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How to Draw a Quail

12 steps · Medium · about 9 min

Draw a quail 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 plume.

Step 1: Head and plume
Near the top left draw a big round head. From its top draw a curved stalk up to a teardrop.
Tip Leave room on the right and underneath for the body and the branch.
Step 2: Tiny stubby beak
Start on the front of the head, halfway down. Draw a tiny fat triangle beak, back to the head.
Tip Keep the beak short and fat, not a long bill.
Step 3: Eye and brow line
A finger behind the beak draw a big round eye with a black dot. Draw 1 brow line over it.
Step 4: Plump body
Start behind the head and curve down to the rump. Swing round a fat belly, up to the beak.
Tip The body is a plump egg, narrower than the head.
Step 5: Stubby tail
Start on the rump and draw a short fan pointing down and back, returning to the tummy line.
Step 6: Wing and tummy scales
Start under the head and draw a teardrop wing pointing back to the rump. Add 3 tummy scales.
Step 7: Front leg and toes
Start on the tummy near the front. Draw a short leg down, 3 chubby toes, back up to the tummy.
Tip The toes curl down, ready to grip the branch: 2 forward, 1 back.
Step 8: Back leg and toes
A thumb behind the first leg, start on the tummy and draw another leg and toes, back up to it.
Step 9: The branch
From the left edge, draw a branch top, hopping over the toes, up a twig, round the end, and back.
Step 10: Cream tummy, tan cap
Colour the chest and tummy cream. Colour the cap and the strip of back behind the wing tan.
Step 11: Orange legs, brown wing
Colour the legs and toes orange. Colour the wing, the tail and the branch around the toes brown.
Step 12: Grey face
Colour the face under the brow line dark grey, with the plume and the beak. Leave the eye white.