Please PAUSE the "How to Draw an Armadillo" 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 armadillo's body. The circles don't have to be perfect. They're just guides. The circles should be about the same size. The circle on the right should be placed slightly higher. Don't place the circles too far apart, otherwise your armadillo will be too long. Leave enough room on the sides for the head and tail.

 

Step 2: Use two curved lines to connect the circles and complete the guide for the armadillo's body.

 

Step 3: Draw an arc on the left side of the body as a guide for the armadillo's head.

 

Step 4: Draw a small, thinner arc to the left of the head as a guide for the armadillo's muzzle.

 

Step 5: Draw another small, thin arc on top of the head as a guide for the armadillo's ears.

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Step 6: Draw four small lines under the body as guides for the armadillo's short legs. Bend the lines a little to indicate where the joints will be later.

 

Step 7: Draw a long, curved line to the right of the body as a guide for the armadillo'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: Draw the armadillo's eye as a small football-like shape inside the head. Shade the inside of the eye except for a tiny circle to represent glare. Add a few lines around the eye for extra detail.

 

Step 9: Draw the armadillo's nose as a curved line at the tip of the initial arc. Add a slit for the nostril.

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Step 10: Use the initial arc as a guide to draw the rest of the armadillo's muzzle using a series of short lines.

 

Step 11: Use the arc at the top as a guide to draw the armadillo's ears. First draw the the ear opening as a leaf-like shape within the arc. Then add the outside of the ear and a few lines inside for the inner structure. Draw the ear on the other side using a couple of short, curved lines.

 

Step 12: Darken the top part of the initial arc to create the armadillo's head. Draw a curved line above the eyes for the hard scales on the head.

 

Step 13: Add a few quick, short strokes at the bottom of the armadillo's head for hair and a few lines inside the face for the wrinkly skin.

 

Step 14: Use the circle on the left side as a guide to draw the front part of the armadillo's body. Follow the basic path of the circle but make the right side of the section flatter and indent the top left side a bit.

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Step 15: Draw four curved, vertical lines across the middle of the body. This will be a nine-banded armadillo, but start with four lines first to break up the process.

 

Step 16: Now draw the remaining five bands across the armadillo's torso to make this a nine-banded armadillo. Nine is the typical number of bands, but some nine-banded armadillos have more, and some have fewer. You could also make this a three- or six-banded armadillo, but then you'd have to make other changes, like smaller ears and a shorter snout.

 

Step 17: Now darken the guides on the right side to complete the shape of the armadillo's body.

 

Step 18: Use the short lines on the left side as guides to draw the armadillo's front feet. Follow the basic path of the guide as you make the shape of the foot thicker. Add some triangle-like shapes on the tip for the claws. Use the other short line as a guide to draw the front leg on the opposite side the same way.

 

Step 19: Now use the lines on the right as guides to draw the armadillo's hind feet. Make the base thick and use quick, short strokes for the fur at the top of the legs. Add the other hind leg using the last short line as a guide and don't forget to add the claws.

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Step 20: Use the long line on the right as a guide to draw the armadillo's tail. Follow the path of the guide but make the tail thicker at the base and pointier at the end.

 

Step 21: Add a series of short, curved lines within the shape of the armadillo's tail to indicate its various segments.

 

Step 22 (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 armadillo 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. Continue adding the value until the entire body has the appropriate shadows.

Add a cast shadow underneath. This helps ground the armadillo so it doesn't appear to be floating. Use a darker value near the middle and a lighter value along the edge for the shadow's diffusion.

You can add even more value throughout your drawing for extra detail. Draw squiggly lines all over the body to give the overall impression of the scales instead of drawing every individual scale. Don't overthink the squiggles. Just add them randomly all over the body for a scale-like texture. You can add the texture lightly at first, then when you're comfortable, gradually build up to the level of darkness that you want. Use a lighter value for the scales near the middle of the body for a shinier effect.

It's always a good idea to use reference for a more accurate drawing. Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. Remember to pause the "How to Draw an Armadillo" video after each step to draw at your own pace.

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