How to Draw a Dog (Greyhound)
Please PAUSE the "How to Draw a Dog (Greyhound)" 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 circle as a guide for the front part of the greyhound'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.
Step 2: Draw another circle to the right as a guide for the second half of the dog's body. Use the four marks to draw this circle the same way. This circle should be a lot smaller than the first circle. Don't draw the circles too close together, otherwise your greyhound will be too short.
Step 3: Draw another circle on the top, left side as a guide for the head. Greyhounds have small heads, so this circle should be about one-fifth the size of the first one. Greyhounds also have long necks, so don't place this circle too close to the body.
Step 4: To the right of the head, draw a small arc as a guide for the dog's muzzle. The length of the arc should be about the same as the width of the head.
Step 5: Draw the guide for the greyhound's ear by first drawing a U-shaped line on the right side of the head. Then draw a short line at the top that connects to the head.
Step 6: Under the circle on the left, draw two long, vertical lines as guides for the front legs. Bend the lines slightly in the middle to indicate the greyhound's joints and again at the tip for the feet.
Step 7: On the right, add the guides for the greyhound's hind legs by first drawing an angled line that slopes to the right. Then bend the line downward again and bend the tip to indicate where the foot will be. On the left, add the dog's other hind leg the same way but make it shorter.
Step 8: Draw two lines that connect the head to the body to create the guide for the neck. Draw two longer lines that connect the bigger circles to complete the guide for the body. Curve the line at the bottom to create the greyhound's big chest and small waist.
Step 9: Draw a long, curved line on the right side as a guide for the greyhound's tail.
That's it for the guides! From this point on, press harder with your pencil for a more defined drawing.
Step 10: Inside the greyhound's head, on the top, left side, draw a small circle for the eyeball. On the right, draw a curved line similar to a greater-than sign (>) for the rest of the eye. Make the lines thicker and darker when you get the size and placement right. Inside the eyeball, draw a tiny circle to represent glare. In the middle, add a dot for the pupil. Shade the eyeball but don't overlap the small glare circle. As you shade, use a value that's lighter than the pupil. Add a few short strokes around the dog's eye for a fur-like texture.
Step 11: Add the greyhound's nose by first lightly sketching a small circle at the tip of the muzzle. When you get the placement right, darken the lines for the nose. Bend the edges so that the shape is a bit more angular than circular. Inside, draw a short, angled line similar to a check mark for the nostril. Pay attention to the size of the nose in relation to the rest of the dog's muzzle.
Step 12: Use the initial arc as a guide to draw the rest of the muzzle. Draw a long line under the nose that curves to the right for the mouth. Follow the basic path of the arc to draw the lower jaw. Use quick, short strokes to emphasize the greyhound's furry chin. Add a few dots near the nose for extra detail.
Step 13: Use the U-shaped line on top of the head as a guide to draw the greyhound's ear. Follow the path of the guide as you darken the lines to create the shape of the ear. The ear is flopping over itself and covering the opening, so overlap the lines at the bottom. Add a few extra lines inside the shape for the skin creases and fur.
Step 14: Use the remaining shapes as guides to draw the rest of the greyhound's head. Darken the top part of the initial circle but make it flatter to create the top of the head. The section in front of the eye should bulge out a little to create the brow. Add a few quick, short strokes inside the head for a fur-like texture. Add a row of dots to the right of the dog's nose for extra detail on the muzzle.
Step 15: On top of the greyhound's head, draw a wavy line for the top part of the other ear peeking out from behind.
Step 16: 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 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. The greyhound's leg should be wide at the top and gradually get thinner toward the bottom.
Where the leg bends, draw a small bump on the right side to emphasize the joints. Draw the dog's paw at the bottom using a series of short, curved lines to split the individual toes. At the tip of each toe, draw a small, triangle-like shape for the nails. The fourth toe will not be visible because of the angle of the body. Add a few lines inside the leg to emphasize the muscle structure.
Step 17: Use the line on the far left side as a guide to draw the greyhound's second front leg the same way. First sketch the shape of the leg lightly around the guide. Then, when you get the shape right, darken the lines. Use the first leg as a template. Add the claws at the bottom. The right side of the leg will be hidden by the first leg.
Step 18: Use the line on the far right side as a guide to draw the hind leg that's on this side of the body. Sketch lightly at first. When you get the structure right, darken the lines. Notice how much wider the top of the greyhound's hind leg is compared to the front leg. The leg should slope toward the right, then bend at the joint and angle downward.
Use a couple of curved lines at the bottom to draw the dog's toes. Then add the small triangle-like nails at the tip. As you draw the shape of the leg, make sure it gradually gets thinner toward the bottom. Add a few lines inside the leg to emphasize the muscles and tendons.
Step 19: Use the last line under the body as a guide to draw the other hind leg the same way. The top part of this leg starts way at the top, below the small circle for the body. A big portion of the top of the leg will be behind the greyhound's other leg, so don't worry about drawing it. Add the paw, toes and claws at the bottom using curved lines.
Step 20: Use the remaining lines and shapes as guides to draw the rest of the greyhound's body. First darken the lines under the head to create the neck. Then darken the outer edges of the initial guides to create the rest of the body. Add curved lines to indicate the dog's chest and the shoulder. Add a curved line at the bottom for the loose skin that attaches the hind leg to the body.
Step 21: Use the long, curved line on the right as a guide to draw the greyhound's tail. Draw the shape of the tail around the guide. The dog's tail should be narrow near the end.
Step 22: 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 greyhound 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. Add the value lightly at first, then gradually build up to the level of darkness that you want.
Add a cast shadow underneath. This helps ground the dog so it doesn't appear to be floating.
You can add even more value throughout your drawing for extra detail. You can actually skip this step entirely if you want an all-white greyhound. Greyhounds' coats have a variety of patterns, so shade yours however you'd like. For a simple gray coat like this one, just use a medium value all over the body. Use a slightly lighter value in certain sections, like the neck and shoulder, to make the coat shiny.
Try to add the value evenly across the dog's body for a smooth coat and avoid a rough, gritty texture. Don't rub the graphite with your fingers. It can ruin the drawing. For smoother graphite, use a cotton swab over it instead. Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. If you have a pet greyhound or a similar breed, try to duplicate its coat pattern on your drawing. Don't forget to pause the video to draw at your own pace.
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