How to draw a penguin - a free penguin drawing guide
Draw a penguin step by step using simple shapes, proportions, and shading. Practice lines, symmetry, and coloring to complete a polished penguin drawing. Download the PDF for complete instructions.
Photos of penguin drawing examples
Step-by-step guide to draw a penguin
Step 1
Lightly draw a vertical center line down the middle of your paper to help keep your penguin symmetrical.
Step 2
Draw a large vertical oval centered on the line to make the penguin’s body.
Step 3
Draw a smaller circle that overlaps the top of the oval to make the penguin’s head.
Step 4
Lightly draw a short horizontal guideline across the middle of the head to mark where the beak will go.
Step 5
Draw a small triangular beak centered on the guideline.
Step 6
Draw two round eyes evenly spaced on each side of the center line above the beak.
Step 7
Draw an inner oval on the lower part of the body to create the penguin’s white belly.
Step 8
Draw two small oval feet at the bottom of the body, side by side.
Step 9
Draw two curved teardrop-shaped wings, one on each side of the body.
Step 10
Erase any extra light guidelines so your penguin’s outline looks clean.
Step 11
Shade the head wings and back lightly with pencil strokes to show roundness while keeping the belly lighter.
Step 12
Color your penguin: dark for the back wings and head and lighter or white for the belly; add color to the beak and feet.
Step 13
Share your finished penguin drawing on DIY.org
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can we use if we don't have colored pencils or markers to color the penguin?
If you don't have colored pencils or markers, use crayons, washable paints, watercolor washes, oil pastels, or cut colored paper glued onto the head, wings, belly, beak, and feet to add color.
My penguin looks lopsided—how do I fix uneven eyes or wings?
If the eyes or wings look uneven, realign them using your light vertical center line and the head's horizontal guideline, lightly redraw the misplaced shape, and carefully erase the old marks so the penguin stays symmetrical.
How can I change the steps to suit a 3-year-old, a 7-year-old, or a 12-year-old?
For a 3-year-old, pre-draw the large vertical oval and head circle and let them color with chunky crayons; for a 7-year-old, have them draw the center line, ovals, beak, eyes, belly, feet, and wings while guiding erasing and simple shading; and for a 12-year-old, encourage precise light guidelines, refined pencil shading on the head, wings and back, and more detailed textures or backgrounds before coloring.
How can we make the penguin drawing more creative or share-worthy?
Enhance and personalize by adding a patterned scarf or hat, drawing a snowy background or a penguin family, experimenting with cotton or textured paper for snow, deepening pencil shading on the head, wings and back, and then photograph the finished piece to share on DIY.org.
Watch videos on how to draw a penguin
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Facts about drawing for kids
✏️ Artists often start drawings with simple shapes—practicing circles and ovals trains your hand and makes proportions easier.
🌍 Almost all penguin species live in the Southern Hemisphere, but one species (the Galápagos penguin) lives near the equator!
🐧 Emperor penguins are the tallest and heaviest penguin species, standing nearly 1.2 meters (4 feet) tall.
🪞 Penguins exhibit bilateral symmetry, which means their left and right sides mirror each other—great for practicing symmetrical drawing.
🎨 Shading (like chiaroscuro) helps flat drawings look 3D by showing where light hits and where shadows fall.
How do I teach my child to draw a penguin step by step?
What materials do I need to draw a penguin with my child?
What ages is this penguin drawing activity suitable for?
What are the benefits of drawing a penguin and fun variations for kids?
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