In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Hippopotamus 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 Hippopotamus 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:

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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.

Step 1: Start with two circles next to each other as guides for the hippo's body. The circles are just guides, so it's okay if they're not perfect. Pay close attention to the spacing between the circles. If they're too far apart, you'll end up with a long hippopotamus.

Step2: Draw a smaller circle on the lower right side as a guide for the hippo's head.

Step 3: On the lower right side of that circle, draw an arc as a guide for the hippopotamus' muzzle.

Step 4: Draw a series of curved lines that connect the major circles to form the hippopotamus' body.

Step 5: Draw three bent lines under the hippo's body as guides for the feet.

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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 eye on the upper right side of the hippopotamus' head. The shape of the eye is similar to the shape of a football. Inside the eye draw a circle and shade it in for the hippopotamus' pupil. Draw a few lines surrounding the eye for extra detail. Draw two bulges above the eye as the protruded eye sockets.

Step 7: Draw the hippo's ears where the circle meets the neck line, to the left of the eyes. First draw an arc. Then draw some lines within it and at the base to represent the ear structure. Draw another small curved line to represent the other ear.

Step 8: Use the arc as a guide to draw the hippo's muzzle. Follow the arc and give it a slight bulge on top where the nose will be. Then draw the mouth as a line that curves in toward the hippo's eye. Darken the bottom portion to create the lower jaw and a slit near the top for the nose.

Step 9: Using the circle and lines as guides, draw the rest of the hippopotamus' head. Draw curved lines throughout the head to represent the folds of skin and a few at the base of the hippo's mouth for detail.

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Step 10: Using the lines as guides, draw the hippopotamus' hind legs. Sketch them in lightly at first. When you like what you have, darken the lines more. Draw the hippo's other leg peeking on the other side of the body.

Step 11: Draw the hippo's front legs using the same technique. Lightly at first, then darken once you like what you have. Draw the hippopotamus' leg on the other side too.

Step 12: Using the initial lines as guides, draw the rest of the hippo's body. Draw curved lines near the neck area to represent folds of skin.

Step 13 (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. Re-draw any final lines you may have accidentally erased.

Final Step (optional): You can add shading throughout your hippopotamus 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 hippo so it doesn't appear to be floating.

You can add more value to your drawing for extra detail. It's a good idea to use reference to be as accurate as possible.

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