How to Draw a Bear (Grizzly)

Please PAUSE the video after each step to draw at your own pace.

For the first few steps, don’t press down too hard with your pencil. Use light, smooth strokes to begin.

Step 1: Draw a circle on the top part of the page as a guide for the bear’s head. The circle doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s just a guide.

Step 2: Draw two intersecting lines inside the head to help you place the bear’s facial features later on. The end result will be similar to cross-hairs on a scope.

Step 3: Draw a small oval on the lower part of the head as a guide for the muzzle.

Step 4: Draw two small arcs on top of the head as guides for the bear’s ears.
Step 5: Draw two big circles under the head as guides for the bear’s body. Don’t worry about the circles being perfect. They’re just guides. The two circles should be around the same size and about double the size of the head. The end result should be similar to a snowman.

Step 6: On either side of the body, draw a short line and a small oval at the end of it as a guide for the front paws. The short lines should start at the lower half of the middle circle. The two sides don’t have to look exactly alike, but try to get some symmetry.

Step 7: Under the body, draw two short, angled lines as guides for the bear’s legs.

That’s it for the initial sketch! From this point on, press harder with your pencil to get a more defined sketch.

Step 8: Draw the small eyes inside the bear’s head using the lines as guides for placement. The shape of the eyes is similar to an oval with pointed ends. Draw a tiny circle inside each eye to represent glare, then shade in the rest of the eye. Add a few lines around the eyes for extra detail. Use quick, short strokes to draw the furry brow over the bear’s eyes.

Step 9: Draw the nose inside the oval on the top part. First lightly sketch the shape, which is similar to a circle. Then darken the sides and give them a curvier shape. Draw two small ovals inside for the nostrils and shade them in. Draw a few more lines inside the nose for extra detail.

Step 10: Use the oval as a guide to draw the rest of the bear’s muzzle around the nose. Draw a dark line under the nose for the mouth. Follow the path of the oval as you draw using quick, short strokes to create the sides and top of the bear’s muzzle. The top of the muzzle should extend up toward the eye. Draw a few quick, short strokes at the bottom for the chin.

Step 11: Use the arcs on the head as guides to draw the ears. First draw quick, short strokes at the bottom of the arcs for the base of the bear’s ears. Then add more strokes as you follow the path of the arc for the actual ears. Draw more strokes within the shape for the fuzzy inner ear.

Step 12: Use the original circle as a guide to draw the rest of the head. Use quick, short strokes throughout to represent fur. Follow the path of the original circle to create the sides of the bear’s face. Draw quick, short strokes to the outside of the circle for the actual head and neck.

Step 13: Using the lines and ovals as guides, draw the bear’s front paws. First draw the digits using tiny lines at the bottom of the oval. Then draw even smaller lines at the end for the claws. Draw a small line on the upper right side of the paw so it looks like it’s bending over the arm. Draw the rest of the arm that connects to the bear’s head and neck. Draw the paw on the right the same way. Start with the digits at the bottom. Then add the pointy claws at the top and the folded-over portion on top. Finish up the arm by connecting the neck to the paw.

Step 14: Use the circle at the bottom as a guide to draw the lower part of the bear’s body. Draw quick, short strokes along the sides of the circle and draw a few more strokes at the top near the arms for the chest.

Step 15: Use the lines at the bottom as guides for the legs. Sketch out the bear’s leg lightly at first to get the structure right. Follow the basic path of the guide line. Darken the lines when you’re happy with your sketch. Use quick, short strokes for the fur, and add the toes and claws at the end. Draw the leg on the right the same way. Follow the path of the guide line as you draw quick, short strokes. Darken the lines only when you get the structure right. Don’t forget the toes and claws at the bottom. Draw a few lines for the patch of fur above the legs.

Step 16 (optional): You can stop here for a sketchy look or erase as much as you can of the initial guide lines for a cleaner look. Don’t worry about erasing all of the guide lines. It’s okay to leave some behind. Also re-draw any final sketch lines that you may have accidentally erased.

Step 17 (optional): Add some shading to your drawing to give it more dimension and volume. Pick the direction of the light source when shading so that the shadows are consistent with it. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value.

Step 18 (optional): Add a cast shadow underneath. This helps ground the bear so it doesn’t appear to be floating.

Step 19 (optional): You can add more value throughout your drawing for extra detail. Add the value using strokes with a vertical orientation, which is the general direction of the fur. It’s always a good idea to use reference for accuracy. Remember to pause the video any time you need help.