace.
Time-Lapse (Speed Drawing) video:
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 small circle near the top of the paper as a guide for the top part of the Jacob sheep's head. First make four small marks to indicate its 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: Draw a small, curved line under the circle as a guide for the lower part of the Jacob sheep's head. Don't draw this line too far down, otherwise the head will be too long.
Step 3: Draw a horizontal line across the circle as a guide to help you place the Jacob sheep's facial features later. Now draw a vertical line across the entire head for another construction line.
Step 4: On top of the head, draw two long, curved lines as guides for the Jacob sheep's first set of horns. Place the bottom of the horns close to the top of the head and then curve the lines outward. The longer you make these lines, the bigger the horns will be.
Step 5: On either side of the head, draw another curved line for the Jacob sheep's second set of horns. Curve the lines downward next to the head. These horns should be smaller, so make the lines shorter.
Step 6: Below and to the left of the sheep's head, draw a big circle as a guide for the front of the body. Draw this circle the same way as the head. First make some marks to indicate the height and width. Then connect the marks using curve lines. Don't overlap the shape of the head at the top. Pay attention to the size of this circle in relation to the shape of the head.
Step 7: On the left side, draw another circle as a guide for the back portion of the Jacob sheep's body. This circle should be smaller than the circle on the right, and their edges should touch.
Step 8: Draw a series of lines that connect the circles to complete the guide for the Jacob sheep's body.
Step 9: Under the circle on the right, draw two vertical lines as guides for the Jacob sheep's front legs.
Step 10: Under the circle on the left, draw two angled lines as guides for the sheep's hind legs. The lines should slope toward the left. Bend them to indicate where the joints will be.
That's it for the guides! From this point on, press harder with your pencil for a more defined drawing.
Step 11: Lightly sketch the Jacob sheep's eyes inside the head as two small circles. Place the eyes on top of the horizontal guide line, close to the side edges of the initial circle. When you get the size and position right, darken the shapes but make the sides pointier.
Step 12: Inside each eye, off to the side, draw a tiny circle to represent glare. In the middle of each eye, draw a small oval on its side and shade it in for the pupils. Draw a series of lines around the eyes to emphasize the brow. These lines should be made up of short strokes to indicate the Jacob sheep's wool.
Step 13: Draw the Jacob sheep's nose using a series of short, curved lines under the initial circle. Draw two short, curved vertical lines for the sides of the nose and two horizontal lines at the bottom for the nostrils. Draw a line at the bottom similar to the letter V and a series of short strokes at the top.
Step 14: Under the nose, draw a horizontal line for the mouth. Darken the line and make it thicker. Curve the sides up to create the shape of the sheep's muzzle. Add a few lines on the sides of the nose to complete the top part of the muzzle. Darken the bottom part of the initial arc using short strokes to create the chin.
Step 15: Use the curved line on the left as a guide to draw the first Jacob sheep's horn. First draw a vertical line made up of short strokes next to the eye for the base of the horn. Follow the path of the guide and lightly sketch the shape of the horn around it. The base of the horn should be wide, and it should gradually get thinner toward the tip. When you get the shape right, darken the lines. You can make the horns bigger or smaller if you'd like.
Step 16: Use the initial circle and curved line underneath as guides to draw the rest of the head. Darken the outer edges of the guides to create the shape of the head. Curve the lines around the eyes to give the face more structure. Add a few lines inside the head to emphasize the bridge of the muzzle.
Step 17: Use the curved line on the right as a guide to draw the second horn the same way as the first. First lightly sketch the shape of the horn around the guide line. Then when you get the shape right, darken the lines. It's okay if the horns don't look exactly alike, Jacob sheep's horns aren't always symmetrical.
Step 18: Above the horns, draw the ears using a couple of curved lines. Most of the ears are hidden behind the horns, so only draw the visible pointy tips.
Step 19: Use the curved line on the top, left side of the head as a guide to draw the third horn. Lightly sketch the shape of the horn around the guide line. When you get the shape of the horn right, darken the lines. The curved base of the horn should come in toward the sheep's head a little. Remember to make the base wide and gradually make the horn thinner toward the pointy tip.
Step 20: Use the last curved line on the head as a guide to draw the Jacob sheep's fourth horn the same way. Lightly sketch the shape of the horn around the guide and only darken the lines when you get the shape right. The top horns should be similar to each other, but it's okay if they're not perfectly symmetrical. Remember to draw the wide base of the horn in toward the head a bit. Add a few lines to the sides of the base of the horn for the shape of the head.
Step 21: Use the second line from the right as a guide to draw the Jacob sheep's first front leg. Follow the path of the guide and lightly sketch the shape of the leg around it. When you get the shape of the leg right, darken the lines. As you draw the shape of the legs add a few bumps near the middle and bottom for the joints. Draw a short horizontal line at the bottom for the sheep's hoof and a vertical line to split the hoof.
Step 22: Use the line on the far right side as a guide to draw the second front leg the same way. Sketch lightly at first and only darken the lines when you get the shape right. Add the bumps for the joints. The top part of the leg should be wider than the bottom. Add the short hoof at the bottom.
Step 23: Use the line on the far left side as a guide to draw the first hind leg. As you lightly sketch the leg around the guide, bend the middle section to create the joint. The top part of the Jacob sheep's hind legs should be wider than the top part of the front legs. The whole shape of the hind leg should slope toward the left a bit.
Step 24: Use the last line under the body as a guide to draw the sheep's other hind leg the same way. The top part of this leg will be hidden by the body so only draw the visible lower portion.
Step 25: Use the remaining lines and shapes as guides to draw the rest of the Jacob sheep's body. Darken the outer edges of the guides to create the shape of the body. Use a series of short, bumpy lines as you darken the shape of the body to create the fluffy wool. You can also draw the lines for the body farther out away from the guides for thicker wool. Add a few wavy lines within the body for the creases on the sheep's wool.
Step 26: 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 Jacob sheep 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 even more value to your Jacob sheep drawing for extra detail. Use a dark value to shade the horns but use a light value near the tops for shine. As you shade the horns, draw a series of lines along each horn to create ridges. If you make the value on the sheep's horns as dark as the shadows, make the shadows darker.
Use a dark value to draw the markings on the head. Along with the horns, the dark markings on the wool are an unusual characteristic in Jacob sheep. The markings on Jacob sheep always vary, so feel free to make yours different. Use a medium value to shade in the rest of the head and body.
Shade the body using circular strokes to emphasize the fluffy wool. A lot of Jacob sheep are white with dark markings, so you can skip adding the medium value. Shade lightly at first and slowly build up to the level of darkness that you like. As with the horns, if you make the value on the body as dark as the shadows, just make the shadows darker.
Now use a darker value to add the markings all over the Jacob sheep's body. Draw the markings any way you want. A couple of large ones or a bunch of smaller ones. It's up to you! Adding the spots and shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. It's always a good idea to use reference for a more accurate drawing.
Add a cast shadow underneath. This helps ground the sheep so it doesn't appear to be floating. Don't forget to pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace.
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