How to Draw an Emu

Step 1: Small round head

Near the top left of your paper, draw a small round head, a little wider than tall.

Tip Leave lots of room under it for the neck, body and long legs.

Step 2: Short pointed beak

From the front of the head, draw a short beak that ends in a gentle point. Add a mouth line.

Step 3: One big eye

Behind the beak, level with the middle of the head, draw a big round eye with a black dot.

Step 4: Long neck

From the bottom of the head, draw 2 lines down like a lazy S, spreading apart. Stop halfway down.

Tip Thin under the head and wider where it joins the body.

Step 5: Big round body

From the front neck line, curve the chest down to the tummy. From the back neck, draw a round back.

Tip Leave the back half open: the shaggy fringe will finish it.

Step 6: Shaggy feather strokes

Draw 5 soft curved strokes hanging down across the body like dripping paint, from the neck to the bottom.

Step 7: Shaggy fringe

Start where the back line stopped. Draw a row of floppy bumps round the bottom, stopping at the tummy front.

Tip Make the bumps uneven so the feathers look floppy.

Step 8: One long leg

Under the tummy, draw a thick leg bending back, thin at the ankle, with 3 short toes pointing forward.

Tip Stack the 3 toes: the bottom one is the longest and sits on the ground.

Step 9: The other leg

A hand further back, draw the second leg the same way, with 3 short toes on the ground.

Step 10: Ground and grass

Start at the left edge. Draw a ground line under the feet to the right edge. Add grass tufts.

Step 11: Grey beak and legs

Colour the beak, both long legs and their toes light grey.

Step 12: Dark slate head

Colour the head slate grey, leaving the eye white.

Step 13: Brown neck and body

Colour the long neck, the big body and its shaggy fringe brown.