Please PAUSE the "How to Draw a Grasshopper" 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 left side of the paper as a guide for the top part of the grasshopper's head. If you're having a hard time drawing the circle, trace the outer rim of a coin, a button or any other object with a circular edge.

 

Step 2: Under the circle, draw a curved line similar to the letter U as a guide for the bottom part of the grasshopper's head.

 

Step 3: To the right of the head, draw a bigger circle as a guide for the front part of the grasshopper's body. Draw the circle by first making four small marks to indicate the height and width, then connect the marks using curved lines. This circle should be almost three times as big as the circle for the head.

 

Step 4: Far off to the left, draw a smaller circle as a guide for the back portion of the body. Grasshoppers are long, so don't draw the body circles too close together.

 

Step 5: Draw two short lines that connect the head to the second circle as a guide for the neck. Then draw two long horizontal lines that connect the two bigger circles to complete the guide for the grasshopper's body.

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Step 6: Near the front of the body, draw two short angled lines as guides for the grasshopper's front and middle legs. Pay attention to where these lines bend because that will indicate their joints. The second lines should bend more at the top and look similar to the number 7.

 

Step 7: Draw the guide for the grasshopper's huge hind leg by first drawing a long, sloping line near the middle of the body. Then continue drawing the line but bend it so that now it has a vertical orientation.

 

That's it for the initial sketch! From this point on, press harder with your pencil to get a more defined sketch.

 

Step 8: Inside the head, near the top, lightly sketch the grasshopper's eye. The shape is similar to an oval with a flat left side. When you get it right, darken the lines. Add a small circle at the top to represent glare.

 

Step 9: At the top of the head, draw two thin, long shapes for the grasshopper's antennae. Each antenna basically consists of two long, parallel lines that are very close together.

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Step 10: Darken the outer edge of the initial circle to create the shape of the head. Add a few angled lines within the guides for the detail inside the grasshopper's head.

 

Step 11: Add a few more lines within the U-shaped guide for the bottom section of the grasshopper's head.

 

Step 12: On the sides of the head, draw a couple of thin, long shapes for the mouth segments. These segments should extend below the head. This is a simplified version of a grasshopper's mouth.

 

Step 13: Use the lines to the right of the head as guides to draw the shape that covers the thorax. The shape is kind of wonky and has wavy sides. Sketch it lightly at first and only darken it when you get it right. The bottom of this shape shouldn't extend down too far. Don't overlap the guides for the grasshopper's legs.

 

Step 14: Use the line under the body on the left side as a guide to draw the grasshopper's first front leg. Follow the path of the guide as you draw the shape of the leg around it. The leg should be thin. Divide the segments at the joints and add a couple of spikes at the tip of the foot.

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Step 15: Use the line to the left as a guide to draw the middle leg the same way. Follow the path of the guide and draw the middle segment first because it's in the foreground. The top segment should recede back toward the body. Add a couple of small spikes at the tip of the grasshopper's foot.

 

Step 16: Use the long, angled line on the right as a guide to draw the first big hind leg. Draw the left segment first. Follow the path of the guide as you draw this thin part of the leg. Bend the last segment to the right to create the grasshopper's foot and add a couple of small spikes at the tip.

Now draw the top part of the leg using the left side of the angled line as a guide. Grasshoppers have powerful legs for jumping, so make the bottom part of the leg wide and the top narrow. The thickness of the leg should change gradually. Add a few curved lines where the line angles to create the joint.

 

Step 17: Darken the top part of the initial guides to create the top part of the grasshopper's wings. Don't overlap the lines for the hind leg. Now extend the shape to the right by using a curved line to create the tip of the wing. Continue drawing the bottom edge of the wing by drawing a series of long lines across the body. Make the wing thinner on the left side. Add an extra sloping line because grasshoppers have two pairs of wings.

 

Step 18: Use the remaining lines and shapes as guides to draw the rest of the grasshopper's body. Simply darken the outer edges of the initial guides and don't overlap the shapes for the legs. Add a few curved lines within the shape of the body for the detail along the abdomen.

 

Step 19: Use the grasshopper's first front leg as a template to draw the other front leg to the right of it. Copy the shape of the first leg but make it smaller. You can lightly sketch a guide at first to make it easier. Add the second middle leg the same way. Most of it will be hidden behind the body, so only draw the lower half.

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Step 20: Use the first hind leg as a template to draw the second hind leg to the right. Draw the bottom segment first and make it pretty much parallel to the first hind leg. Only a small portion of the segment on the left should be visible. Don't overlap the lines for the grasshopper's first hind leg.

 

Step 21: 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 throughout your grasshopper drawing for extra detail. Use a dark value for the eye but leave the small circle inside blank. Use a medium value for the rest of the grasshopper's body. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. Continue adding the medium value until the entire body is shaded.

Use a dark value throughout the body to give the grasshopper some spots. It's always a good idea to use reference as you draw. Shading can be time- consuming, so be patient and take breaks. Use a dark value on the underside to create a shadow. Add a few spikes along the right side of the hind legs.

Add a cast shadow underneath. This helps ground the grasshopper so it doesn't appear to be floating. Don't forget to pause the video to draw at your own pace.

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To learn how to draw popular cartoon characters, visit EasyDrawingTutorials.com.

 

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