How to Draw a Cartoon Dog

Smart Art Institute Online - Drawing and Painting Art Lessons

Dogs come in hundreds of shapes and sizes. But today we’re going to draw just a generic dog design. Later, if you like, you can take the principles you learn in this lesson and try to draw your own dog.


I like drawing dogs. I draw them a lot. Real dogs, cartoon dogs, my dog, pretend dogs. They are always fun and have loads of personality.
Inspiration! Cartoon Dog Sketches by Tim Hodge

Now let's get started with the How to Draw a Dog step by step drawing tutorial. How to Draw a Dog Cartoon Drawing 1: The first step is to rough in the dog’s head and body. His cranium will be a circle, and his body is sort of a jellybean shape. Don’t forget to add the cross hairs to show which way his head is tilted.

How to Draw a Dog Cartoon Drawing 2: Next, rough in his eyes and pupils, along with his neck. Dog necks tend to arch forward, so even though this is a cartoon, let’s keep that arched effect.

How to Draw a Dog Cartoon Drawing 3: Now add his muzzle and the rest of his face. Dogs don’t really have cheeks the way you and I do, but if we add them, it helps with his expression.

How to Draw a Dog Cartoon Drawing 4: Our dog is going to have a big, bulbous nose. It’s pretty much just an oval at the end of his muzzle. He also has big, floppy ears. Note how I made one ear curving upward and the other curve down. Making them different adds to the vitality and energy of the drawing.

How to Draw a Dog Cartoon Drawing 5: Dog legs can be tricky, so pay close attention as we draw them in. His front left leg is outstretched with the paw flipped upward.

How to Draw a Dog Cartoon Drawing 6: His right leg is still folded, just getting ready to reach out and land on the ground.

The back legs can be even trickier. You’ve heard the expression “crooked as a dog’s hind leg”? Well, it’s true…sort of. All Mammal legs are very similar. We have the same bones. We just use them differently. While people keep their heels on the ground to walk, dogs and cats walk on their toes.

How to Draw a Dog Cartoon Drawing 7: If you think of his leg this way, it makes it easier to understand and to draw.

How to Draw a Dog Cartoon Drawing 8: Go ahead and throw his tail in there, too. Tails are just extensions of the spine, so it comes off right where you drew that mid-line down his back.

How to Draw a Dog Cartoon Drawing 9: For the finishing touches, draw in his collar. Make sure it’s curved to follow the contour of his neck. Then, give him a big spot on his back. Wrap it over him like a saddle. See how it helps define his form and gives your drawing more dimension? Oh, and sketch in some grass underneath. It not only gives him a surface to run on, but sort of serves as a shadow under him.

How to Draw a Dog Cartoon Drawing 10: As in the other lessons, slightly erase your pencil lines with a rolled up kneaded eraser, then slowly begin to ink your outline with a fine or medium point marker.

How to Draw a Dog Cartoon Drawing 11: Work slowly, always pulling the line toward you.

How to Draw a Dog Cartoon Drawing 12: Complete the inking.

How to Draw a Dog Cartoon Drawing 13: Erase the remaining sketch lines.

How to Draw a Dog Cartoon Drawing 14: Lastly, add color to your dog. I’ve used colors that are similar to my pup. You can do this, or use colors that you like.