How to Draw a Sugar Glider
Please PAUSE the "How to Draw a Sugar Glider" 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 small oval as a guide for the sugar glider's head. The oval should be tilted a bit so that it has a diagonal orientation. Leave enough room on the left side for the rest of the body.
Step 2: Draw two intersecting lines inside the head to help you place the sugar glider's facial features later on. Curve the lines so that they contour to the shape of the oval.
Step 3: Draw two small arcs on top of the head as guides for the sugar glider's ears.
Step 4: Draw a small circle on each side of the sugar glider's head as a guide for the front feet. Don't draw the circles too far from the head, otherwise the legs will be too long.
Step 5: Add two short lines that connect the small circles to the sugar glider's head to complete the guide for the legs.
Step 6: Draw two long, diagonal lines that stretch back as guides for the sides of the sugar glider's body. The longer these lines are, the longer the body will be.
Step 7: Add the lower part of the sugar glider's body by drawing two more small circles for the feet and a long line for the bottom. The resulting shape of the guide for the sugar glider's body should be similar to a diamond with a small circle at each corner.
Step 8: Draw a curved line on the lower half of the body as a guide for the sugar glider'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 9: Lightly sketch the eyes inside the head as circles using the initial lines as guides for placement. Darken the outline of the sugar glider's eyes when you get the shape and placement right. Add some curved lines above and below the sugar glider's eyes for the bare skin all around them. The eye on the right side should be thinner because of the perspective. Shade the inside of the eyes except for a small circle to represent glare. Sugar gliders' eyes are pretty dark, so don't worry about the pupil not showing up. Press down hard on your pencil to get a darker value for the eyes.
Step 10: Draw the nose on the bottom part of the sugar glider's head by first lightly sketching a circle. Use the lines as guides for placement. Darken the nose but make it a bit more square. Add a slit on each side for the nostrils and quick, short strokes at the top for fur.
Step 11: Use the arcs on top of the head as guides to draw the ears. Follow the basic shape of the arc as you darken the lines and create the outer shape of the sugar glider's ears. Add a series of short curved lines within the ear for the inner structure. The ear on the right si facing out more, so don't give it too much detail.
Step 12: Use the original oval as a guide to draw the rest of the sugar glider's head. Make the top of the head dip a little in the middle as you darken the line. The line for the bottom of the head should be placed a little higher than the lower edge of the oval. Add a few more lines around the nose to complete the shape of the muzzle.
Step 13: Use the small circles on the right as guides to draw the front feet. The bottom side of the foot should fit within the circle, and the digits should come out above the circle. The toes are made up of short curved lines that come to a point at the tip. Add the other foot on the right by using the other circle as a guide. This foot should be a little smaller because of the drawing's perspective.
Step 14: Draw the top part of the sugar glider's legs by using the small lines as guides. Follow the basic path of the guide but make the legs thicker as you darken the lines.
Step 15: Now draw the sugar glider's hind feet using the two remaining circles as guides. Draw the hind feet the same way as the front feet. The bottom section should be within the circle, and the toes should stick out. The final foot should be smaller because of the angle and should therefore fit mostly within the shape of the initial circle.
Step 16: Draw the outline of the sugar glider's body using the diamond shape using a series of curved lines. The initial diamond shape represents the flaps used to glide. Draw the actual body that the flaps are connected to as curved lines under the head. Use quick, short strokes as you draw the outline of the body and lower legs to represent the furry underside.
Step 17: Use the diamond shape as a guide to draw the open guide flaps. Follow the basic path of the guides as you darken the lines but make them curve more. Draw some curved lines close to the edge of the sugar glider's gliding flaps as extra detail. Use a series of quick, short strokes as you follow the path of the guide line to create the furry section at the bottom.
Step 18: Use the curved line on the left as a guide to draw the furry tail. Follow the basic path of the line as you draw the tail around the guide. Use quick, short strokes to represent the furry texture of the sugar glider's tail.
Step 19 (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 sugar glider 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. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value.
You can add more value throughout your sugar glider drawing for extra detail. Push on your pencil a bit harder to create a stripe on the head and darker fur around the sugar glider's eyes. Use a lighter value for the rest of the sugar glider's head. The fur on the underside of the body is light as well, so use a lighter value here too. Add the value lightly at first, then gradually build up to the level of darkness that you want. Add the value by using strokes that go in the general direction of the sugar glider's fur. If you want a more accurate sugar glider drawing, it's a good idea to use reference as you draw. Some people keep sugar gliders as pets. If you have a pet sugar glider, try to duplicate its pattern on your drawing. Remember to pause the "How to Draw a Sugar Glider" video after each step to draw at your own pace.
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