Welcome to our tutorial on how to draw a hedgehog! Today, we are going to learn how to draw these unique little critters in just ten easy steps.
Have you ever seen a hedgehog? They are very cute animals, but be careful, as they have around 5,000–7,000 spikes on their backs! They can be found in many different habitats, such as woodlands, meadows, gardens, and even urban areas. Some people even keep them as pets, although they require extra special care.
One cute fact about hedgehogs is that they sometimes huddle together while they sleep in groups, especially during hibernation. This social behavior helps them stay warm and safe. Did you know that baby hedgehogs are called hoglets?
With all that said, let’s jump into the tutorial! Find some drawing supplies and keep reading for Step 1.
If you enjoy drawing small and adorable animals, you might also like How to Draw a Bunny or How to Draw a Mouse.
Materials:
- a piece of paper
- a pencil for the guiding lines and sketching
- an eraser
- a black sharpie or a pen for the outlines
- markers or colored pencils for coloring
- our printable drawing guide (Join my Email List below to get this Tutorial)
Here are my RECOMMENDED Art Supplies!
- Crayola Coloring Set (140 Pieces – Mega Value!)
- 24 Colored Crayon Set
- A4 Printer Paper
- Crayola Coloring Pencils
- HP Home Printer with Instant Ink!
Time needed:
10 minutes.
How to Draw a Hedgehog — Let’s get started!
Step 1 – Draw the ears.
We’re going to start with the ears. Hedgehogs have decent hearing, which comes in handy when communicating with each other.
About two-thirds of the way up the page, draw two rounded ears. Connect them in the middle with a curve for the top of the head. Great job!
Step 2 – Draw the body.
Let’s move on to the body. Hedgehogs have a stout profile, which results in them having a waddling motion to their walk. However, they can actually move fairly fast for such a small animal, reaching 6 miles per hour sometimes.
From the bottom of each ear, draw a large curve. This will give the hedgehog its ovular shape. Leave enough room for the feet!
Step 3 – Draw the feet.
Hedgehogs are actually good climbers. They can climb up some walls, fences, and sometimes even trees if they need to! Our hedgehog needs to have feet so it can climb.
Draw two slightly slanted ovals at the bottom of the curves from Step 2. These are the feet. Add toes by drawing a few lines on each foot. Lastly, draw a curve in between the feet so complete the shape of the body. Check out the photo!
For more tutorials involving rounded forms, try How to Draw a Snail or How to Draw a Turtle.
Step 4 – Add a face!
Hedgehogs can make various sounds, including snuffling, grunting, and hissing. They can be quite noisy at night! They are expressive little creatures.
So, let’s add eyes, a nose, and a mouth. Draw two dots for the eyes. Next, draw a small upside-down triangle centered in between the eyes for the nose. Lastly, draw two small curves for the mouth. It should look like its smiling! Good job!
Step 5 – Add hands.
Our hedgehog still needs hands! Draw two U shapes that are angled inwards. They should be centered in between the face and the feet. Leave some space in between the hands for the next step!
If you enjoy adding detailed features, consider exploring How to Draw a Sunflower or How to Draw Mushrooms.
Step 6 – Add an apple!
Hedgehogs are insectivores, which means they primarily eat insects like beetles, caterpillars, and slugs, but they also enjoy fruits like apples. Let’s add one now!
In between the hands, draw an apple by making a heart shape. Add a short stem. It should look like the hands are holding it. Check out the photo!
Step 7 – Draw detail in the ears.
Let’s add some markings to the ears. Draw two semicircles inside each ear. Great job!
Step 8 – Draw lots of fur!
One of the most distinctive features of hedgehogs is their coat of quills, which are modified hairs. They’re not poisonous, but they can be prickly and are an effective defense against predators. When they’re born, their quills are soft, but they harden over time. Isn’t that interesting?
Let’s add the quills and fur now. Draw a zig-zag line in a big arc around the hedgehog. They don’t need to be perfectly even—having them all be a bit different will make it look more realistic!
Step 9 – Add more fur!
Continue drawing the fur and quills, starting where you left off in Step 8. Draw another zig-zag line that goes below the hedgehog so there is a complete circle. It should kind of look like a lion’s mane. Almost done!
Step 10 – Color in your hedgehog!
Finally, the most fun step of all—coloring! Using colored pencils or markers, fill in your drawing! Have fun with it and don’t forget to fill in the background.
Complete your collection with How to Draw a Squirrel or How to Draw a Baby Deer.
Great job! Did you enjoy this tutorial? If you did, we have loads more just like it. Tutorials on how to draw animals, trees and other plants, food, people, and more can be found on our site! You can also use the search feature to see if we have a specific one you have in mind. See you next time!
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