How to Draw a Holland Lop Bunny
Please PAUSE the "How to Draw a Holland Lop Bunny" 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 as a guide for the Holland Lop bunny's body. First draw four marks for the height and width of the circle, then connect the marks using curved lines. The circle doesn't have to be perfect. It's just a guide. If you do want a perfect circle, trace the outer rim of a glass, a plate or anything else that's circular.
Step 2: Draw a horizontal line inside the circle as a construction line to help you place the bunny rabbit's facial features later on. The line should be a little higher than the middle. Curve it so that it contours to the shape of the circle.
Step 3: Draw a small oval on the lower, left side of the head as a guide for the muzzle. First draw four marks to indicate the height and width of the oval, then connect the marks with curved lines. Pay attention to the size of the oval in relation to the Holland Lop bunny's head. The left side of the oval should come out of the edge of the head.
Step 4: Draw two curved lines on either side of the head as guides for the bunny rabbit's floppy ears. The first line should look like the letter U. Place it right under the construction line, on the right side. The line on the left should be similar to a letter U but with a portion of it being blocked by the head.
Step 5: Draw another circle on the lower, right side of the head as a guide for the back portion of the body. This circle should be almost twice as big as the Holland Lop bunny's head. The top, left side of it should be behind the head. Don't worry too much about drawing a perfect circle. But if you do want a perfect circle, just trace the edge of a bowl or plate.
Step 6: Now draw a curved line that goes from the muzzle to the bottom of the big circle as a guide for the front part of the bunny's body.
Step 7: Now draw a few curved lines under the body as guides for the Holland Lop bunny's feet. First draw two short, curved lines that are similar to the letter U on the left side as guides for the front feet. Then draw a longer line that stretches from the right side of the body, then curves down under it and ends near the front legs.
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 small circle inside the Holland Lop's head for the eye. Place it near the middle, right on top of the construction line. The eye should be very close to the ear on the right. Darken the shape when you get the placement right. Inside the eye, on the top, left side, draw a small oval to represent glare.
Draw another circle in the middle of the eye and shade it in for the pupil. Shade in the rest of the bunny rabbit's eye as well to represent the iris. When shading the iris, use a value that's slightly lighter than the pupil. Add a few more lines at the top and sides to further shape the eye. The lines on the sides should come to a point to indicate the corners of the eye.
Step 9: Draw the Holland Lop bunny's nose as a V-shaped line inside the small oval, right on top of the edge of the main circle. Draw a series of quick, short strokes above the nose to represent fur.
Step 10: Use the small oval as a guide to draw the bunny's muzzle. The top of the mouth is made up of a line under the nose that splits into two and curves up. Follow the basic path of the guides as you draw the mouth using quick, short strokes. Add the bunny's chin at the bottom.
Step 11: Draw the rest of the Holland Lop bunny's head using the initial circle as a guide. Simply follow the basic path of the circle and use quick, short strokes to create the shape of the furry head.
Step 12: Use the lines on the sides of the head as guides to draw the Holland Lop's ears. Follow the path of the guide on the right but make the shape of the ear a bit wider in the middle, and narrower at the top and bottom. Darken the other ear and add some quick, short strokes within the shape for the fur.
Step 13: Use the U-shaped lines under the body as guides to draw the bunny rabbit's feet. Use quick, short strokes as you follow the path of the guide. Add two small, curved lines at the tip of the foot for the toes. Draw the other foot the same way but don't add the top part because the body will be covering it.
Step 14: Use the remaining shapes and lines as guides to draw the rest of the Holland Lop's body. Use quick, short strokes as you follow the basic path of the guides. Use longer strokes for longer fur. The fur on the body should overlap the guide for the hind foot on the lower, right side. The tail is under the body, so don't worry about drawing it.
Step 15: Use the curved line under the bunny's body as a guide to draw the hind foot. Don't forget to add the toes at the tip!
Step 16 (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.
Final Step (optional): Add some shading to your Holland Lop bunny's 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, separate each stroke a bit and make them longer to create a furry texture. You can actually stop here if you would like your bunny rabbit to be white.
Add a cast shadow underneath. This helps ground the bunny so it doesn't appear to be floating.
You can add even more value throughout your drawing for extra detail. Holland Lop bunnies have a variety of coat patterns, so you can shade yours however you'd like. You can use a darker value on the muzzle and ears and also create spots or patches. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. Don't worry about shading too smoothly. The rough value gives the Holland Lop's coat a furry texture. Add the value by using strokes that go in the general direction of the bunny's fur. Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. It's always a good idea to use reference for a more accurate drawing. If you have a pet bunny, try to duplicate its pattern on your drawing. Remember to pause the video to draw at your own pace.
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