How to Draw a Minotaur
Please PAUSE the "How to Draw a Minotaur" 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 near the top of the paper as a guide for the top part the minotaur's head. First draw four small marks for the height and width of the circle, then connect the marks using curved lines. Sketch lightly at first so that it's easy to erase if you make a mistake. The circle doesn't have to be perfect. It's just a guide. 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 a small, curved line under the circle as a guide for the lower part of the head. The farther down this curved line is, the longer the minotaur's head will be.
Step 3: Draw a vertical line across the whole head. This construction line will help you place the minotaur's facial features later. Add a curved, horizontal line across the head for another construction line.
Step 4: On either side of the head, near the top, draw two short arcs as guides for the ears. The bigger you make these arcs, the bigger the minotaur's ears will be.
Step 5: Draw two long curved lines on either side of the head, near the top, as guides for the horns. You can make these lines longer if you want your minotaur to have bigger horns.
Step 6: Draw a big oval around the head as a guide for the minotaur's torso. First draw four short marks. Then connect the marks using curved lines to complete the oval around the head. Pay attention to the size of this oval in relation to the head. Also notice that the head isn't exactly in the middle of the oval. It's off to the right a bit.
Step 7: Under the oval, draw a long curved line as a guide for the middle section of the torso. The minotaur will be bending forward a bit, so don't draw this line too far down. Below that, draw an angled line similar to a wide letter V as a guide for the lower part of the torso.
Step 8: On the top, left side of the torso, draw a small half-circle as a guide for the first shoulder. Now add another half-circle on the top, right side as a guide for the other shoulder. Below each half- circle, draw a U- shaped line as a guide for the minotaur's arms. Tilt the U-shaped lines so that they have a diagonal orientation.
Step 9: Under each U-shaped line, draw another curved line as a guide for the minotaur's forearms. These curved lines should be similar to ovals minus the top parts. Pay attention to how far down these lines go in relation to the torso. Under each forearm, draw a small circle as a guide for the fists.
Step 10: Under the torso, draw two long U-shaped lines as guides for the top part of the legs. First make a small mark to indicate the length of the minotaur's leg, then add the curved lines on the sides. Tilt the U-shaped lines outward so that they have a diagonal orientation.
Step 11: Draw the guide for the lower leg on the left as two long, vertical lines with a short line at the bottom. To draw the guide for the lower leg on the right, first draw a small arc at the top. Then draw two long vertical lines with a short line at the bottom to complete the guide.
That's it for the initial sketch! From this point on, press harder with your pencil to get a more defined sketch.
Step 12: Lightly sketch the eyeballs inside the head as two small ovals. Above each eye, draw a short, diagonal line for the eyebrows. Curve the lines a bit to emphasize the furrowed brow. Extend the outer tips of the lines upward to make the minotaur's brows thicker. Darken the shape of the eyes and make the sides pointier. Add a few more lines under the eyes for extra detail on the wrinkles.
Step 13: Under the initial circle, draw a couple of short curved lines for the nostrils. Shade the sides of the lines to make the nostrils darker. Underneath, draw a wavy line for the bottom of the nose. Above the minotaur's nostrils, draw a series of quick, short strokes for the fuzzy top part of the nose.
Step 14: Draw a series of lines around the nose to create the rest of the minotaur's muzzle. Extend the line under the nose more to create the mouth. Then add curved lines around the nose. Use quick, short strokes along the guide at the bottom for the fuzzy chin.
Step 15: Use the curved lines on the head as guides to draw the minotaur's horns. First draw a series of quick, short strokes along the bottom of the lines for the base of the horns. Then draw the shape of the first horn around the guide line. Make the shape of the horn thick at the bottom and pointy at the top. Now use the line on the right side to draw the other horn the same way. Curve the tips of the horn outward a bit.
Step 16: Use the small arcs on the sides of the head as guides to draw the minotaur's ears. Darken the outer edges to create the shape of the ears. Add a few quick, short strokes inside for the hair.
Step 17: Use the remaining lines as guides to draw the rest of the minotaur's head. Darken the outer edges of the initial guides to create the shape of the head. Draw a series of quick, short strokes within the head to create a furry texture. Add a long line made up of quick, short strokes along the top of the head that stretches toward the back.
Step 18: Use the initial oval around the head as a guide to draw the minotaur's chest. Darken the bottom edge of the oval and curve the line upward in the middle to divide the pectoral muscles. Make the top part extra tall so that it looks like a small hill and gives the minotaur a hump.
Step 19: Darken the outer edges of the shape under the chest to create the middle part of the torso. Add a few curved lines within the torso to emphasize the minotaur's abdominal muscles.
Step 20: Use the V-shaped line underneath as a guide to draw the bottom part of the minotaur's torso. Draw a series of wavy, spike-like lines to represent the tattered edges of the loincloth. Add a few curved lines inside the shape to represent the wrinkles and folds on the cloth.
Step 21: Use the shapes on the top, left side of the minotaur's body as guides to draw the shoulder. Darken the outer edges of the guides to create the basic shape of the shoulder and top part of the arm. Add a few curved lines inside to define the muscle structure.
Step 22: Use the small circle and the oval-like shape on the left as guides to draw the rest of the arm and fist. Darken the outer edges of the guides using jagged lines to represent hair. Draw the fist within the shape of the initial circle. Use a wavy line at the bottom for the knuckles. Inside the shape, draw the minotaur's fingers starting with the thumb as a small arc. The folded fingers are behind the thumb, so only draw the visible portions as short, curved lines. Add a few more lines inside the arm to emphasize the muscles and tendons.
Step 23: Use the shapes on the top, right side as guides to draw the other shoulder the same way. Darken the outline of the guides and add a few lines inside to define the minotaur's muscles.
Step 24: Use the shapes to the right of the body as guides to draw the rest of the arm and fist. Darken the outer edges of the top guides to create the forearm. Add a few lines inside for detail. Add the fist inside the circle by first drawing a small oval at the top for the thumb. Add the other folded fingers below the thumb as a series of curved lines. Use a wavy line at the bottom for the knuckles. Add a few more lines on and around the fingers to further define the minotaur's fist.
Step 25: Darken the big U-shaped line on the left to create the minotaur's leg. Make the shape wavier. Add a couple of curved lines within the shape to emphasize the leg's muscle structure.
Step 26: Darken the shape on the lower, left side using quick, short strokes to create the lower part of the leg. Split the shape at the bottom for the minotaur's hoof. Add a fuzzy line above the split for the top part of the hoof.
Step 27: Darken the U-shaped line on the right for the other leg. Make the shape wavier for the muscles. Add a few more curved and choppy lines within the shape to further define the minotaur's muscle structure.
Step 28: Follow the path of the guides on the right and darken the edges to finish the shape of that leg. The minotaur's leg bends back in the middle. Use quick, short strokes to represent a furry texture. Add a furry line near the bottom to divide the top of the hoof. Split the hoof at the bottom with a short vertical line.
Step 29: 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 minotaur drawing to give it more dimension and volume. Use a dark value around the eyes to make them stand out. 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 a cast shadow underneath. This helps ground the minotaur so it doesn't appear to be floating.
You can add even more value throughout your minotaur drawing for extra detail. Minotaurs are mythical creatures, so you can shade yours however you'd like. You can even color it! For a simpler drawing like this one, just add a medium value all over the body. As you add the value, make your shadows darker too. Don't worry about shading too smoothly. The rough value gives the body a furry texture. Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. Continue adding the medium value until the minotaur's entire body is covered. Don't forget to pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace.
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