Please PAUSE the "How to Draw a Pigeon" 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 pigeon's body. The circle doesn't have to be perfect. It's just a guide. Leave enough room on the top right for the pigeon's head and on the lower left for the tail.
Step 2: Draw an arc on the lower left side of the circle as a guide for the second part of the body. The length of the arc should be almost the width of the circle. The end result should be similar to an egg.
Step 3: Draw another circle on the top right side of the body as a guide for the pigeon's head. This circle should be about a third the size of the first one. Don't place it too high up, otherwise your pigeon's neck will be too long.
Step 4: Inside the small circle, draw two intersecting lines. These lines will help you place the pigeon's facial features later.
Step 5: Draw a small triangle-like shape on the right side of the head as a guide for the pigeon's beak.
Step 6: Add a few more lines to complete the guide for the pigeon's body. A couple of curved lines at the top form the neck and a long thin arc on the lower left side forms the tail.
Step 7: Add a couple of lines under the pigeon's body as guides for the feet.
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 pigeon's eye inside the head as a circle. Use the lines as guides for placement. In the middle of the eye, draw a big dot for the pupil. Shade the rest of the eye except for a tiny circle to represent glare. Use a value that's lighter than the pupil. Add a few lines around the eye for extra detail.
Step 9: Use the triangle-like shape as a guide to draw the pigeon's beak. Follow the basic path of the guide but make the top part of the beak curvier. Add a curved line inside for the nostril. Draw a curved line in the middle of the guide for the mouth. Draw the bottom part of the pigeon's beak by using the lines as a guide.
Step 10: Use the circle as a guide to draw the pigeon's head. Follow the basic path of the guides as you darken the lines to create the head. The line under the pigeon's beak should come in more toward the center to create the neck.
Step 11: Draw a long curved line across the middle of the body for the first part of the pigeon's folded wing. Sketch the curved line lightly at first to get the structure right. When you get the shape right, darken the line.
Step 12: Add an arc to the left for the tip of the folded wing. The arc should be thin and should extend to the left toward the pigeon's tail.
Step 13: Use the lines under the body as guides to draw the pigeon's feet. Draw the base of the foot at the top of the line using quick, short strokes for a feathery texture. Now follow the path of the guide and make the foot thicker as you darken the lines. Draw the four toes at the bottom and a curved line at the tip of each for the nails. Draw the bird's foot on the other side by using the first as a template. The base of the foot is hidden by the first leg but draw the toes peeking from behind.
Step 14: Use the remaining lines as guides to draw the rest of the pigeon's body. Use quick, short strokes for a feathery texture at the bottom of the body.
Step 15 (optional): For a cleaner look, erase as much as you can of initial guide lines. Don't worry about erasing all of the lines. It's okay to leave some behind. Re-draw any of the 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. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value.
Add a cast shadow underneath. This helps ground the pigeon so it doesn't appear to be floating.
You can add more value throughout your pigeon drawing for more detail. You can also skip this step altogether for a while or albino dove. Wild or feral pigeons tend to be different shades of gray. Use different values all over the body to replicate their pattern. Use a very light value on the neck to represent the iridescent feathers. The main part of the bird's body is for the most part light gray, so don't push down too hard with your pencil when you add the value here. Pigeons come in a variety of patterns like speckles and spots, so feel free to shade yours however you'd like. The tips of the wings and tails are almost black, so use a very dark value here. It's always a good idea to use reference for a more accurate drawing. A lot of cities have feral populations of pigeons. If you live near some, go look at some for reference! Remember to pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace.
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