How to Draw a Tiger Cub (Easy Step by Step)
A tiger cub is a great first animal to draw because it is built from circles and ovals. You start with a big round head, add ears and stripes, and finish with a round tummy and a curly tail. The forehead and cheek stripes make it look like a tiger and not a cat.
- Easy
- 15 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 tiger cub step by step
How to Draw a Tiger Cub · 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 round head
Draw a big wide oval for the head, a little wider than it is tall. Make it nice and smooth.
Step 3: Start of the body
Under the head, draw a short curved line down from each side of the chin. Then add a few tiny dashes lower down on each side to mark where the body will go.
Step 4: Ears and forehead stripes
Draw a small circle on each top corner of the head, with a smaller circle inside it, for the ears. Then draw three short straight stripes in a row at the top of the forehead.
Step 5: Front legs and feet
Draw a tall oval on each side of the tummy for the front legs, and add two or three tiny stripes on each one. Then draw a wide oval at the bottom left and right for the feet, and join them with a gentle curve.
Step 6: Face and muzzle
Draw two small dots for the eyes, then a wide oval in the middle of the face for the muzzle. Add a tiny nose and a curvy smile inside it. Finish with a few curved stripes on each cheek.
Step 7: Curly tail
Start at the side of the body by the right foot and draw a long, curvy tail that swoops up and ends in a little curl. Draw it as two lines side by side.
Step 8: Tummy and toe pads
Draw a round circle in the middle of the tummy. Then add a small oval inside each foot for the toe pads.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your tiger cub? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a baby monkey or how to draw a baby hippo next.
Tips for drawing a tiger cub
- Draw the head oval first and make it nice and big. The ears sit on the top corners, so leave a little room around the head.
- Make the two front legs the same height and shape. Tall ovals on each side of the tummy work well, and you can peek at the first one while drawing the second.
- The tail is the trickiest part. Draw one long curvy line, then a second line beside it, and curl both lines into a little swirl at the top.
Free tiger cub coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this tiger cub 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 tiger cub drawing
Color the cub orange with dark brown or black stripes, and leave the muzzle, tummy circle and toe pads cream or white. For a creative twist, try a blue snow tiger or a rainbow-striped one.
Tiger cub fun fact for kids
Every tiger has its own stripe pattern, just like every person has their own fingerprints. The stripes are even on a tiger's skin, not only in its fur.
Questions about drawing a tiger cub
What shapes do I need to draw a tiger cub?
You need a big oval for the head, small circles for the ears, tall ovals for the front legs, wide ovals for the feet, and a circle for the tummy. The tail is one long curvy shape with a curl at the end.
How do I make my tiger cub look cuter?
Make the head extra big and the body small, and put the eyes wide apart with a round muzzle in the middle. Curved stripes on the cheeks add to the sweet look.
How do I draw tiger stripes?
Use short lines. Draw three straight stripes on the forehead, a few curved ones on each cheek, and two or three tiny ones on each front leg.
