How to draw a Christmas fox

Step 1 of 29Guide lines

Body, head and tail guides

It's Rusty, dressed up for Christmas. Start light: a long oval for his body, a wide tilted oval up to the right for his head, and a tall oval for his raised tail.

Draw these lightly: they’re only there to help, and you’ll rub them out in step 20.

Step 2 of 29Guide lines

Face, ear and hat guides

A tilted cross for his eyes and nose and a tall triangle for his ear. Then a bent triangle for the hat, its bottom edge where the brim goes, and a pom-pom circle.

Draw these lightly: they’re only there to help, and you’ll rub them out in step 20.

Step 3 of 29Guide lines

Scarf, leg and tree guides

A flat oval round his neck for the scarf, with a line down where its end hangs, and a line down each leg. Then a triangle on the right for the fir tree.

Draw these lightly: they’re only there to help, and you’ll rub them out in step 20.

Step 4 of 29

The ear

His ear pokes up out of the hat: up the triangle's left side, over the point and down the right, on down his spiky cheek to the jaw. Then the inner ear and its fur.

Step 5 of 29

The hat's furry brim

The brim's lower edge, from the head oval's left side up to the ear. Then from the ear a fluffy top edge above the hat triangle's base, round the end and down his left cheek.

Step 6 of 29

The hat and pom-pom

First the fluffy pom-pom on its circle. Then from it over the hat, just outside the triangle, to the brim by his ear, the flop's underside back down, and a forked fold line.

Step 7 of 29

The eyes

The left eye: an almond from its inner corner, a big round iris and a small glint loop in it. Then the right eye the same way, and a curved brow over each.

Step 8 of 29

The nose and mouth

A rounded nose at the bottom of the cross line, with two nostril curls. Then a line from each cheek in to the nose, the smile from under the nose, and a curve below it.

Step 9 of 29

The front of the scarf

The scarf end hangs down its line almost to the body oval's bottom: up its right side, over, down the left and along the bottom. Wiggly fringe loops, then a fold line.

Step 10 of 29

The scarf round his neck

Round his neck, behind the hanging end: to its right, along the bottom, round by his jaw and back along the top, and two creases. Then the bit on its left, and a crease.

Step 11 of 29

The other scarf end

The other end hangs out to the left: its top edge out from the scarf, down across the end and back along its bottom edge. Then a wiggly row of fringe loops.

Step 12 of 29

The near front leg

Down from the scarf end: the front of his near leg, round the paw and back up its other side to the fringe. Then two short toe lines.

Step 13 of 29

His fluffy chest

Down the right side of his chest in a zigzag of fluffy tufts, then along under it to the leg. Add a little double tuft in the middle.

Step 14 of 29

The far front leg

The other front leg is behind: from the near leg down to the paw, round it and up the front to the chest. Two toe lines.

Step 15 of 29

His back

One long curve along the top of the body oval, from the scarf almost to its left end, then a furry line down round that end for his rump.

Step 16 of 29

The back legs

A short thigh line down to his belly, the belly along to the front leg, then the near back leg round its paw and a toe line. Then the far leg behind, two toe lines.

Step 17 of 29

The bushy tail

From his rump, up the left side of the tail oval to the pointed tip, then down the right side to his back. Then a zigzag across for the white tip.

Step 18 of 29

The snowy ground

A gentle snow line behind his legs, a piece at a time out from each leg, and a short line under the tree's triangle.

Step 19 of 29

The fir tree

A small fir tree on the triangle: the pointed top, then spiky tiers of branches down the left side, then down the right side to the snow.

Step 20 of 29

Erase the guides

Rub out all the guide shapes. Only Rusty, the snow and the tree stay.

Step 21 of 29

Go over his head and hat

Press harder in one sweep round his head: from the tip of his ear down to his jaw, round the scarf and its hanging end, up his cheek, round the pom-pom and over the hat.

Step 22 of 29

Go over his body

Now his body, pressing harder: along his back and down his rump, round the back legs and belly, the near front leg, down his chest, and round the far front leg.

Step 23 of 29

Go over his tail

And round his bushy tail.

Step 24 of 29

Shade the head and hat

The light comes from the top left. Shade softly inside the ear, in the hat's fold, along the brim, between each eye and its brow, and under the pom-pom.

Step 25 of 29

Shade the tail and scarf

A soft tone along the underside of his tail, under the scarf and on his rump.

Step 26 of 29

Shade the legs

Soft shading on the two far legs, which are behind, down the back of the near legs and under his belly.

Step 27 of 29

Deep shadows

Press a little harder in the darkest places: inside his ear along its left side, his lower legs and paws, and under his tail.

Step 28 of 29

Cast shadow

A soft shadow on the snow under his paws, so he stands on the ground.

Step 29 of 29

The darks

Last of all, fill a round dark pupil inside each iris, leaving a thin ring and the glint white, then colour his nose dark with a small white highlight on top.