Giraffe Drawing

I was going to draw this just using a white pastel on black paper, then thought I'll do it in colour as I really like it and it will make a change for you.

This tutorial is very easy to do, so it is especially good for beginners.

Don't forget, if you do this drawing, upload it using the form at the bottom of the page, we would love to see it.

You will get your own page on our site where your friends and family can visit and comment on your work and the best thing is it is FREE for you.

To get the original image, go to Pixabay and type in Giraffe, wade through the images and you will find it.

Using white pastel pencil, trace the image onto the black paper.

Don't forget, when you line your tracing up to your paper, to make sure it is in the middle so there is enough room when you have finished the project to add the mount in the frame.

So, in this drawing I will be using Pan Pastels to add the backgrounds, unfortunately, my blue Pan Pastel was packed away, so I used my Pastel Pencil for the blue part of the sky.

Using the blue pastel pencil or pan pastel start applying the sky, just lightly go over the paper a couple of times until you have a good covering.

Don't lean on the white tracing of your drawing or you will smudge it.

Give it a blend.

Start lightly adding Titanium White pastel beneath the blue sky and above the tree line.

It looks messy right now but don't worry about that, it will improve as we go.

At this point we are only adding colour around the left side of the drawing so we don't lean on our work.

Using the sponge brush, start lightly blending the white and blue.

Look how the pastel sponge makes the sky look like it has movement, love it.

Using your sponge, dab dark green on the shape of the tree, then using the lighter green add some highlights.

Left Edge

Let's start adding some pan white down the left edge, blending as we go.

Take the white right down to the blue hills in the background, don't forget to add some white in-between the Giraffe's legs.

Add white up to the edge of the Giraffes' neck and body.

Start filling in the white on the right hand side of the Giraffe and blending as you go.

Fill all the right side in, go around the tree trunk with the white.

Giraffe's Body

Using your dark brown, colour the Giraffe's neck.

Looking back and forth with your drawing and your picture, you can see where the light colours go, along the right side of the Giraffe, add those in and gently blend.

Using the dark brown add some spot marks to the body of the Giraffe.

Tree Trunk

Using dark brown fill in the trunk of the tree and blend. Take your light orange and add some highlights down the centre of the tree.

Remember this is not a detailed drawing, we do not have to get everything spot on, just suggestions will make the drawing good.

Using Burnt Sienna Light, add the bottom. 

This is where you can go over the blue and white easily with another colour and it completely hides it.

So, level it up and fill the bottom in, blending as you go.

Using the Orange Pan, add a light layer over the bottom and blend.

That just leaves the tree trunk and the Giraffe legs to finish.