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How to Draw a Nightingale

12 steps · Medium · about 9 min

Draw a nightingale 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: round head.

Step 1: Round head
Near the top, just left of the middle, draw a big round head, wider than tall, with a smooth top.
Tip Leave room on the right and underneath for the body and the branch.
Step 2: Slim beak
Start on the head, halfway down. Draw a slim triangle beak out and stop back on the head.
Step 3: Eye with a ring
A finger behind the beak draw a big round eye. Fill it with a black dot, leaving a white speck.
Tip A thin pale ring goes round the eye at colouring time.
Step 4: Plump body
Start low on the back of the head. Curve down, round a fat belly, and stop under the beak.
Tip The body is a plump egg hanging under the head, narrower than the head.
Step 5: Fan tail
Start at the back of the body. Draw a fan down and back, and stop on the tummy. Add feathers.
Step 6: Folded wing
Start under the back of the head. Draw a round shoulder, then sweep back to a point above the tail.
Step 7: Front leg and toes
Under the front of the tummy draw a skinny leg with 3 chubby toes. Start and stop on the tummy.
Step 8: Back leg and toes
A thumb behind the first leg draw another leg and toes the same way, starting and stopping on the tummy.
Tip Leave a gap between the 2 feet, at the same height.
Step 9: The branch
Start at the left edge. Draw a long branch behind the toes, thinner at the right, with a little twig.
Step 10: Cream chest, tan legs
Colour the chest and tummy cream, in front of and under the wing. Colour the beak, legs and toes tan.
Step 11: Rusty tail, brown bird
Colour the tail rusty orange. Colour the head, back and wing light brown, leaving the eye and its ring white.
Step 12: Dark brown branch
Colour the branch and its twig dark brown, around the tan toes.