How to Draw a Meerkat
Please PAUSE the "How to Draw a Meerkat" 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 a circle as a guide for the meerkat's head. The circle doesn't have to be perfect. It's just a guide. Leave enough room on the bottom for the rest of the body.
Step 2: Draw two curved, intersecting lines inside the head to help you place the meerkat's facial features later on.
Step 3: Draw a small circle on the lower half of the head as a guide for the meerkat's muzzle.
Step 4: Draw two more circles under the head as a guide for the first part of the meerkat's body. The first circle should be a bit bigger than the head, and their edges should almost touch. The bottom circle should be the biggest circle. The end result should be similar to a snowman.
Step 5: Draw a series of curved lines that connect the major shapes to form the rest of the meerkat's body. Draw an arc similar to the letter U under the bottom circle for the lower half of the body.
Step 6: Draw two curved lines inside the body (under the top body circle" as a guide for the meerkat's front legs.
Step 7: Draw two angular lines under the body as guides for the meerkat's hind legs and a curved line on the right for the 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 the eyes inside the meerkat's head using the lines as guides for placement. The shape of the eyes is similar to little footballs. Darken the lines when you get the shapes right. Add a small dot inside each eye for the pupils. Add a couple of lines inside the shapes for the actual eyeball and draw a tiny circle in each to represent glare. Shade the eyes except for the tiny glare circle. Use a value that's lighter than the pupils. Add a few lines around the eyes for extra detail. Use quick, short strokes above the eyes to represent fur.
Step 9: Draw the nose inside the meerkat's muzzle by first lightly sketching an oval. Darken the shape of the oval and use quick, short strokes at the top for a furry texture. Draw two slits inside the shape of the nose for the meerkat's nostrils.
Step 10: Use the initial circle as a guide to draw the meerkat's muzzle. Draw a line under the nose for the mouth. Add another curved line under the mouth using quick, short strokes for the chin. Add a few dots within the muzzle, above the mouth, for extra detail.
Step 11: Draw a couple of curved lines on the side of the head for the small ears. Place the ears at the ends of the initial guide line. Use quick, short strokes to represent the meerkat's fur.
Step 12: Use the initial circle as a guide to draw the rest of the head. Follow the path of the circle but make the top part wavier as you darken the lines. Make the bottom part of the head wider to create the cheeks. Add a few more lines within the shape of the head for extra detail. Use quick, short strokes for the detail to represent a furry texture.
Step 13: Use the lines at the top as guides to draw the front legs. Follow the basic path of the line and sketch the leg lightly at first to get the shape right. When you get the structure right, darken the lines. Use small curved lines at the tip for the digits. Draw the hanging front leg on the left the same way. Sketch the shape lightly at first and only darken the lines when you have the structure right.
Step 14: Use the lines under the meerkat's body as guides to draw the hind legs. Follow the basic path of the guides and only darken the lines when you get the shape right. Use a series of short lines at the bottom for the digits. The hind legs should be thick at the top and thinner at the bottom. Bend the shape of the leg on the left to indicate where the joints are.
Step 15: Use the remaining lines and shapes as guides to draw the rest of the meerkat's body and tail. Simply follow the path of the guides as you darken the lines to create the shape of the body. Use the line on the right as a guide to draw the meerkat's tail. Make it thick at the base and pointy 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. Re-draw any final sketch lines that you may have accidentally erased.
Final Step (optional): Add some shading to your 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 a different degrees of tonal value.
Add a cast shadow underneath. This helps ground the meerkat so it doesn't appear to be floating.
You can add even more value throughout your drawing for extra detail. Use a darker value around the meerkat's eyes, ears and nose. Use a lighter value for the rest of the head. Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. Try to add the value by using strokes that go in the general direction of the fur. It's always a good idea to use reference for a more accurate drawing. Remember to pause the "How to Draw a Meerkat" video after each step to draw at your own pace. Use a slightly darker value to create the light stripes across the back.