How to Draw a Poodle Dog
Please PAUSE the "How to Draw a Dog (Poodle)" video after each step to draw at your own pace.
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 poodle's body. The circles don't have to be perfect. They're just guides. The circle on the left should be a lot bigger than the one on the right becuase it's a guide for the big, poofy chest. The edges of the circles should touch. Leave enough room at the top an bottom for the head and legs.
Step 2: Draw another circle on the top left side as a guide for the poodle's head. This circle should be a bit smaller than the circle on the right side.
Step 3: Draw a small arc on the left side as a guide for the poodle's muzzle.
Step 4: Draw a long, curved line on top of the head as a guide for the poodle's poofy fur. The line should stretch back down to the dog's big body circle.
Step 5: Draw four lines under the body (two below each circle) as guides for the poodle's legs. The lines for the front legs should be pretty straight with a slight bend at the tips for the feet. The lines for the hind legs should bend near the middle to indicate the joints.
Step 6: Draw yet another circle on the top right side as a guide for the poodle's poofy tail. This circle should about the same size as the body circle directly below it.
That's it for the initial sketch! From this point on, press harder with your pencil to get a more defined sketch.
Step 7: Draw the poodle's eye inside the head on the left side, near the top line of the muzzle. The shape of the eye is similar to a little football with a curved line inside for the eyeball. Shade the inside of the eye except for a tiny circle to represent glare and add a small line under it for extra detail.
Step 8: Lightly sketch a shape similar to a circle on the tip of the muzzle for the poodle's nose. Darken the top of the shape and add the nostril on the lower right side. Use quick, short strokes at the top for the dog's fur.
Step9: Draw the rest of the poodle's muzzle by using the initial arc as a guide. Follow the basic path of the arc as you darken the lines to create the muzzle. Add the short mouth under the nose. Draw the chin and lower jaw by darkening the lower line of the initial arc.
Step 10: Use the curved line above the head as a guide to draw the poodle's fluffy fur. Follow the path of the guide but use short, curved lines as you darken the shape of the puffy fur. Draw the lower part of the hat-like fur on the head as a series of short, curved lines above the eye with a diagonal orientation.
Step 11: Draw the poodle's ear under the hat-like fur on the right side. The shape of the ear is similar to a rectangle. The actual ears are smaller. Most of the shape is long fur. Add a few wavy lines within the shape and a line on the left side for the visible part of the dog's other ear.
Step 12: Use the remaining lines and shapes as guide to draw the rest of the poodle's head. Add a few wavy lines above and below the eye for the fur and a V-shaped line under the muzzle for the neck.
Step 13: Use the initial circle on the left side as a guide to draw the poodle's fluffy fur on the chest. Use short, curved lines as you follow the basic path of the circle but make the shape wider.
Step 14: Use the lines under the body as guides to draw the legs that are on this side of the poodle. Lightly sketch the shape of the leg as you follow the basic path of the line. When you get the structure of the leg right, darken the lines. Add an oval at the bottom for the fur found there. Add the toes and nails at the bottom using a series of short, curved lines. Draw the hind leg on this side of the body the same way. Start with a light sketch as you use the initial line as a guide. Darken the lines when you get the shape right. The top of the leg should be thick. Add a circle at the bottom for the typical poodle furcut called a continental clip. Draw the toes and nails too.
Step 15: Now use the remaining lines under the body as guides to draw the poodle's legs on the other side. Basically duplicate the shape of the first leg as you follow the path of the guide. Draw the dog's hind leg on the other side the same way. Start off with a light sketch to get the shape right. Darken the lines when you get the structure right and add the ball of fur at the bottom. Add the toes and nails at the bottom using a series of short, curved lines.
Step 16: Draw two more puffs of fur on the poodle's hips using a series of curved lines.
Step 17: Use the last circle as a guide to draw the poodle's puffy tail. Add the base of the tail at the bottom using a couple of short lines.
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 that you may have accidentally erased.
Final Step (optional): Add some shading to your dog 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. Add the value lightly at first, then gradually build up to the level of darkness that you want. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. This will be a white poodle, but some poodles can be black. Add a dark value all over the fur for a black poodle and an easier drawing. Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. Don't forget to pause the "How to Draw a Poodle" video after each step to draw at your own pace.
Add a cast shadow underneath. This helps ground the dog so it doesn't appear to be floating.
Poodles' skin can be dark, so you can add more value on the sections without fur. It's always a good idea to use reference for a more accurate drawing. If you have a pet poodle or a similar breed, try to duplicate its coat pattern on your drawing.
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