How to draw a cardinal - a free cardinal drawing guide

What can we use instead of a black marker or yellow paint if we don't have them?

If you don’t have a black marker for step 10 or yellow paint for the legs, trace the final outlines with a sharp dark pencil or black crayon and color the beak and legs with orange or brown crayons or colored pencils during the coloring step.

My head and crest look messy or the marker smeared—what should I do?

If the smaller circle for the head or the three triangle crest looks messy, lightly erase and reposition the circle so it overlaps the top front of the oval as instructed, smooth and tidy your pencil lines in step 9, then let the ink dry fully after step 10 before erasing remaining pencil marks in step 11 to avoid smudges.

How can I adapt this drawing for younger or older children?

For younger children, have an adult pre-draw the tilted oval, smaller circle, crest and tail (steps 1–7) so they can trace and color with thick washable markers, while older kids can add the two or three feather lines inside the tail and detailed darker red or gray shading near the wing and belly during the coloring step.

How can we extend or personalize the cardinal drawing once it's finished?

To personalize and extend the activity, draw a branch under the feet, add a snowy or leafy background, vary sizes to make a cardinal family, and deepen shading near the wing and belly with darker red or gray before photographing the finished piece for DIY.org.