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How to Draw a Hippopotamus Swimming
Draw a hippopotamus swimming 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: wide snout.
Step 1: Wide snout
Start low on the left. Draw a wide loaf snout with 2 bumps on top. Stop on the right.
Tip The snout is the widest part of the face.
Step 2: Round head
Start on top of the snout. Draw a tall round hill for the head. Stop on the other side.
Tip The head is narrower than the snout.
Step 3: Small round ears
Start on a top corner of the head. Draw a small round ear and stop on the head. Do both.
Tip Add a smaller curve inside each ear. Hippo ears are tiny.
Step 4: Two big eyes
High on the head draw 2 big oval eyes with fat black dots inside.
Tip Leave a tiny white shine in each dot.
Step 5: Nostrils
On each snout bump draw a small dark oval nostril, tilted a little.
Step 6: Smile and teeth
Start on the left of the snout. Draw a wide smile and stop on the right. Hang 2 small teeth.
Step 7: Round back
Start beside the head on each side. Draw the big back curving out and down. Stop level with the snout.
Tip The back is much wider than the head.
Step 8: Wavy water
Start at the left edge. Draw a wavy line across the bottom of the hippo. Stop at the right edge.
Tip The rest of the hippo is under the water.
Step 9: Little ripples
In the water below draw 3 short curved ripples, each one in a different spot.
Step 10: Pink snout
Colour the snout and the 2 ear middles pink, around the nostrils. Leave the teeth white.
Step 11: Purple hippo
Colour the head, the ears and the back purple, around the pink. Leave the eyes white.
Step 12: Blue water
Colour the water blue under the wavy line, right up to the hippo.
Tip Your hippo is having a lovely swim!
Your finished drawing
Follow the steps above and this is where you end up: a hippopotamus swimming, drawn by you.
Every step in one picture
