Please PAUSE the "How to Draw a Pony" 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 pony'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 lid, a cup or any other object with a circular edge. The circle on the left should be a bit smaller than the one on the right. Don't draw the circles too far apart, otherwise your pony will be too long. Leave enough room on the sides and bottom for the head and legs.

 

Step 2: Draw another circle on the top, right side as a guide for the pony's head. This circle should be about one-fourth the size of the first one. Ponies are short and compact, so don't draw this circle too far away, otherwise the neck will be too long.

 

Step 3: Draw two curved intersecting lines (one vertical and one horizontal) inside the head. These are construction lines that will help you place the pony's facial features later on.

 

Step 4: Draw a small arc on the lower, right side of the head as a guide for the pony's muzzle. The arc should have a shape similar to the letter V with a rounded bottom.

 

Step 5: Draw a small triangle- shaped line on top of the head as a guide for the pony's ears.

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Step 6: Draw four lines under the body (two below each circle) as guides for the legs. The pony's front leg will be stepping forward. The top part of the guide will be shaped like the letter L. The remaining part of the guide is longer and angles slightly near the bottom. The other front leg is just a vertical line with a slight bend at the bottom. The guides for the pony's hind legs are basically two vertical lines that bend slightly in the middle to indicate where the joints will be. Ponies have short legs, so don't draw these guide lines too long.

 

Step 7: Draw a series of curved lines that connect the major shapes to form the rest of the body. The lines on the left side create the neck, and the lines in the middle make up the torso. Draw a long vertical line on the left side of the body as a guide for the pony'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 a half-circle inside the pony's head for the eyes. Use the construction lines to help with placement. When you get the placement right, darken the top part of the eye using a thick line to create the eyelashes. Darken the bottom of the eye using a thinner line. Add a tiny circle inside to represent glare. Shade the inside of the eye except for the tiny circle that represents glare. Draw a short, curved line above the eye for the eyelid. Add a series of short lines under the eye for the wrinkles and folds of skin. Draw a few quick, short strokes higher above the eye for detail on the coat.

 

Step 9: Draw a small curved line near the tip of the pony's muzzle for the nostril. Shade the right side of the curved line and add a couple more curved lines for more structure.

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Step 10: Draw the rest of the pony's muzzle using the initial arc as a guide. Follow the basic path of the arc as you darken the line to create the front part of the muzzle. Curve the line inside the head, under the nose, to create the mouth. Draw a curved line under the mouth, while still using the initial arc as a guide, to create the chin. Add a few lines around the mouth for extra detail on the skin.

 

Step 11: Use quick, short strokes as you follow the path of the triangle-shaped line on the head to create the pony's ear. Add some strokes inside too. The other ear will be hidden behind the mane, so don't draw it.

 

Step 12: Draw the front part of the pony's mane using a series of long, curved lines. Follow the path of the top of the guides as you draw curved lines under each other. Now draw a longer curved line above the head and behind the ear for the top part of the mane. Draw a few more lines below the long curved line for the outer edge of the mane. Draw the basic shape of the mane as a clump instead of drawing every individual hair strand. Add a few vertical lines on the left side for the bottom edge of the mane.

 

Step 13: Darken the top part of the initial guides to create the pony's head. Use quick, short strokes to represent the shaggy coat at the bottom of the head. Add a few quick, short strokes within the head for extra detail on the coat.

 

Step 14: Draw a curved line slightly above the guides to create the top part of the pony's mane. Continue drawing the short vertical lines down toward the top of the leg for the bottom part of the mane. Draw the short lines on the left side too, to connect to the top part of the mane.

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Step 15: Use the lines under the right side of the body as guides to draw the pony's front legs. Lightly sketch the shape of the leg as you follow the path of the guide line. Pay attention to how the leg bends. When you get the shape of the bent leg right, darken the lines. As you darken the lines, use quick, short strokes to give the coat a more furry look. Add a flat, rectangular shape at the bottom of the leg for the pony's small hoof.

Lightly sketch the front leg on the other side of the body as you follow the guide line. When you get the shape of the leg right, darken the lines using quick, short strokes. Add a small, flat, rectangular shape at the bottom for the hoof.

 

Step 16: Use the angled lines under the left side of the body as a guide to draw the pony's hind legs the same way. Sketch the leg lightly as you follow the guide, then darken the lines when you get the structure right. Use quick, short strokes as you darken the lines to give the coat a more furry look. Add the hoof at the bottom as a small, flat rectangular shape. Use the other line as a guide to draw the hind leg on the other side. Most of this leg will be hidden behind the first hind leg or the tail, so only draw the bottom portion of it.

 

Step 17: Darken the outer edges of the initial guides to create the rest of the pony's body and tail. Use quick, short strokes as you darken the underbelly for the shaggy fur found there. Surround the initial guide on the left with a series of vertical strokes to create the shape of the tail.

 

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 that you may have accidentally erased.

 

Final Step: Add some shading to your pony 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 add the shadows, use strokes that go in the general direction of the fur. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. You can stop here for a white pony. For a black pony, skip the shadows and just use a single dark value all over the body.

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

You can add even more value throughout your drawing for extra detail. Ponies' coats can be a single solid color, they can have patches and they can even have spots! So shade yours however you'd like. Horses usually have smooth, shiny coats, but some ponies have shaggy coats, so make the coat a little furrier.

As you add the value, separate each individual stroke a bit to create a furry-looking texture. Shading can be very time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. You can use a lighter value for the mane and the tail to separate the sections a bit. It's always a good idea to use reference as you draw. Remember to pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace.

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

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

 

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