In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Koala step-by-step.

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All of the tutorials on How2DrawAnimals.com are good drawing tutorials for beginners and experienced artists alike. The online tutorials are easy to follow; they teach you the how to draw basics while showing you how to draw animals step by step. Each animal has a video drawing tutorial option, as well as step-by-step photos and written text to follow.

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To draw this Koala step by step, follow along with the video tutorial below and pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace. You may find it easier to follow the step-by-step drawings below the video. The new lines in each step are shown in red, so you'll know exactly what to draw next. You may want to open the video in a new tab and use both drawing methods. Take your time and draw at your own pace.

Below you can watch a NEW step-by-step video tutorial with NARRATED steps:

The following is a video tutorial where the steps are WRITTEN out within the video:

For the first few steps, don't press down too hard with your pencil. Use light, smooth strokes to begin so that it's easy to erase if you make a mistake.

For the first few steps, don't press down too hard with your pencil. Use light, smooth strokes to begin.

Step 1: Draw a small circle as a guide for the koala's head. The circle doesn't have to be perfect. It's just a guide.

Step 2: Draw an oval underneath that's just about twice as tall as the koala's head. This will be a guide for the body. Give the oval a slight tilt so the koala's body won't be too rigid.

Step 3: Draw a few construction lines inside the shapes to help you place the koala's features later on. First, draw a long vertical line that splits both shapes in two. Then draw a horizontal line inside each that splits the shapes into quarters.

Step 4: Draw a curved line similar to the letter C on either side of the koala's head as guides for the ears.

Step 5: Draw a couple of angled lines inside the body as guides for the koala's arms and legs.

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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 koala's eyes inside the head using the lines as guides for placement. The shape of the koala's eye is similar to an oval with pointed ends. Draw a small circle inside each eye to represent glare. Koalas' pupils are slits like cats' pupils, so draw a slit in each eye. Shade in the rest of the eye for extra detail.

Step 7: Draw the koala's nose where the two lines intersect. First draw the nostrils as two diagonal slits. Then draw the top of the nose using quick, short strokes to represent fur.

Step 8: Draw the koala's mouth underneath the nose. The mouth is a line under the nose that splits in two. Then draw the round chin underneath using quick, short strokes to represent fur.

Step 9: Use the initial curved lines as guides to draw the ears. Koalas' ears are very furry, so go around the guide lines using quick, short strokes. Draw more strokes within the shapes to represent the openings of the koala's ears.

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Step 10: Use quick, short strokes again to draw the rest of the koala's furry head.

Step 11: Use the initial line as a guide to draw the arm. Draw lightly at first. Once you get the structure right, go ahead and darken it. Draw the koala's fingers on the end using a few curved lines. Koalas have two opposable digits, so draw two "thumbs" on the hand.

Step 12: Draw the koala's leg using the initial line as a guide. Draw lightly at first. When you like what you have, go ahead and darken it. Don't forget the koala's toes on the end!

Step 13: Use quick, short strokes around the initial oval shape to form the koala's body.

Step 14: Draw a few straight lines underneath and to the right of the koala to represent a tree. Draw the lightly at first to get the structure right. Then darken it when you like what you have. The tree consists of a couple of parallel vertical lines for the trunk and a couple of horizontal lines that are closer together for the branch. Draw the koala's other arm behind the tree too.

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Step 15 (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 koala 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. You can add more value throughout your koala drawing for extra detail. Use a medium value for most of the body but leave the chin and chest blank for the white fur. As you shade use strokes that go in the direction of the fur. Use a dark value for the nose. It's a good idea to use reference as you draw to be as accurate as possible.

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