How to Draw a Penguin (Easy Step by Step)
This penguin is a fun first drawing because it is mostly one big egg shape with a few simple parts added on. You will use curves, ovals and tiny dots, and every part has a clear place to go. By the end you will have a cuddly penguin with a band across its middle.
- Easy
- 10 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 penguin step by step
How to Draw a Penguin · 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 big body
Draw a big egg shape standing upright, with the round end at the bottom. This is the penguin's whole body, so make it nice and tall.
Step 3: Two flippers
On each side of the body, draw a curved leaf shape that points down, like a little wing. Start each one at the body, swoop out and around, and come back to the body.
Step 4: Two little feet
Under the bottom of the body, draw two short legs. At the end of each leg, draw a small flat foot that points out to the side.
Step 5: The face patch
Inside the top of the body, draw a shape like two round bumps side by side with a dip in the middle. Let the sides curve down and a little out, and leave the bottom open.
Step 6: Eyes and beak
Inside the face patch, draw two small round dots for eyes. Between and below them, draw a little oval for the beak.
Step 7: The band
Across the middle of the body, draw two long curved lines that sag a little, one above the other. Let them reach from one side of the body to the other, right up to the flippers.
Step 8: The tummy patch
Below the band, draw a big U shape for the tummy. Then draw a small, skinny U in the middle, hanging down from the band like a little tongue.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your penguin? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a panda or how to draw a koala next.
Tips for drawing a penguin
- Draw the egg body big and slow. A smooth, tall egg makes the rest of the penguin easy to fit around it.
- The face patch has a dip at the top. Draw two soft bumps side by side and let them meet in the middle.
- Draw the two band lines with a gentle sag, and keep them about the same distance apart from side to side.
Free penguin coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this penguin 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 penguin drawing
Color the outer body dark blue or black, and leave the face, band and tummy white. For a creative twist, make the band a bright stripe and color the beak and feet orange.
Penguin fun fact for kids
Penguins are birds that cannot fly, but their flippers work like paddles and help them swim underwater.
Questions about drawing a penguin
What shapes do I need to draw a penguin?
You need a big egg shape for the body, two leaf shapes for flippers, and a two-bump shape for the face patch. Add two dots, a small oval beak and two little feet to finish.
How do I make my penguin look cuter?
Keep the eyes small and the beak tiny. A big round body and small feet also make a penguin look extra cuddly.
How do I draw penguin feet?
Draw a short leg that goes down from the body. At the end, add a small flat foot that points out to the side.
