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How to Draw a Cardinal

12 steps · Medium · about 9 min

Draw a cardinal in 12 easy steps, about 9 minutes. Free, with a printable worksheet.

Each picture adds one red line. Draw that line, then scroll to the next picture. Rub out any dashed helper lines at the end. First up: head and tuft.

Step 1: Head and tuft
Near the top left, draw a big round head. At the back, sweep up into a tall tuft leaning back.
Tip Leave room on the right and below for the body and branch.
Step 2: Stubby beak
Start on the front of the head. Draw a short fat beak, ending on the head. Add a mouth line.
Step 3: Eye and mask
Behind the beak draw a round eye with a black dot. Curve a mask line from forehead to chin.
Tip The mask line starts above the beak, hides behind the eye, and stops at the chin.
Step 4: Plump body
Start low on the head's back. Curve down to the bottom, round a fat belly, and stop under the beak.
Tip The body is a plump egg, narrower than the head.
Step 5: Fan tail
From the bottom, draw a fan tail pointing down and back, wide at the end. Add 2 feather lines.
Step 6: Folded wing
Under the back of the head, draw a teardrop wing pointing at the tail. Add 2 short feather lines.
Step 7: Front leg and toes
Under the front of the tummy draw a short leg with 3 chubby toes. Start and stop on the tummy.
Tip The leg is a little wider at the top.
Step 8: Back leg and toes
A thumb behind the first leg, draw another leg with 3 toes, starting and stopping on the tummy.
Tip Keep the 2 feet at the same height.
Step 9: The branch
Start at the left, just under the ankles. Draw a long branch across to the right, passing behind the toes.
Step 10: Red cardinal, orange beak
Colour the beak orange. Colour the tuft, head, body, wing and tail red. Leave the mask and eye white.
Step 11: Black mask, grey legs
Colour the mask black, around the eye. Colour the legs and toes grey.
Step 12: Brown branch
Colour the branch brown, around the toes, and your cardinal is done.