How to Draw a Loon (Easy Step by Step)
Learn to draw a loon easily using simple shapes. You'll start with a circle for the head, a triangle for the beak, and a bowl for the body, finishing with ripple lines for a swimming effect.
- Start your loon drawing with a big circle for the head.
- Add a pointy triangle to create the loon's beak.
- Draw a long bowl shape to form the main body of the loon.
- Include curvy ripple lines to make your loon appear to be swimming.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
A loon floating on the water is a fun bird to draw because it is built from just a few simple shapes. You start with a big circle for the head, add a pointy triangle for the beak, then draw a long bowl shape for the body. Curvy ripple lines at the end make it look like it is really swimming.
- Easy
- 12 minutes
- 8 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 loon step by step
How to Draw a Loon · 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 round head
Draw a big circle near the top left of your page. This is the loon's head, so make it nice and round.
Step 3: The pointy beak
On the left side of the head, draw a long skinny triangle that points away from the circle. Start it right where the head's edge is.
Step 4: The floating body
Start under the head and draw a long curve that swoops down and across to the right, like the bottom of a bowl, ending in a little bump for the tail. Then draw a gentle hill from the back of the head over to the tail end.
Step 5: The wing curve
Inside the body, draw a short smile-shaped curve low down in the middle. This shows where the wing rests.
Step 6: Dark wing and tail
Near the back, draw a wide wedge shape with a bumpy, zigzag edge. Let it point out into a little tail with a few small tips.
Step 7: Feather streaks
Next to the dark wing, add three short, slightly curved lines like little feather strokes. Make them all lean the same way.
Step 8: Water ripples
Draw curved lines on the water around the bird: a tiny short one and a longer one on the left, and one long curve on the right.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your loon? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a fox or how to draw a hedgehog next.
Tips for drawing a loon
- Draw the head circle first and keep it big and round, so the rest of the bird has a clear place to start.
- For the body, think of the bottom of a bowl: one smooth curve, drawn slowly, looks better than many short lines.
- The zigzag edge on the dark wing is the trickiest part, so make small, quick bumps like a row of tiny teeth.
Free loon coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this loon 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 loon drawing
Color the head and wing dark black or deep green, leave the body white or light gray, and make the water light blue. For a creative twist, add a little fish swimming below the loon.
Loon fun fact for kids
Loons are strong divers that can swim underwater to catch fish. Their wavy, echoing calls carry across lakes, especially in the evening.
Questions about drawing a loon
What shapes do I need to draw a loon?
You need a big circle for the head, a bowl or oval shape for the body, and a long triangle for the beak. Curved lines finish the wing and the water.
How do I make my loon look like it is floating?
Draw the body as a smooth bowl and add curved ripple lines on both sides. The ripples make it look like the bird is sitting on the water.
How do I make my loon look cuter?
Make the head extra round and the beak short and friendly. Smooth, rounded curves on the body help too.
