How to draw a dove - a free dove drawing guide
Learn to draw a graceful dove step by step using simple shapes, pencil lines, erasing, and shading, then add color and peaceful details.
Photos of graceful dove drawing examples
Step-by-step guide to draw a graceful dove
How to Draw A Dove Bird for Kids Step by Step and Coloring | Dove Drawing for kids #dove #birdart
Step 1
Lightly draw a sideways oval near the center of the paper to make the dove’s body.
Step 2
Lightly draw a small circle touching the top front of the oval to make the dove’s head.
Step 3
Draw a short pointed triangle for the beak at the front of the head circle.
Step 4
Draw a smooth curved line connecting the head circle to the body oval to form the neck.
Step 5
Sketch a large teardrop shape on the body for the main wing.
Step 6
Add three to five curved lines inside the wing shape to show feathers.
Step 7
Draw a fan of three curved tail feathers at the back of the oval.
Step 8
Erase the extra overlapping guide lines so the dove’s outline looks clean.
Step 9
Draw a small round eye and a thin line for the leg if you want the dove standing.
Step 10
Shade gently with your pencil along the belly under the wing and under the head to make soft shadows.
Step 11
Trace your final pencil lines with a fine-tip black marker if you want a bold outline and let the ink dry.
Step 12
Colour the dove softly using light grey or pale blue for feathers yellow or orange for the beak and green for a small olive branch in the beak and add a pale blue wash for the sky if you like.
Step 13
Take a photo of your peaceful dove and share your finished creation 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 I use if I don't have a fine-tip black marker or pale blue/light grey colored pencils?
Trace your final pencil lines with a sharpened HB or 2B pencil or a black crayon instead of the fine-tip black marker, and make the pale blue wash by using diluted blue watercolor or lightly smudged blue pencil over the background.
My head, neck, or wing look misaligned—how do I fix the proportions and connections?
If the small head circle, smooth curved neck, or large teardrop wing look off, lightly erase and redraw the head circle touching the top front of the sideways oval and re-sketch the neck and wing, then use the eraser step to remove overlaps before inking or shading.
How can I adapt this dove drawing for different age groups?
For toddlers simplify to big shapes (sideways oval and head circle) and crayons for coloring, for early elementary follow all steps including drawing three to five curved feather lines and simple shading, and for older kids add fine feather detail, marker tracing, and the pale blue wash sky.
How can I enhance or personalize the finished dove beyond the basic steps?
Add patterned or textured lines inside the large teardrop wing, paint a green olive branch in the beak, experiment with soft grey or pale blue tones for feathers, and then take a photo to share your finished creation on DIY.org.
Watch videos on how to draw a graceful dove
How to Draw a Dove for Kids | Dove Drawing Tutorial
4 Videos
How to Draw a Dove for Kids | Dove Drawing Tutorial
Drawing a dove step-by-step tutorial very easy for kids Draw & Color Guide
How to draw a Dove Easy Step by Step for Kids
🕊️ Draw a Dove with Ease - The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide! ✍️
Facts about drawing and sketching for kids
🕊️ The dove is a universal symbol of peace and appears in art, stories, and ceremonies around the world.
✏️ Artists often build drawings from simple shapes (circles, ovals, triangles)—a great trick for drawing graceful doves.
🪶 A dove’s smooth look comes from overlapping feathers; sketching short feather lines on the wings adds realism.
🎭 Soft pencil shading can turn a flat outline into a 3D bird by showing where light and shadow fall on the body.
🎨 Doves aren’t always pure white—subtle grays, creams, and blues help show reflected light and make colors feel peaceful.
