Please PAUSE the "How to Draw a Dog (Beagle)" 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 beagle'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 a perfect circle, trace the outer rim of a coin, a lid or any other object with a circular edge.

The circle on the right should be smaller. Don't draw the circles too far apart, otherwise your beagle will turn into a dachshund! Leave enough room around the body for the dog's head, legs and tail.

 

Step 2: Draw another circle on the top, left side as a guide for the beagle's head. This circle should be around the same size as the circle on the far right. Don't place this circle too far away from the first circle, otherwise your beagle's neck will be too long.

Step 3: Draw a curved horizontal line across the 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 beagle's muzzle. Pay close attention to the size of this circle in relation to the head. It should be about one-third the size of the head. The top edge of this circle should touch the construction line, and the left edge should be outside of the head.

Step 5: Draw a line from the construction line inside the head to the first circle as the first part of the guide for the beagle's ear. Now draw another line to the right. Add a shorter line at the bottom that connects the first two lines to complete the guide for the ear.

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Step 6: Draw four lines under the beagle's body (two below each circle) as guides for the legs. The lines on the left should be vertical. They should bend slightly in the middle to indicate the joint and again at the bottom for the foot. The first hind leg should bend to the right near the middle before heading straight down again. Bend it at the bottom too for the foot. The last guide line should look like the previous line but without the top section.

 

Step 7: 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 curved line on the top right side of the body as a guide for the beagle'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 8: Lightly sketch the beagle'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 of the eyes right, darken the lines. For the first eye, the right side should be flat, while the left side should be pointy. Darken the eye on the right too using slightly thicker lines.

Make the sides of the eye a bit pointier to represent the corners of the eye. In the middle of each eye, draw a big dot for the pupils. Shade the eyes except for a tiny circle off to the side that represents glare. As you shade, use a value that's lighter than the pupils. Add a couple of lines around the dog's eyes for extra detail. Add some lines very close to the top of the eyes as well for the eyelids.

Draw a series of quick, short strokes higher up above the eye to represent fur. The area around a beagle's eyes is usually very dark, so shade that section too. This area shouldn't be too dark either. It should be a tiny bit darker than the eyes. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value.

Step 9: Draw the beagle's nose inside the muzzle, next to the left edge, by first lightly sketching a small oval. When you get the position and size right, darken the lines. Use quick, short strokes at the top for the fur. Curl the sides of the nose inward to create the nostrils. Use thick lines for the dog's nostril openings. Add a short, vertical line across the nose, close to the bottom. The bottom of the nose should be pointy and it should extend outside of the initial oval guide.

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Step 10: Add the beagle's muzzle by first drawing a line from the top of the nose to the eye on the left. Then draw a line that starts under the nose, then curves to the right. The line should continue toward the right until it's outside of the small circle. Make the line thicker at the end.

Add a small line on the left for the other side of the top lip. Draw a couple of curved lines under the mouth for the dog's chin. Darken the left edge of the small initial circle to create the left side of the muzzle. Draw a curved line under the mouth on the right side for the loose skin found there.

 

Step 11: Use the lines on the right side of the head as guides to draw the beagle's ear. First draw two lines to the right of the eye for the folded section at the base of the ear. Now follow the basic path of the guides as you darken the lines and make the shape of the ear rounder. The top part of the ear is folded over, so make that line wavy. Draw a small, curved line under the chin for the tip of the ear on the other side of the head. Add a small line on the upper left side of the head for the base of the other ear.

Step 12: Use the main circle as a guide to draw the rest of the dog's head. Follow the basic path of the circle but when you darken the left side, dip the line toward the eye more. Make the top part of the beagle's head a bit flatter. Add a couple of lines underneath to create the neck.

 

Step 13: 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 basic path of the guide and lightly sketch the shape of the leg around it. When you get the shape of the beagle's leg right, darken the lines. Add a couple of short, curved lines at the tip of the foot to separate each individual toe. Bend the leg near the bottom to indicate the joint before the dog's foot.

Step 14: Use the line on the far left side as a guide to draw the other front leg the same way. Follow the basic path of the guide as you create the shape of the leg around it. Add the beagle's toes at the tip of the foot.

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Step 15: Use the line on the far right side as a guide to draw the first hind leg. Lightly sketch the shape of the leg as you follow the path of the guide. Curve the shape of the leg as the guide bends to represent the joints. The top part of the leg should be thicker than the bottom. When you get the structure of the beagle's leg right, darken the lines. Draw a couple of short, curved lines at the tip of the foot to separate each individual toe.

 

Step 16: Draw the other hind leg the same way. Follow the basic path of the guide as you make the shape of the leg wider. Don't forget to add the beagle's toes! The top part of the leg will be behind the other hind leg, so don't worry about drawing that section.

Step 17: Use the remaining lines as guides to draw the rest of the dog's body. Simply darken the outer edges of the initial guides to create the shape of the body. If you made your initial guides thinner or wider, now is the time to correct them to give your beagle the proper body shape. Use the guide on the top right side as a guide to draw the tail. Use quick, short strokes to make the top bushier.

 

Step 18: 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 beagle 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. As you shade, try to use strokes that go in the general direction of the dog's fur. You can stop after this for an all-white beagle or continue for the typical tricolor coat pattern.

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 beagle drawing for extra detail. Use a medium value to start. Leave a strip on the forehead blank along with the dog's muzzle, as these areas are usually white. The ear should have a medium value too. Add an outline on the body and legs to indicate the edge of the coat's darker pattern. Add a medium value inside the outlined area. Don't worry about shading too smoothly. The rough value gives the beagle's coat a furry texture.

Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. Shade a half-circle-like section across the back to create the typical "saddle" pattern of a beagle. Push down hard on your pencil to get an extra-dark value for this section of the coat. If you have a pet beagle or a similar breed, try to duplicate its pattern on your drawing. Don't forget to pause the video to draw at your own pace.

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