Please PAUSE the "How to Draw a Bull" 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 two circles as guides for the bull's body. The circles don't have to be perfect. They're just guides. The first circle will be a guide for the front part of the bull's body or the chest. Bulls have big chests, so draw a big circle. The circle on the right will be a guide for the bull's hindquarters. This circle should be about two-thirds the size of the first circle and should be drawn a little bit lower than the second circle.
Step 2: Draw a smaller circle on the left side as a guide for the bull's head. This circle should be about one-fourth the size of the original circle and should be drawn even lower.
Step 3: Inside the small circle, draw two intersecting lines. These lines will help you draw the bull's facial features later.
Step 4: Under the bull's head, draw a curved line similar to the letter U as a guide for the muzzle.
Step 5: Inside the circle on the upper right side, draw a small arc as a guide for the bull's ear.
Step 6: Draw a curved line to the left of the ear as a guide for the bull's horns. The longer this line is, the longer the horns will be.
Step 7: Draw two lines under the first circle as guides for the front legs. You are learning how to draw a bull that is charging, so bend the legs accordingly.
Step 8: Draw two more lines under the circle on the right side as a guide for the bull's hind legs. Bend the lines in three different places to indicate where the joints in the legs will be.
Step 9: Draw a series of lines that connect the major shapes to form the rest of the bull's body. Draw a long line on the right side as a guide for the bull's tail.
That's it for the initial sketch of the bull. From this point on, press harder with your pencil to get a more defined sketch.
Step 10: Now learn how to draw the bull's eye. Draw the eye on the lower left side of the head using the lines as guides for placement. The shape of the eye is similar to a greater-than sign (>) with an arc to the left of it for the eyeball. Shade the inside of the eyeball except for a tiny circle to represent glare. Bulls have horizontally oriented pupils, so add a bar-like shape with a darker value in the middle of the eye. Draw some lines around the eye for extra detail.
Step 11: Draw the bull's nose on the tip of the arc at the bottom. It's basically a curved line with some value inside of it.
Step 12: Draw the rest of the bull's muzzle using the arc as a guide. Follow the basic path of the arc as you draw the muzzle and add a few more bumps to the shape. Add a small line to the right for the lower lip.
Step 13: Use the line at the top as a guide to draw the bull's first horn. Follow the path of the guide line as you draw the horn. Make the base thick and the front pointy. Use this shape as a template to draw the horn on the other side. You can make the horns longer if you'd like.
Step 14: Use the arc on the right side as a guide to draw the bull's ear. Draw a few lines inside the shape for the inner ear structure and fur.
Step 15: Use the circle as a guide to draw the rest of the bull's head. Use quick, short strokes at the top of the head to represent the bull's fur. Using a series of curved lines, draw the flaps of skin on the neck at the bottom.
Step 16: Use the lines on the left as guides to draw the bull's front legs. Lightly sketch the shape of the leg as you follow the path of the line. When you get the structure of the leg right, darken the lines. Use curved lines to simulate the bull's joints and muscle structure. Draw an angular, square-like shape at the tip of the bull's leg for the hoof. Draw the front leg on the other side using the other line as a guide. Sketch the shape lightly at first as you follow the path of the line. Then darken the leg when you have the right structure. Use curved lines to define the muscles and joints, and draw the square-like hoof at the bottom.
Step 17: Use the lines on the right as a guide to draw the hind legs the same way you drew the bull's front legs. Remember to sketch lightly as you follow the path of the guide and only darken the lines when you have the structure right. The top part of the hind legs is thicker and gets thinner toward the square-like hoof at the bottom. Draw the bull's hind leg on the other side using the same technique. Be sure to follow the path of the guide line to give the bull the wide stance and the charging posture.
Step 18: Use the remaining lines as guides to draw the rest of the bull's body. Draw a curve at the top for a hump. Draw a bigger curve for a bigger hump. Draw curved lines at the bottom of the folds of loose skin on the bull's neck and finish out the body.
Step 19: Use the line on the right as a guide to draw the bull's tail. Draw quick, short strokes at the bottom for the hair at the end.
Step 20 (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 them. It's okay to leave some behind. Also re-draw any final sketch lines that you may have accidentally erased.
Final Step (optional): Add some shading to your bull 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. For a light source that's coming from the top like this one, add darker values underneath along with certain indentations in the body. Take into consideration how light hits the individual form of each body part to accurately depict the shadows. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value.
Add a cast shadow underneath. This helps ground the bull so it doesn't appear to be floating.
You can add more value throughout your bull drawing for extra detail. Bulls have different markings, so you can add patches or spots to your drawing. You can shade the entire body evenly like this for a more solid pattern. Try to add the value smoothly to avoid a rough, gritty texture. You can add a lighter value on certain portions of the bull's body for a sleek, shiny feel. It's always a good idea to use reference for accuracy. And don't forget to pause the "How to Draw a Bull" video to draw at your own pace.
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