Please PAUSE the "How to Draw a Chinchilla" 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 chinchilla's head. The circle doesn't have to be perfect. It's just a guide. Leave enough room on the bottom-left side of the paper to draw the rest of the body.
Step 2: Draw an arc on the lower right side of the head as a guide for the chinchilla's muzzle. The end result of the combined shapes should look similar to an egg.
Step 3: Draw two arcs on top of the head as guides for the chinchilla's ears. The arc on the right should be thinner because of the perspective.
Step 4: Draw a bigger circle on the lower left side of the head as a guide for the chinchilla's body. This circle should be almost twice the size of the first one. Don't place it too far from the head, otherwise your chinchilla will be too long.
Step 5: Draw two curved lines that connect the major shapes to finish up the guide for the chinchilla's body.
Step 6: Draw a few more lines for the feet and tail. First draw a couple of angled lines at the top as guides for the front legs. Draw two longer lines below the body as guides for the hind legs. Add a long curved line on the left as a guide for the chinchilla'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 7: Draw the eye as a circle near the center of the head close to the right side. Draw a tiny circle inside the eye to represent glare. Shade in the rest of the eye. If you'd like, you can add more glare to the chinchilla's eye by adding another tiny circle as you shade. Use a darker value at the top of the eye for a rounder look. Add a few lines around the eye for extra detail. Use quick, short strokes at the bottom to indicate the fur along the edge of the eye. The other eye is on the opposite side of the head, so don't worry about drawing it.
Step 8: Draw the chinchilla's nose on the tip of the arc. Draw a line similar to the letter V. Then add two dots within the shape for the nostrils.
Step 9: Use the arc as a guide to draw the rest of the chinchilla's muzzle. Follow the basic path of the guide as you darken the lines to form the mouth. Use quick, short strokes to represent that fuzzy texture of the chinchilla's fur. Add some fur lines within the muzzle too.
Step 10: Use the arcs on top of the chinchilla's head to draw the ears. Darken the shape of the ear and add a few quick, short strokes at the bottom for the furry base. The bottom part of the ear extends into the head shape and comes very close to the eye. Dra a few curved lines within the shape of the chinchilla's ear to create the inner structure. Darken the other ear as well. The ear on the right is facing the other way, so don't worry too much about the detail.
Step 11: Use the remaining shapes as guides to draw the rest of the chinchilla's head. Follow the basic path of the guides as you darken the edge of the head. Use quick, short strokes as you draw to give the fur a fuzzy texture. Add a few more lines throughout the head for extra detail on the fur.
Step 12: Use the lines below the head as guides to draw the chinchilla's front legs. Follow the path of the guide and make the leg thicker. Bend the leg to indicate the joints. Draw the leg on the other side too, but make it smaller.
Step 13: Draw the chinchilla's hind legs under the body using the lines as guides. Draw a furry, curved line in the body as the base of the leg. Use quick, short strokes to achieve the furry texture. Follow the path of the guides as you draw the feet. The hind feet are longer than the front feet. Draw the foot on the other side using the line as a guide. Draw the base above it too.
Step 14: Use the remaining lines as guides to draw the rest of the chinchilla's body. Follow the path of the guides as you darken the lines to create the body. Use quick, short strokes as you darken the lines to give the fur a velvet-like, furry texture.
Step 15: Use the curved line on the left as a guide to draw the chinchilla's tail. First lightly sketch the shape of the tail as you follow the guide. When you get the shape of the tail right, darken it using quick, short strokes for a bushy texture.
Step 16 (optional): You can stop here for a sketchy look or erase as much as you can of the initial guide lines for a cleaner look. 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 chinchilla 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. Don't worry too much about the shading if you're going to add more value to your chinchilla drawing.
Add a cast shadow underneath. This helps ground the chinchilla so it doesn't appear to be floating.
You can also add more value throughout your chinchilla drawing for extra detail. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. Add the value by using strokes that go in the general direction of the chinchilla's fur. It's always a good idea to use reference for a more accurate drawing. If you have a pet chinchilla, try to duplicate its fur on your drawing. Use longer strokes when shading the tail for a bushier texture. Don't forget to pause the "How to Draw a Chinchilla" video after each step to draw at your own pace.
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