How to Draw a Donkey (Easy Step by Step)
A donkey is a friendly animal to draw because it is made from simple shapes: a rounded head, a bean-shaped body, curvy ears and four straight legs. You build it one step at a time, and the little mane and tail come last.
- Easy
- 12 minutes
- 9 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawingIn this article (7 sections)
How to draw a donkey step by step
How to Draw a Donkey · 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
Draw a rounded shield shape for the head. Make the top fairly flat and let the sides curve in to a rounded bottom.
Step 3: Body and back leg
Start at the side of the head and draw a dip for the neck, then a smooth hump over the back. Curve down around the rump, add one short back leg, and sweep the belly line back toward the chin.
Step 4: Long ears
Draw two tall, curvy ears sticking up from the top of the head, one on each side. Each one is a loop that starts at the head, curves up and comes back down.
Step 5: Three more legs
Draw three short, straight legs hanging down from the belly, each one a tall, narrow rectangle. Space them out so your donkey stands on four legs with the back leg.
Step 6: The muzzle
Near the bottom of the head, draw a curved arch from one side of the face to the other. Together with the chin line it makes a soft, round nose area.
Step 7: Eye and nostrils
Add a small dot for one eye, high on the face. Then put two tiny dots inside the muzzle for the nostrils.
Step 8: Eye, mane and hooves
Add a dot for the other eye to match the first. Draw a few little curly tufts between the ears for the mane. Then add a short line across the bottom of the first two legs on the left to start the hooves.
Step 9: Tail and last hooves
On the back end, draw a short curved line hanging down for the tail and finish it with a little loop at the bottom. Then add short lines across the bottom of the last two legs to make the hooves.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your donkey? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a scorpion or how to draw a lizard next.
Tips for drawing a donkey
- Make the ears tall and curvy. If they come out too short, your donkey will look more like a horse or a dog.
- Draw the body before you add the legs, so you can see where all four legs should hang down.
- Keep the legs straight and about the same length so your donkey looks like it is standing.
Free donkey coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this donkey 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 donkey drawing
Try soft gray or brown for the body, with a lighter color on the muzzle and belly. For a creative twist, give your donkey a rainbow mane.
Donkey fun fact for kids
A baby donkey is called a foal.
Questions about drawing a donkey
What shapes do I need to draw a donkey?
You need a rounded shape for the head, a big bean shape for the body, two curvy loops for the ears, and four narrow rectangles for the legs.
How do I make my donkey look cuter?
Make the eyes a little bigger and the ears extra tall. A fluffy mane and a rainbow of colors also make a donkey look friendly.
How is a donkey different from a horse?
A donkey has much longer ears, a shorter mane, and a tail with a tuft at the end. In a drawing, tall ears are the easiest way to show it.
