Hello, and welcome to another tutorial by Emily Drawing! Today’s tutorial is all about drawing the zebra! We’ll go through nine easy steps to draw this African equine.
The weight of a baby zebra, also known as a foal, depends on the species. For example, a Grevy’s zebra weighs about 80 to 125 pounds at birth. A Plains zebra is smaller, weighing 66 to 77 pounds at birth.
A male zebra is considered an adult when they’re around 5 to 6 years old, while females are adults when they’re around 3 years old.
We’ll use the same examples to learn the weight of an adult zebra. A Grevy’s zebra stands at 4 to 5 feet tall at the shoulder and weighs around 770 to 990 pounds. The Plains zebra stands at 3.61 to 4.76 feet tall at the shoulder, and it weighs about 386 to 849 pounds.
It’s time to get started on the tutorial for drawing a zebra. Grab your colored pencils or markers, and learn how to draw this beautiful animal.
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:
15 minutes.
How to Draw a Zebra — Let’s get started!
Step 1 – Draw The Zebra’s Head
The first step is to draw the zebra’s head. All you need to do is draw a circle. Interesting fact: Zebras bob their head as a form of communication. They may be looking for attention or social interaction from other zebras, such as moving together or even grooming.
Step 2 – Draw The Zebra’s Body
For the second step, you’ll draw the zebra’s body. This is another round shape, and it’s attached to the bottom and side of the zebra’s head. The picture is a side view of the body, with the zebra’s head turned to face forward. This is why you’ll attach the body to the bottom and side of the head.
Step 3 – Draw The Zebra’s Hind Legs
Unlike other tutorials, you’ll start with the hind legs. When drawing the first leg, you’ll move the line down, curving inward slightly, and then draw the zebra’s foot. Then, you’ll bring the leg back up toward the body, curving slightly outward. The second leg is the same, only you’ll draw the line that curves slightly inward and the front of the foot, as the rest of the leg is hidden.
Step 4 – Draw The Zebra’s Front Legs
Next, you’ll draw the zebra’s front legs. You can draw them the same as you did the hind legs, in the same shape and with one hidden behind the other. It’s a common misconception that a zebra’s front legs are longer than their back legs. In reality, their legs are pretty much the same length.
Step 5 – Draw The Zebra’s Mane, Ears, and Tail
Now, you’ll add various details to your zebra. This includes the zebra’s mane, ears, and tail. The main starts at their head and runs down their back, but since the zebra’s head is facing forward, you’ll only see the part on the top of their head. As for the ears, you’ll draw cone-shaped ears with details to pinpoint the inner ear. Finally, the tail is long and narrow with fur on the end, and it’s used to swat away insects.
Step 6 – Draw The Zebra’s Face
The next step is to draw the zebra’s face. Start with two dots for the eyes, and add a curved line for the nose. Then, you’ll add two small circles for the nostrils, as well as a friendly smile for the mouth.
Step 7 – Draw The Zebra’s Facial Stripes
One of the best parts of the tutorial is adding the stripes. For the face, you’ll add horizontal stripes that almost look like triangles. They’ll come from the side of the head but stop before they actually reach the zebra’s face. You don’t need to shade or color in the stripes just yet.
Step 8 – Draw The Zebra’s Body Stripes
Now, you’ll draw the zebra’s body stripes. The stripes are almost triangle-shaped and move vertically along the body. On the legs, the stripes are more horizontal. Once again, you’re not coloring or shading in the stripes yet. Did you know a zebra’s stripes serve a purpose? Zebras use them to camouflage themselves from predators.
Step 9 – Color In Your Drawing!
The final step is to color in your zebra drawing. Of course, our zebra is white with black stripes. The tail is all white, and the fur at the end of the tail is black. We also used black for the mane, as well as pink for the inner ears and dark gray for the area around the mouth and nostrils. The nostrils and hooves are also dark gray. Be sure to color the background of your picture as well!
Pin it now, Draw later!
Interesting Facts About The Zebra
Zebras are natives of Eastern and Southern Africa. They prefer to live on treeless plains, such as savannas and grasslands, where they can graze on grass and vegetation.
Furthermore, zebras are social animals, and they thrive in groups called herbs or dazzles. The social structure of Grevy’s zebras is less stable, with individual zebras wandering in larger groups. On the other hand, Plains and Mountain zebras have a tighter social structure with family units called harems. These groups include a dominant male, several females, and offspring.
Did You Know?
- In addition to swatting insects, zebras also use their tail to regulate body temperature and act as sunscreen. Their tails also make it easier to recognize one another.
- Zebras are herbivores with a diet of grass, shrubs, flowers, small trees, bark, buds, leaves, soft plant roots, and even fruit.
- The average lifespan of zebras in the wild is 20 to 25 years. In captivity, such as in zoos, zebras can live for up to 40 years. FACT
- Zebras make a braying or barking sound. While it sounds like inhaling and exhaling, zebras make this sound when interacting with other zebras in the group.
We hope you had fun with our “How To Draw A Zebra” tutorial. Please share your drawing with us on our social media using the hashtag #EmilyDrawing! If you want to learn how to draw other animals, be sure to check out the tutorials on our site. We offer a variety of easy drawing tutorials.
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