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How to Draw a Cheetah Running
Draw a cheetah running in 17 steps, about 13 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: small round head.
Step 1: Small round head
Near the top left draw a small soft head, a little wider than tall, with round cheeks.
Tip Leave lots of room on the right for the long body.
Step 2: Two small ears
On each upper side of the head draw a small round ear.
Step 3: Big eyes
Just above the middle draw 2 big oval eyes with a gap between. Add a black dot and a shine.
Step 4: Snout and smile
Low on the face draw a round snout, a small triangle nose at the top and a smile under it.
Step 5: Tear lines
From the inside bottom of each eye draw a thick line that ends in a point on the snout.
Tip Tear lines are what make it a cheetah, so make them bold.
Step 6: Neck and body
Draw a long bean body from the side of the head and back to it, deep at the chest.
Tip Keep the waist slim and the bottom round, a little higher than the chest.
Step 7: Front leg
Draw a low ground line. From the chest draw a front leg reaching forward to a round paw on it.
Tip Make the leg thick at the top and thin at the wrist.
Step 8: Back leg
From the back end draw a thick leg stretching back, thin at the ankle, to a paw on the ground.
Tip Point the paw forward and add 2 short toe lines, like the front paw.
Step 9: Far front leg
Just behind the front leg draw a strip of the other front leg, with its paw peeking out.
Tip Only draw the parts you can see.
Step 10: Far back leg
Just in front of the back leg draw a strip of the other back leg, with its paw peeking out.
Step 11: Long tail
From the top of the back end draw a long tail that curves up to a round tip, and back.
Step 12: Tail bands
Near the tip draw 3 bands across the tail, each 2 short lines from edge to edge.
Step 13: Spots
Draw about 10 round spots over the shoulders, back and sides. Keep them inside the body line.
Step 14: Cream snout
Colour the snout cream. Leave the eyes white.
Step 15: Colour it tan
Go over your lines, then colour the cheetah tan, around the snout, tear lines, spots and bands.
Step 16: Black spots
Colour all the spots black.
Step 17: Black tail bands
Colour the 3 tail bands black, and your cheetah is done.
Your finished drawing
Follow the steps above and this is where you end up: a cheetah running, drawn by you.
Every step in one picture
