How to Draw a Monkey
Please PAUSE the "How to Draw a Monkey" video after each step to draw at your own pace.
The Written step-by-step video tutorial:
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 monkey's body. They don't have to be perfect. They're just guides. The circle on the left side should be a bit higher than the one on the right, and their edges should be touching.
Step 2: Draw a smaller circle on the right side as a guide for the monkey's head.
Step 3: Draw two intersecting lines inside the head to help you place the monkey's facial features later on.
Step 4: Draw three angled lines under the body as guides for the monkey's arms and legs.
Step 5: Draw a few curved lines that connect the major shapes to form the monkey's body. On the left side, draw a long curved spiral as a guide for the monkey'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 6: Draw the monkey's eyes inside the head using the lines as guides for placement. The shape of the eyes is similar to a football. Draw a small circle inside each eye to represent glare. Then draw another circle and shade it in for the pupils. Darken the outline of the monkey's eyes more and shade in the rest of the eyeball.
Step 7: Draw the monkey's nose under the area where the two guide lines intersect. The nose consists of a curved line on the right side for the bridge of the nose and a shaded oval on the left as the nostril. Draw a few more lines around the monkey's nose for structure.
Step 8: Draw a few lines above the monkey's eyes for a furrowed brow. This gives the monkey more character and makes it less static.
Step 9: Under the nose, draw a curved line for the monkey's mouth.
Step 10: Use the original circle as a guide to draw the monkey's head. Curve the lines on the right side of the head to create the cheekbone and chin. Use quick, short strokes on the other side to represent fur.
Step 11: Draw the outline of the monkey's face using quick, short strokes.
Step 12: On the left side of the face, draw a curved line for the monkey's ear and more quick, short strokes for fur.
Step 13: Using the lines as guides, draw the monkey's arms. Draw lightly at first to get the structure right. When you're happy with what you have, go ahead and darken it. The arm is thick on top and thinner at the bottom. Use quick, short strokes to represent fur. Draw the monkey's hand at the bottom. It should be pretty flat, and only draw the fingers that are visible. Monkey hands are similar to our own, so you can use a mirror for reference as you draw! Draw the monkey's arm on the other side the same way. Remember to draw lightly at first to get the structure right. Use quick, short strokes for that furry look and give the arm a slight bend at the elbow. Draw the monkey's other hand the same way, but because it's on the other side, draw the thumb too.
Step 14: Use the other line as a guide to draw the monkey's legs the same way as the arms. Don't forget to start out lightly. The leg is thicker than the arms at the top and then gets thinner at the bottom. Monkeys' feet are similar to the hands, so draw the long digits at the end. Draw the visible portion of the monkey's leg on the other side.
Step 15: Use the remaining lines as guides to draw the rest of the monkey's body.
Step 16: Thicken up the initial spiral to create the monkey's long tail. Simply go around the line, making it thicker, and darken it when you have the shape right.
Step 17 (optional): For a cleaner look, erase as much as you can of the initial guide lines. 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 monkey 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 monkey so it doesn't appear to be floating.
You can add more value throughout your monkey drawing for extra detail. It's a good idea to use reference to be as accurate as possible. Remember to PAUSE the video any time you need help along the way.
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To learn how to draw popular cartoon characters, visit EasyDrawingTutorials.com.