How to Draw a Baby Zebra (Easy Step by Step)
A baby zebra is a great first animal to draw because it is made of simple shapes: an arch and an oval for the head, a rounded body, narrow legs, and curved lines for the stripes. The zigzag mane and the little loop at the end of the tail give it lots of personality. Once you can draw this one, you can try a baby horse or donkey next.
- Easy
- 15 minutes
- 10 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawing
In this article (7 sections)
How to draw a baby zebra step by step
How to Draw a Baby Zebra · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: Guide shapes
Lightly sketch these 2 ovals. They only show where the big parts go, so press softly. You will erase them at the end.
Step 2: The head arch
Draw a big curved arch on the left side of your paper, like the top of a round head. Start low on the left, curve up and over, and stop low on the right, leaving the bottom open.
Step 3: The muzzle
Draw a smaller oval at the bottom left of the head, overlapping the open part of the arch. It sticks out in front like a soft little nose.
Step 4: Two pointy ears
On top of the head, draw two tall leaf shapes with pointed tips. Start each one at the head line, curve up to a point, and come back down.
Step 5: The body outline
Start at the chin and draw a long, gently curved line over the back to the right. Then curve it around the rump and down the belly side, leaving a gap at the bottom where the legs will go. Add a curved line down from the chin for the front of the chest.
Step 6: The spiky mane
Behind the ears, draw a short zigzag line with little peaks. Then draw a line down from the zigzag until it meets the back.
Step 7: Four sturdy legs
Draw four tall, narrow shapes with rounded bottoms hanging under the body. Put the legs in two close pairs, one pair at the front and one pair at the back.
Step 8: Face details
Add two round dots for eyes and a tiny curved line on the cheek. Then draw two tiny dots for nostrils on the muzzle, with a small curved smile below them.
Step 9: Stripes on the body
Draw four long, slightly curved lines from the top of the back down toward the belly. Space them out evenly, like stripes on a zebra coat.
Step 10: Tail and leg stripes
Draw a curved line down from the rump, ending in a small loop for the tail tuft. Then add short straight lines across each leg for stripes.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your baby zebra? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a baby koala or how to draw a baby sloth next.
Tips for drawing a baby zebra
- Overlap the muzzle oval on the head arch instead of keeping them apart. The overlap is what makes the nose look like it sticks out.
- For the body stripes, start at the top of the back and pull down in one slow, slightly curved line. Perfectly straight stripes look stiff, and gentle curves look more like a zebra.
- Draw the four legs the same height by lining up the bottoms with a light pencil mark first. The leg stripes are short lines, so they are easy to space evenly.
Free baby zebra coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this baby zebra 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 baby zebra drawing
Use a black marker for the stripes, the mane and the tail tuft, and leave the rest white or light gray. For a creative twist, try a rainbow zebra with a different bright color for every stripe.
Baby zebra fun fact for kids
No two zebras have exactly the same stripe pattern, so each zebra's stripes are a bit like a fingerprint.
Questions about drawing a baby zebra
What shapes do I need to draw a baby zebra?
You need an arch for the head and a small oval for the muzzle. Add leaf shapes for the ears, a rounded body outline, and four narrow legs with rounded bottoms.
How do I make my zebra look cuter?
Draw the muzzle big and round, with two eyes and a little smile. Short legs and a big head make any baby animal look sweeter.
How do I draw zebra stripes that look good?
Make each stripe a long, slightly curved line, and space them about the same distance apart. They do not have to be perfect, because real zebra stripes are a little uneven too.
