How to Draw a Snowy Owl (Easy Step by Step)
This round, wide-eyed snowy owl is a great first bird to draw. It is built from an oval, two circles, a small triangle, and a handful of curved lines. Once you can draw those simple shapes, you can draw this owl.
- Easy
- 12 minutes
- 8 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawingIn this article (7 sections)
How to draw a snowy owl step by step
How to Draw a Snowy Owl · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: Guide shapes
Lightly sketch this oval. It only shows where the big parts go, so press softly. You will erase it at the end.
Step 2: The round body
Start with a big tall oval, like an egg standing up. This one shape is the owl's head and body all in one, so make it nice and roomy.
Step 3: Two small wings
On each side of the oval, near the bottom, draw a curved line like a letter C. Start at the side of the body, bend outward, and curve back in to touch the body again.
Step 4: Big round eyes
Draw two big circles in the upper part of the oval, side by side with a gap between them. Owls have huge eyes, so make them nice and round.
Step 5: Pupils
Fill in a small dot in the middle of each eye circle. Put both dots in the same spot in each eye so your owl looks straight ahead.
Step 6: The little beak
Between and just below the eyes, draw a small triangle with the point facing down. Round the corners a little to make it soft.
Step 7: Belly feathers and legs
On the belly, draw rows of small curved smiles: two on top, three in the middle, and one at the bottom. Then draw four short lines going down from the bottom of the body for the legs.
Step 8: The branch
Draw a long rounded rectangle across the bottom, like a fat log. Let the bottoms of the legs touch the top of it.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your snowy owl? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw Santa's face or how to draw a rocking horse next.
Tips for drawing a snowy owl
- Draw the big oval lightly first and make it taller than it is wide. The whole owl depends on this shape, so take your time.
- The belly feathers are the trickiest part. Make each one a little smile shape and keep them about the same size, in rows of two, three, and one.
- Draw the two eyes at the same height. Keep the pupil dots in the same spot in each eye so your owl looks straight ahead.
Free snowy owl coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this snowy owl coloring page at full size and print it. It is the same drawing you just learned, with clean lines ready for crayons or markers.
How to color your snowy owl drawing
Leave the owl mostly white with soft gray or light brown on the wings and belly, and color the eyes bright yellow with black pupils. For a creative twist, color the background a deep blue night sky and add falling snowflakes.
Snowy owl fun fact for kids
Snowy owls live in the Arctic, and unlike many owls they often hunt during the day, because in summer the sun barely sets there.
Questions about drawing a snowy owl
What shapes do I need to draw a snowy owl?
You need a big oval for the body and head, two circles for the eyes, a small triangle for the beak, and curved lines for the wings and belly feathers. A long rounded rectangle makes the branch.
How do I make my owl look cuter?
Make the eyes extra big and round. A small beak and a round, chubby body also make the owl look sweet.
How do I draw owl feathers easily?
Draw small curved smile shapes in rows on the belly. You do not need to draw every feather, because a few neat curves are enough to look fluffy.
