How to Draw an Emu
Please PAUSE the "How to Draw an Emu" 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 top part of the emu's body. The circle doesn't have to be perfect. It's just a guide. Leave enough room on the sides for the bird's tall head and long legs.
Step 2: Draw an arc on the right side of the circle as a guide for the front part of the emu's body. Don't draw the arc too wide. The resulting shape should be similar to an egg.
Step 3: Draw another circle above the body, on the top right side, as a guide for the emu's head. Emus have very small heads, so this circle should be a lot smaller than the circle for the body.
Step 4: Draw a small triangle-like shape on the right side of the head as a guide for the emu's beak.
Step 5: Draw a curved line that connects the emu's head to the body to form the guide for the bird's neck.
Step 6: Draw another arc on the left side of the main circle to complete the guide for the emu's body. This arc should be a bit pointier than the arc on the right side.
Step 7: Draw two angled lines under the bird's body as guides for the emu's legs. The emu will be stepping forward, so the second line should angle more to indicate the leg's joints.
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 eyeball as a small circle inside the emu's head on the right side. Add a curved line on the side for the actual eye shape and a few lines around it for the wrinkly skin. Draw a dot in the middle of the eyeball for the bird's pupil. Shade the rest of the eyeball except for a tiny circle to represent glare.
Step 9: Use the triangle-like shape as a guide to draw the emu's beak. Follow the basic path of the guide as you darken the lines to create the top and bottom of the beak. Add another line through the middle for the actual mouth opening and a few more small lines for the nostril and extra detail.
Step 10: Use the initial circle as a guide to draw the emu's head. Use quick, short strokes as you follow the basic path of the circle to create the messy feathers on the head. Emus have some bald patches on their head, so don't add too many strokes. Add a few more strokes within the shape of the head and a curved line for the ear opening.
Step 11: Use the initial curved line as a guide to draw the emu's neck. Make the neck wider as you follow the path of the guide. Use quick, short strokes for the bird's sparsely spaced feathers.
Step 12: Use the straight line as a guide to draw the leg on this side of the emu's body. Sketch the shape of the leg lightly as you follow the path of the guide. Darken the lines when you get the structure right. Emus have three toes but only two should be visible from this perspective.
Step 13: Now draw the leg on the other side of the emu's body by using the other line as a guide. First lightly sketch the shape of the leg as you follow the basic path of the guide line. Darken the lines only when you get the structure of the leg right. Add the toes at the bottom as V-shaped lines. Remember to just draw the two that are visible from this angle.
Step 14: Draw the small U-shaped wing on the lower right side of the body using quick, short strokes to represent the emu's feathers.
Step 15: Use the remaining shapes and lines as guides to draw the rest of the emu's body. Draw another U shape on the lower left side of the body for the tail. Use quick, short strokes as you draw. Use longer strokes at the bottom of the body for the bird's shaggier feathers found here.
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 emu drawing to give it more dimension and value. 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.
Add a cast shadow underneath. This helps ground the emu so it doesn't appear to be floating.
You can add more value throughout your emu drawing for more detail. Use a darker value for th e head and neck feathers. Also leave a portion blank for the bald spots. Don't worry about shading too smoothly. The rough value gives the feathers a shaggy texture. Try to add the value by using strokes that go in the general direction of the emu's feathers. Space apart the strokes as you add the value for the typical shaggy emu feathers. Don't forget to pause the "How to Draw an Emu" video after each step to draw at your own pace.
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