How to Draw a Dog (Husky)

Please PAUSE the video after each step to draw at your own pace (scroll down to see the final husky drawing).

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

Step 1: Draw two circles as guides for the husky’s body. They don’t have to be perfect. They’re just guides. Instead, pay attention to the space between the circles. If they’re too far apart, the husky dog will be too long. The circle on the right should be a bit smaller than the one on the left.

Step 2: Draw another circle on the upper left side as a guide for the husky dog’s head. This circle should be even smaller, and its edge should touch the other circle slightly.

Step 3: Draw two intersecting lines inside the husky’s head to help you place the facial features later on.

Step 4: Draw a small circle on the lower half of the head as a guide for the husky’s muzzle.

Step 5: Draw two arcs similar to triangles on top of the head as guides for the husky dog’s ears.

Step 6: Draw two angled lines under the husky’s body (one below each circle) as guides for the dog’s legs.

Step 7: Draw a series of curved lines that connect the major shapes to form the husky’s body. Draw a small line on the right side as a guide for the dog’s tail.

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 eyes inside the dog’s head using the lines as guides for placement. The shape of the husky’s eyes is similar to a football. Draw a small circle inside each eye to represent glare. Then draw another circle and shade it in for the pupils. Darken the outline of the dog’s eye more and draw a few lines on the outside for extra detail.

Step 9: Draw the nose inside the husky’s muzzle. First lightly draw an oval. Then darken it, giving it more shape. Draw two small shaded ovals on the sides for the dog’s nostrils and draw a few lines surrounding the nose for detail.

Step 10: Use the small circle as a guide to draw the rest of the husky’s muzzle. Draw a line from the nose to the left eye to form the top of the muzzle. Draw a line below the dog’s nose that splits in two and curls up to form the mouth. Draw another line below the husky’s mouth for the chin.

Step 11: Use the arcs on the husky dog’s head as guides to draw the ears. Make the dog’s ears shorter and rounder. Use quick, short strokes to represent fur and draw some lines within the shape for the ear opening.

Step 12: Use the original circle as a guide to draw the rest of the husky’s head. Use quick, short strokes as you shape the dog’s head to give it a furry look.

Step 13: Using the lines as guides, draw the husky’s front legs. Draw lightly at first to get the structure of the dog’s leg right. When you’re happy with what you have, go ahead and darken it. The leg is thicker on top and angles forward a bit near the bottom. Use a few curved lines at the end for the husky’s paws. Draw the leg on the other side the same way. Most of it is hidden by the leg on the front, so only draw the visible portion.

Step 14: Use the other line as a guide to draw the husky’s hind legs the same way as the front legs. Remember that to draw the leg lightly at first, then darken it when you have the structure right. The dog’s hind legs are thicker at the base and angle back more. Don’t forget the toes at the bottom! Draw the dog’s leg on the other side using the same technique.

Step 15: Darken the remaining lines using the quick, short strokes to draw the rest of the husky’s body.

Step 16: Thicken up the initial line using quick, short strokes to draw the dog’s bushy tail.

Step 17 (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 them. It’s okay to leave some behind. Also re-draw any final sketch lines that you may have accidentally erased.

Step 18 (optional): Add some shading to your husky dog 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 19 (optional): Add a cast shadow underneath the dog. This helps ground the husky so it doesn’t appear to be floating.

Step 20 (optional): You can stop here for a white husky dog or you can add more value throughout your drawing for the classic husky look. It’s a good idea to use reference to be as accurate as possible when drawing the coat pattern. Pause the video to use this drawing for reference and at any other time you need help.