Please PAUSE the "How to Draw a Corgi" 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 right side of the paper as a guide for the Pembroke Welsh corgi'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. 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 button or any other object with a circular edge.

 

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

 

Step 3: Draw a small circle on the lower, right side of the head as a guide for the corgi'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 lower, right edge should touch the side of the head.

 

Step 4: Draw two triangle- like shapes on top of the dog's head as guides for the ears. Corgis have big ears, so don't make these guides too small.

 

Step 5: Draw two more circles under the head as guides for the Pembroke Welsh corgi's body. The first circle will be overlapped by the head at the top, so only use three marks at first to determine its height and width. Connect the marks using curved lines to finish the shape of the circle. Don't overlap the lines for the dog's head at the top. The two circles need to be close together because corgis have short necks. This first circle should also be slightly bigger than the head.

Draw the second circle on the left side of the first as a guide for the other half of the body. This circle should be a bit smaller and narrower than the one on the right. Corgis have long torsos, so don't draw the two circles too close together.

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Step 6: Draw a few more lines to complete the guide for the dog's body. First draw two short lines that connect the head to the body for the neck. Then draw two longer lines that connect the body circles to form the rest of the guide for the corgi's torso.

 

Step 7: Draw four lines under the body (two below each circle) as guides for the legs. Bend the lines to indicate where the joints and the feet will be. Corgis have very short legs, so these guide lines should be short as well.

 

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 Pembroke Welsh corgi'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. Make the shape a bit wider and pointier on the sides. The resulting shape of the eyes should be similar to little American footballs.

The eye on the right side should be a tiny bit smaller because of the perspective. Draw a tiny circle inside the eye, near the top, to represent glare. Then draw a dot in the middle for the dog's pupil. Do the same for the eye on the right. Draw a tiny circle for glare and a dot in the middle for the pupil. Shade the eyeballs except for the tiny circle that represents glare. As you shade the eyeball, use a value that's slightly lighter than the pupil.

Draw a few lines surrounding the outside of the corgi's eyes for extra detail. Use quick, short strokes as you add the detail to emphasize the texture of the fur. Now using a light value, shade the area between the lines you just created and the eyeballs. Add some more lines farther out around the eyes for more detail on the fur. Use quick, short strokes as you draw the fur to create a fur-like texture.

 

Step 9: Draw the corgi's nose inside the muzzle by first lightly sketching a small oval. Pay attention to the size of the oval in relation to the circle for the muzzle. Place the oval near the right edge of the muzzle. When you get the size and placement right, darken the lines. Use quick, short strokes at the top for the fur.

On either side of the oval, curve the line inward to create the dog's nostrils. Make the line thicker for the nostrils. The bottom of the nose should curve up toward the middle in a small vertical line. Darken the bottom edge of the oval as well to finish the shape of the nose.

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Step 10: Use the small circle as a guide to draw the top part of the muzzle. Draw a line that starts at the eye on the right, then follow the edge of the circle to create the outer shape of the muzzle. Curve the line left under the nose to create the top part of the corgi's mouth. The line for the mouth should extend to the left edge of the initial circle and curve up slightly.

 

Step 11: Draw a curved line under the top part of the mouth for the corgi's tongue. The shape of the tongue should be similar to a wide letter U. Add a line in the middle of the tongue, at the top. Draw a wavy line to the left of the tongue for the exposed part of the gums. This line should start on the lower, right side of the tongue and stretch to the left to meet the line for the top of the mouth. Add some smaller, curved lines within the shape of the gums to give it more texture.

 

Step 12: Use the lower edge of the initial circle as a guide to draw the corgi's chin and lower jaw. Follow the basic path of the circle but make the line for the jaw straighter. Use quick, short strokes for a furry look.

 

Step 13: Use the triangle-like lines on the head as guides to draw the Pembroke Welsh corgi's ears. Follow the basic path of the guides but make the shape of the ears a bit wavier as you darken the lines. Don't make the tips of the ears too pointy. They should have rounded tops. The ear on the right side should be just a tiny bit thinner than the one on the left because of perspective. Add a few quick, short strokes within the shape of each ear for the furry openings. Follow the basic triangle shape of the dog's ears when you add the quick, short strokes for the fur.

 

Step 14: Use the main circle as a guide to draw the shape of the corgi's head. Follow the basic path of the circle as you darken the lines to create the shape of the head. When you get to the right side of the head, make the line come closer to the eye. Use quick, short strokes near the bottom. Use quick, short strokes to get a furry texture on the left side of the head and neck too. Add a few more quick, short strokes within the shape of the head to emphasize the texture of the dog's fur.

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Step 15: Use the lines under the body on the right side as guides to draw the corgi's front legs. First lightly sketch the shape of the leg as you follow the path of the guide line on the left. Then when you get the basic shape of the leg right, darken the lines using quick, short strokes. Add three tiny triangle- like shapes on the tips of the foot for the nails. Use two small curved lines to divide the individual toes. Now add the right edge of the foot. Bend the line to indicate the joint.

Draw the front leg on the other side of the body the same way. Use quick, short strokes for the left edge of the leg and add the toes and nails at the tip of the foot. Corgis have small, stubby legs, so make the leg shapes wide and short as you follow the guides.

 

Step 16: Use the lines under the body on the left side as guides to draw the Pembroke Welsh corgi's hind legs. Follow the basic path of the guide as you make the shape of the leg wider. Add the toes and nails at the bottom. The line for the right edge of the leg should stretch inside the body. Use quick, short strokes as you follow the circle. Draw the hind leg on the other side of the body by using the final guide line. The top part of this leg is hidden by the dog's other leg, so don't worry about drawing it.

 

Step 17: Use the remaining lines as guides to draw the rest of the dog's body. Use quick, short strokes as you darken the outer edges of the initial guides to create the shape of the body. Use strokes that are slighlty longer on the underside of the body for the longer fur found there. The corgi's chest should dip low to the ground, and the bottom of the body on the left side should be a bit higher.

 

Step 18 (optional): 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 Pembroke Welsh corgi 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. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. As you shade, try to use strokes that go in the general direction of the dog's fur. You can stop after this step for an all-white corgi or continue for the typical coat pattern.

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. Corgis can have a variety of coat patterns. For this pattern, draw a line under the eyes and up the forehead and shade everything above this line. Use a light to medium value for the coat pattern. It should be slightly lighter than the shadows. The muzzle should be white. Cover the rest of the dog's body with the light/medium value as well, except for the chest, underside and legs.

Remember to use strokes that go in the general direction of the dog's fur. Don't worry about shading too smoothly. The rough value gives the coat a furry texture. Adding the value can be very time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. It's always a good idea to use reference as you draw. You can add an extra dark value to emphasize the shadows. Add some strokes to the chest too. If you have a pet corgi 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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