Please PAUSE the "How to Draw a Puppy (German Shepherd)" 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, left side of the paper as a guide for the German shepherd puppy's head. First draw four small marks to indicate 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 mistake. But the circle doesn't have to be perfect. It's just a guide. If you're having a hard time drawing the circle, trace the outer rim of a glass, a lid or any other object with a circular edge.

 

Step 2: Draw a curved horizontal line across the head. This construction line will help you place the puppy's facial features later. Add a curved vertical line on the top left side of the head for another construction line.

 

Step 3: Draw a small circle on the lower left side of the head as a guide for the muzzle. Pay attention to the size and placement of this small circle in relation to the rest of the puppy's head.

 

Step 4: On top of the head, draw two small, triangle- like shapes as guides for the ears. A lot of German shepherd puppies have ears that flop down, so feel free to adjust your drawing if you'd like.

 

Step 5: Draw a big circle under the head, on the right, as a guide for the front part of the body. This will be a puppy, so don't draw the circle too big. It should only be a bit bigger than the head. The top, left part of this circle should be behind the head, so don't overlap the lines.

---

 

Step 6: Draw a small circle on the right as a guide for the back of the puppy's body. This circle should be a bit smaller than the head. The edges of the two body circles should touch.

 

Step 7: Under the circle on the left, draw two angled lines as guides for the German shepherd puppy's front legs.

 

Step 8: Draw two more lines under the circle on the right as guides for the puppy's hind legs. Angle the line to indicate the joint. The other leg will be blocked by the body, so the line should be smaller.

 

Step 9: Draw a couple of horizontal lines that connect the two circles to finish the guide for the body. Add a short, curved vertical line on the top, right side of the body as a guide for the puppy's tail.

 

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

---

 

Step 10: Lightly sketch the puppy's eyeballs inside the head as two small circles. When you get the size and placement of the circles right, darken the lines. Add a few more lines around the eyeballs to create the outer shape of the eyes. Use a series of quick, short strokes above the eyes for the fur. Add more strokes higher up above the eyes to emphasize the thick brow.

 

Step 11: Inside each eye, off to the side, draw a tiny circle to represent glare. In the middle of each eye, draw a big oval for the pupils. Shade in the rest of the puppy's eyes. Don't overlap the tiny glare circles. As you shade the irises, use a value that's slightly lighter than the pupils.

 

Step 12: Draw the nose inside the muzzle, near the left side, by first lightly sketching a small oval. When you get the size and placement right, darken the lines. Use quick, short strokes at the top. Curve the sides of the oval inward to create the puppy's nostrils. Shade in the right nostril. Now darken the bottom part of the circle and add a small vertical line at the bottom.

 

Step 13: Follow the basic path of the initial circle to create the left side of the muzzle. Curve the line for the muzzle to the right all the way to the other side of the circle to create the mouth. Use quick, short strokes as you follow the lower edge of the initial circle to create the German shepherd puppy's fuzzy chin.

 

Step 14: Use the triangle-like shape on the top right side of the head as a guide to draw the puppy's first ear. Follow the basic path of the guide as you use quick, short strokes to create the ear's furry texture. Add a few longer strokes within the shape of the ear to create the ear's opening.

---

 

Step 15: Draw the puppy's other ear the same way. First use quick, short strokes as you follow the initial guide. Then add a few more strokes within the shape to create the ear's opening.

 

Step 16: Use quick, short strokes as you follow the edge of the circle to create the furry shape of the head. Draw the left edge of the face inward more, closer to the eye. Add more quick, short strokes on the right side and on the bottom for the rest of the puppy's head. Leave a few gaps on the lower, right side to indicate where the head connects to the body.

 

Step 17: Use the second line from the left under the body as a guide to draw the German shepherd puppy'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. Use quick, short strokes for the fur at the top. Curve the shape of the leg toward the left to create the foot and add a couple of lines at the tip for the toes.

 

Step 18: Use the line on the far left side as a guide to draw the second front leg the same way. Follow the basic path of the guide as you draw the shape of the puppy's leg around it.

 

Step 19: 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 as you draw the leg around the guide. The hind legs should be more angled than the front legs. When you get the shape right, darken the lines. The top should be thick and the bottom narrow. Use quick, short strokes to represent fur. Add a couple of lines at the tip for the toes. German shepherds are big dogs, so make the shape of the paws big and wide.

---

 

Step 20: Use the last line under the body as a guide to draw the visible portion of the puppy's other hind leg.

 

Step 21: Use the remaining lines and shapes as guides to draw the rest of the body. Use quick, short strokes along the outer edges of the initial guides. Draw a series of quick, short strokes around the guide line on the top right to create the puppy's tail.

 

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 German shepherd 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. Don't worry about shading too smoothly. The rough value gives the coat a furry texture.

Add a cast shadow underneath. This helps ground the puppy so it doesn't appear to be floating.

You can add even more value throughout your drawing for extra detail. You can also skip this step entirely for a white shepherd puppy. Use a dark value for the muzzle and around the eyes, and a lighter value for the rest of the head. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value.

As you shade the German shepherd's body, use strokes that go in the general direction of the fur. Separate each individual stroke a bit so that the white of the paper comes through and creates a fur-like texture. Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. Use a dark value for the rest of the body, except for the underside.

If you have a pet German shepherd or a similar breed, try to duplicate its coat pattern on your drawing. You can shade your puppy differently if you'd like or even color it! It's always a good idea to use reference as you draw. Don't forget to pause the video to draw at your own pace.

Thanks for visiting! Subscribe to the How2DrawAnimals YouTube Channel for a new tutorial every Tuesday.

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

 

RELATED TUTORIALS