How to Draw an Emu (Easy Step by Step)
The emu is a fun one to draw because it is mostly one big fluffy oval with a long neck on top. You will use curved lines, a circle, and a few straight lines for the legs and toes. Every step adds one simple part, so even beginners can finish it.
- Easy
- 12 minutes
- 7 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawingIn this article (7 sections)
How to draw an emu step by step
How to Draw an Emu · 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: Top of the body
Start on the right and draw a long curve that arches over the top, then swoops down the left side like a big rounded hill. Finish at the bottom with two or three small bumps, and leave the rest of the bottom open.
Step 3: Fluffy feather skirt
Continue along the bottom with a row of little bumps, like a wavy scallop edge. Start where the last bumps ended and keep going to the right.
Step 4: Neck and body side
On the right, draw a tall line that goes up for the neck and curls over at the top. Then bring it back down and around to close the right side of the body at the bumps. Add a short slanted line on the left to finish the neck.
Step 5: Head, eye and beak
At the top of the neck, draw a small circle for the head. Add a big dot for the eye, a little pointy beak on the right, and two short feathers sticking up on top.
Step 6: Two skinny legs
Under the fluffy skirt, draw two tall, thin legs that go straight down. At the bottom of each leg, bend the line to the right to make a small foot.
Step 7: Feathers and toes
Add curved feather lines across the body, long ones on top and short ones below. Then give each foot three short toes that spread out like a fan.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your emu? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a sleeping bear or how to draw a fox next.
Tips for drawing an emu
- Start the body wide and a little lopsided. A body that is not perfectly round looks more like a real, fluffy emu.
- The neck is the trickiest part. Keep the two neck lines about the same distance apart, so the neck does not get too thin or too fat.
- Draw the toes as short lines that all start from the same spot at the bottom of each leg. Spread them out like a fan, and try to make both feet match.
Free emu coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this emu 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 emu drawing
Emus are brown and gray, so try warm browns and tan for the body with a blue-gray neck. For a creative twist, color each feather in a different shade of the rainbow for a party emu.
Emu fun fact for kids
Emus are the second tallest birds in the world, after ostriches, and they cannot fly. They can run very fast, up to about 30 miles per hour, on their long strong legs.
Questions about drawing an emu
What shapes do I need to draw an emu?
You need a big rounded body, a small circle for the head, and a tall curved neck. Add thin straight lines for the legs and short lines for the toes.
How do I make my emu look cuter?
Make the eye extra big and round, and keep the two feathers on top of the head. A fluffier, bumpier skirt on the body also makes it look cuddly.
How do I draw an emu's legs?
Draw two long, thin legs that start under the bumpy skirt and go straight down. Bend each one into a small foot, then add three toes spreading out like a little fan.
