Please PAUSE the "How to Draw a Dog (Golden Retriever)" 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 two circles as guides for the first part of the golden retriever's body. 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. But the circles don't have to be perfect. They're just guides.

If you do want perfect circles, trace the outer rim of a coin, a bottle cap or any other object with a circular edge. The circle on the right should be smaller than the one on the left, and their edges should touch. Place the circle on the right slightly higher so that the top edges of both circles are at the same level.

 

Step 2: Draw another circle on the top, left side as a guide for the golden retriever's head. Draw this circle the same way. First draw four marks that indicate the height and width, then connect the marks using curved lines. The edges of the circles should touch. This circle should be a bit smaller than the body circle on the right.

Step 3: Draw a curved horizontal line across the golden retriever's head. This is a construction line that will help you place the dog's facial features later. Add a curved vertical line on the top left side of the head for another construction line.

 

Step 4: Draw a small circle on the lower left side of the head as a guide for the dog's muzzle. The top edge of this circle should touch the construction line, and the bottom edge should be outside of the head. The left edge of the circle should also be outside the head. Pay attention to the size of this circle in relation to the golden retriever's head.

Step 5: Draw an angled line that's similar to a less-than sign (<) on the upper left side of the head as a guide for the dog's first ear. On the right side of the head, below the horizontal construciton line, draw a V-shaped line for the golden retriever's other ear. Add an extra line on the V-shaped line that attaches to the edge of the head.

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Step 6: Draw a vertical line under the left body circle as a guide for the first front leg. Bend the line in the middle to indicate the joint. Bend it at the bottom too for the foot. Draw a similar line but shorter on the left side for the golden retriever's other front leg.

 

Step 7: Draw another two lines under the body circle on the right for the dog's hind legs. This line should start with a diagonal orientation, then bend down vertically at the joint and bend again at the bottom for the foot. Add the guide for the other hind leg to the left. It should look the same, only shorter.

Step 8: Draw two lines that connect the head to the body to form the guide for the dog's neck. Now draw two longer lines that connect the first two circles to complete the guide for the body. Draw a long line on the upper, right side of the body as a guide for the golden retriever'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 9: Lightly sketch the golden retriever's eyes inside the head as two small circles. Use the construction lines as guides for the placement of the eyes. When you get the placement and size of the eyes right, darken the lines. Make the shape of the dog's eyes a bit more narrow and add a pointy tip to the sides. Inside each eye, near the middle, draw a tiny dot for the pupils.

Shade in the rest of the eyes except for a tiny circle that represents glare. As you shade the dog's eyes, use a value that's slightly lighter than the pupils. Draw a series of quick, short strokes above each eye to represent fur. As you draw the quick, short strokes, arrange them so that they form an arc over the eyes. Add a few lines under each eye for more fur. Sketch lightly when you start to draw the eyes so that it's easy to erase if you make a mistake.

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Step 10: Draw the golden retriever's nose inside the muzzle by first lightly sketching a small oval. Place the oval in the top left side of the small initial circle. Darken the sides of the oval and add two big dots inside for the nostrils. Use quick, short strokes to darken the top edge of the nose for the fur found there. For the bottom part of the nose, use lines that curve up toward the middle. Add a V-shaped line under the curved lines for the very bottom of the dog's nose.

 

Step 11: Under the golden retriever's nose, draw a long line that stretches to the left for the first part of the upper lip. This line should dip down near the middle, then curve back up. Use quick, short strokes near the right edge. Now draw a shorter line on the left side for the other side of the upper lip. Draw a line that stretches from the top of the nose to the eye on the left for the top part of the muzzle.

Step 12: Under the top lip, draw a long curved line for the golden retriever's tongue. The tongue should stretch toward the outside of the initial circle. Add a line in the middle for extra detail.

 

Step 13: Add the inside of the dog's mouth by first drawing a small triangle-like shape to the right of the tongue for the canine. For the gums, add a long wavy line to the right of the canine that stretches to meet the top lip on the right. Add a second wavy line almost parallel to the first one right below it to emphasize the dog's thick gums. Draw a couple more short lines to the right of the nose, under the gums, for the rest of the golden retriever's mouth.

Step 14: Use the angled lines on the sides of the head as guides to draw the golden retriever's ears. Follow the basic path of the guide on the left but use quick, short strokes to represent fur as you darken the lines. Now darken the guide on the right to create the other ear. Use quick, short strokes for the fur. As you darken the shape of the dog's ears, make the sides more wavy and the bottom edge rounder.

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Step 15: Use the main circle as a guide to draw the rest of the golden retriever's head. As you darken the top part of the head, make the middle section dip down a bit. Make the left side of the face closer to the eye than the initial edge of the circle. Add a couple more curved lines made up of quick, short strokes on the lower right side of the mouth to complete the head.

 

Step 16: Use the second line from the left under the body as a guide to draw the front leg that's on this side. Follow the path of the guide and lightly sketch the shape of the leg around it. When you get the shape of the golden retriever's leg right, darken the lines.

Use a couple of small curved lines at the tip of the foot to separate the dog's individual toes. Curve the bottom of the leg forward to create the shape of the foot. Don't make the foot too big. Use a series of quick, short strokes along the right edge of the leg for the long fur found there. Add a few strokes on the base of the leg on the upper, left side.

Step 17: Use the line on the far left side as a guide to draw the golden retriever's other front leg the same way. Follow the basic path of the guide as you draw the shape of the leg around it. Curve the bottom part forward to create the foot and add the toes using short, curved lines. Use a series of quick, short strokes along the right edge of the leg for fur.

 

Step 18: Use the line on the far right side as a guide to draw the first hind leg. The top part of this leg is so wide, that it actually starts closer to the guide on the left. Draw a curved line made up of quick, short strokes for the top of the leg and a straight line at the bottom. Add the golden retriever's toes at the bottom using curved lines, then add more quick, short strokes near the top.

Step 19: Use the last line under the body as a guide to draw the dog's other hind leg the same way. Use quick, short strokes at the top and curved lines for the toes at the bottom. The top part of this leg will be hidden by the first hind leg, so don't worry about drawing it.

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Step 20: Use the remaining lines as guides to draw the rest of the golden retriever's body. Draw quick, short strokes along the path of the guides to create a furry texture. Use slightly longer strokes along the underside of the body for longer fur. For the top part of the dog's body, simply darken the outer edges of the initial guides. Use the line on the right as a guide to draw the tail. Draw the tail around the guide. Make the top part straight and the use quick, short strokes for the long fur at the bottom.

 

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 to your golden retriever's drawing to give it more dimension and volume. Use a dark value for the dog's nose. 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. Continue shading until the entire body has the appropriate shadows.

Add a cast shadow underneath. This helps ground the dog so it doesn't appear to be floating. Use a darker value near the middle of the shadow and a lighter value along the edge for the shadow's diffusion.

You can add even more value throughout your drawing for extra detail. Golden retrievers don't have any pattern on their coats like spots or stripes, so just add a medium value to the whole body. Use shorter stokes when you add the value to the head as opposed to the longer strokes you will use for the body. As you add the value, separate each individual stroke a bit so that the white of the paper comes through and creates a furry-looking texture.

Use strokes that go in the general direction of the fur as you add the value. The strokes on the golden retriever's chest should have a vertical orientation, while farther back along the body, the strokes should be horizontal. Don't worry about shading too smoothly. The rough value gives the dog's coat a furry texture. Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. If you have a pet golden retriever or a similar breed, try to duplicate its fur on your drawing. Remember to pause the video to draw at your own pace.

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