How to Draw a Bird
Learning how to draw a cartoon bird is easy and fun. We’ll show you step by step how to draw, outline, and color your cartoon bird drawings with markers.
And of course there’s an endless number of ways to color them. I like using markers for my drawings, but colored pencils, oil pastels, or watercolors would work well too.
Don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things. Today you’re going to learn just one of the many ways to draw a bird. But there are many other ways to draw birds as well. Try new things and find what works for you.
Are you ready to have some fun learning how to draw birds? Then let’s get started.
* Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links. This means I receive small commissions for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you.
Art Supplies
- Thin black marker
- Paper or cardstock
- Markers
- Pencil
- Click Eraser, Pink Pearl Eraser
- White Gelly Roll pen
How to Draw a Cartoon Bird Step by Step
Learning how to draw a cartoon bird is really easy if you break things down into simple shapes and steps. Doing this helps simplify complex objects, and it also gives us an idea of what our finished drawing is going to look like.
This allows us to make any changes that are need before spending too much time and all the little details.
Like with all our drawings, begin by making some basic shapes. For your bird drawings you’ll probably want a couple of circles. Make a large circle for the body, with a smaller circle for the head.
There are a lot of different ways to rough out your birds. You can overlap the circles or stack them on top.
In this example we made the circle for the head smaller than the body. But, we could try drawing them the opposite way and make the head bigger than the body.
However you decide to draw your basic shapes is up to you. But they will determine the overall look of your bird drawing.
It’s a good idea to try a few different rough shape layouts and see what you like best.
Don’t forget to add a branch for him to sit on.
How to Draw a Bird Head
Next you need to start adding in some details for the head of your bird. Start by drawing the eye where the two circles come together. Then draw in his beak.
Again, there are a lot of options with this that will all change how your bird will look when finished. Drawing the eyes big will make your bird look much different than if you drew the eyes really small.
One way to draw the eye is to start with a large circle, then add in a couple of smaller circles for the iris and pupil.
Now start adding in some texture for the feathers. You can draw them as rough or as smooth as you want. For more information check out our tutorial on How to Use Texture in Art.
Draw a wing coming out from the side of the body.
And then add in some feathers for the tail. You can also add some wood texture to the branch.
Cartoon Bird Outline
Making a cartoon bird outline is really easy to do. Simply trace over the pencil lines you want to keep with a black pen or marker. You can make your lines thin, thick, or a combination of the two.
How you choose to make your outline will depend on your artistic style. You can try using a color other than black for your cartoon bird outline as well.
Experiment and have fun. Don’t be afraid to try new things and see how it looks.
When you’re finished making your outline, use an eraser to remove any pencil lines and clean up your drawing.
How to Draw a Cartoon Bird with Markers
Learning how to draw a cartoon bird with markers is easier than you might think. And there’s really only a few things you need to keep in mind when working on your drawings.
First, if you want to be able to blend your colors together you need to use alcohol based markers. Bic, Sharpie, and Copic for example. As well as many others.
Second, you need to work while the colors are still wet or they won’t mix together. This isn’t a big deal. Just make sure you work on a section at a time.
Third, you need to use colors that are similar to each other if you want to create a smooth transition of color. If your markers are too different they will leave a harder edge.
You want to avoid using one solid area of color. This will make your drawings look flat and boring. Instead, try using two or three different markers for each are of your cartoon bird drawing.
In this example, several different blue markers were used. Light brown and medium brown were used to color the branch. And two different orange markers were used for the beak.
You can use a white Gelly Roll pen for the white highlights.
Cartoon Bird Drawing Ideas
If you want to get better at drawing all it takes is some practice. A great way to save time and do more drawings is by using Artist Trading Cards.
Even if you don’t want to trade your work with other artists, it’s a great time saver.
I like to do 7 drawings of any theme that I’m working on. It’s a great way to practice repetition and push your creativity.
And if you draw 7 birds, you’ll definitely get better at drawing them. Plus if you do them on artist trading cards they won’t take as long as you might think.
Final Thoughts and Next Steps
Now that you know how to draw a cartoon bird, what’s the next step? If you want to get good at art and drawing you need to practice. The more you practice, the better you will get.
You don’t have to spend hours a day working on your art to see improvements. Spending a few minutes easy day, consistently over time, will help you improve.
Keep your creative time relaxing and enjoyable so you’ll look forward to it. And try making it part of your daily routine.
If you want to learn how to draw a cartoon bird really good, you need to practice drawing them. Challenge yourself to a series of cartoon bird drawings and see what you can come up with. Your creativity will improve along with your art skills.
Grab your FREE Guide to Better Art in 7 Days
