How to Draw a Red Panda (Easy Step by Step)
This red panda is a friendly sitting pose built from ovals, curves and a few dots. The big fluffy tail with stripes is the star, and it is easier than it looks because it is just a long curve with lines across it. It is a great drawing for building confidence with simple shapes.
- Easy
- 15 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 red panda step by step
How to Draw a Red Panda · 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: Head and ears
Draw the top of a wide, round head with two rounded triangle ears. Add a little fluffy bump on each cheek, and leave the bottom of the head open.
Step 3: Chin and body
Draw a curved line under the head for the chin. Then draw a tall, rounded body hanging from it, with two little bumpy feet at the bottom. Add a short line sticking out from the side of the body for the start of the tail.
Step 4: The big tail
Starting at the short tail line, draw a curve below it that sweeps out and up. Finish with a rounded tip at the top, then bring a curved line back down inside to make the tail's other edge.
Step 5: Inner ears
Inside each ear, draw a small curved line that follows the edge of the ear, like a tiny rainbow.
Step 6: Eyes and brows
Draw two big round dots for eyes, low and wide apart. Above each one, add a short curved line for a friendly eyebrow.
Step 7: Nose and cheeks
Between the eyes, draw a rounded triangle nose with a small smile underneath. Then draw a short curved line on each side of the face for the cheek markings.
Step 8: Tummy marks
On the tummy, draw two upside-down U shapes side by side.
Step 9: Tail stripes
Draw three curved lines across the tail from one side to the other. Make the one near the tip a little shorter.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your red panda? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a sloth or how to draw a penguin next.
Tips for drawing a red panda
- Sketch the head as a light oval first, then add the ears. Making the head wider than the body is what gives this panda its cute look.
- The tail is the trickiest part. Draw the curve that sweeps out and up first, then bring the second edge back down so both sides stay about the same width.
- Let the tail stripes curve a little. Stripes that follow the bend of the tail make it look round instead of flat.
Free red panda coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this red panda 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 red panda drawing
Color the head, body and tail a warm orange-red, and leave the cheeks, ear insides and tummy cream. For a twist, give the panda a rainbow tail with each stripe a different color.
Red panda fun fact for kids
Red pandas use their long, bushy tails for balance when they climb trees, and they wrap them around themselves like a warm blanket when they sleep.
Questions about drawing a red panda
What shapes do I need to draw a red panda?
You need a wide round shape for the head, a tall rounded shape for the body, two rounded triangles for ears, and a long curvy tail. Dots and short curves make the face.
How do I make my red panda look cuter?
Put the eyes low on the face and wide apart, and make them big and round. A small nose and a tiny smile in the middle finish the sweet look.
How do I draw the striped tail?
Draw the tail outline first as a long curve, then add three lines across it from edge to edge. Let each line bend a little, so the tail looks round.
