Please PAUSE the "How to Draw a Canada Goose" 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 bottom of the paper as a guide for the Canada goose'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 drawing 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 the second guide for the body by first making a small mark to the left of the circle. Then connect the mark to the circle using curved lines to form an arc. Draw a similar arc on the right side of the circle to finish the guide for the Canada goose's body. The arc on the right should be lower than the arc on the left. Pay attention to their size in relation to the circle.

 

Step 3: To the left of the body, draw a small circle as a guide for the Canada goose's head. This circle should be very small compared to the body. Pay attention to how far away it is from the body.

 

Step 4: To the left of the head, draw an angled line similar to a less-than sign (<) as a guide for the goose's beak.

 

Step 5: Draw two long lines that connect the head to the body to create the guide for the Canada goose's neck. Curve the lines a little so that the neck is a bit thinner near the middle.

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Step 6: Add the guide for the Canada goose's tail on the lower, right side of the body by first drawing two sloping lines. Use a shorter line to close off the shape of the tail. Add a small, angled line below as a guide for the foot.

 

Step 7: On top of the body, draw a long, diagonal line as a guide for the Canada goose's first wing. Notice how long this line is compared to the body. Pay attention to its angle too. Remember to sketch lightly so that it's easy to erase if you make a mistake. To the left, near the neck, draw another long, diagonal line as a guide for the second wing.

 

Step 8: Draw a long, curved line to each of the previous lines to complete the guides for the goose's wings. Don't overlap these guides and don't make the wing shapes too thin.

 

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, on the top, left side, draw a small circle for the Canada goose's eye. Inside the eye, draw a tiny circle to represent glare. Shade the rest of the eye. Use a dark value for the eye. As you shade it, don't overlap the tiny glare circle. Draw a few curved lines around the eye for the bare skin found there.

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Step 10: Follow the path of the initial guide to draw the top edge of the beak. Make the line curvier as you darken it. Add a wavy line across the middle of the guide for the mouth. Now follow the path of the guide again to draw the lower edge of the beak. Draw a few curved lines to the right for the base of the Canada goose's beak. Draw a short slit within the top of the beak to create the nostril.

 

Step 11: Use the small circle as a guide to draw the rest of the head. Darken the outer edges of the initial guides to create the shape of the goose's head. Inside the head, on the bottom, right side, draw a curved shape for the color separation.

 

Step 12: Use the shape on the top, right side of the body as a guide to draw the Canada goose's first wing. Darken the left edge of the guide and add a little, thin arc in the middle for a feather. When you get to the top, draw a series of thin, long arcs along the path of the guide for the feathers. Tilt the individual feathers clockwise as you move down the path of the guide. Make the feathers smaller the farther down you go. At the bottom, the feathers should just be small bumps, and they should come in toward the body.

 

Step 13: Use the shape on the top left side of the body as a guide to draw the other wing the same way. First darken the left edge of the guide and a small arc near the middle for a feather. At the top, start drawing thin, long arcs along the guide's path for the goose's feathers. Make the arcs smaller the farther down you go. Don't overlap the first wing when you get to the bottom of the guide.

 

Step 14: Inside the wing on the right, draw a series of short strokes for more feathers. These short strokes should form long curved lines for the Canada goose's inner wing feathers. Inside the other wing, draw more short strokes that form a curved line for more feathers.

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Step 15: Darken the sloping guides to the right of the head to form the neck. Then darken the outer edges of the other guides to create the Canada goose's body. Don't overlap the wing on the right. To the right of the wing, draw a curved line that goes in toward the tail for the rump.

 

Step 16: Use the square-like shape on the right as a guide to draw the Canada goose's tail. Darken the top and bottom part of the guide to create the first part of the tail. Then add a series of short arcs along the right edge for the feathers.

 

Step 17: Use the angled line under the tail as a guide to draw the foot. Most of the foot is hiding under the goose's tail, so only draw a wavy shape along the path of the guide. Inside the shape, draw a few short lines to represent the toes and webbing.

 

Step 18: 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 drawing to give it the classic Canada goose look. Use a dark value for the beak and the head. Leave the section on the cheek blank. Draw a line at the bottom of the neck to indicate how far the dark value will go. Add a dark value to the edges of the wings, the tail and the feet too. Push down hard on your pencil to get a dark value but don't overdo it, or the graphite will get too shiny and the paper may tear.

Now use a medium value for the middle of the goose's wings. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. As you shade the wings, use strokes that go in the general direction of the feathers. Use a slightly lighter value to the bottom of the wings and body. Remember to adjust the pressure on your pencil. Don't worry about shading too smoothly. The rough value gives the feathers more texture. Add a dark section along the bottom of the Canada goose's body. This shadow gives the body more dimension and volume.

Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. It's always a good idea to use reference when you draw. Don't forget to pause the video to draw at your own pace.

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