How to Draw a Giraffe

Chomping leaves as it towers over the trees, the giraffe is one of the most popular animals at the zoo. Learn how to draw this gentle giant.

Learn how to draw this giraffe.
Learn how to draw this giraffe.

In this section, we’ll show you how to draw the above giraffe. Either draw it freehand while looking at your computer monitor or print out this page to get a closer look at each step.

Follow the red lines in each illustration to learn exactly what to draw in that step. The lines drawn in previous steps are shown in gray. We’ll show you an illustration of each step and then give you a description of how to draw it.

Start by drawing shapes for the giraffe's body, head, and long neck.

Step 1: Draw a sideways pear shape for the body and a peanut shape for the head. Connect the head and body with a long rectangular form for the neck.

Next, draw the giraffe's legs.

Step 2: Draw the giraffe's four leg shapes.

Draw the giraffe's eyes, tail, horns, and mane.

Step 3: Draw ovals for the eyes and pupils. Add a curved shape for the tail with a teardrop shape at the end. Draw two small upside-down pear shapes for the horns and a mane down the head and part of the neck.

Step 4: Draw an oval for the ear and each nostril. Put in lines for mouth, hoof, and tail details.

Next, add the giraffe's spots.

Step 5: Draw the giraffe's spots on the body, neck, and legs.

Finally, trace the lines you want to keep with a felt-tip pen.

Step 6: Use a felt-tip pen to trace over the lines you want to keep in the drawing, and erase the extra pencil lines.

Step back and admire your finished drawing. If you want to improve it, try drawing it again.

A giraffes isn't a household pet, but cats most certainly are. Continue to the next section for directions on how to draw this more common indoor animal.

Want to expand your drawing skills? See: