DrawRabbitDrawing guide · Foxes
How to draw a fox
Meet Rusty, the fox from Clover’s hedge. In 18 easy steps you’ll draw a cute red fox sitting with his bushy tail curled round his paws, using a pencil and paper: a few rough shapes to start, big pointed ears, then soft shading.
How do you draw a fox?
To draw a fox, start light with a few rough shapes: an oval for the head with a cross on it for the face, two tall triangles for the ears and a small oval for the muzzle, then a tipped oval for the body, a circle for the haunch, a long oval for the tail and a line down each front leg. Draw the head and ears just outside their shapes, then the eyes on the cross, the nose, muzzle and smile. Add the chest and back, the bushy tail curling round in front with a zigzag for its white tip, the haunch and the two front legs, then a few fur flicks. Rub out the guides, go over the outline and shade from the top left. It takes 18 steps with a pencil, paper and an eraser.
You need a pencil, paper and an eraser18 stepsBeginner
Draw a fox, step by step
In colour: what to draw nowGrey: already drawn
Draw everything in pencil, lightly at first. Save all 18 steps to Pinterest
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Step 1 of 18Guide lines
Head and face guides
This is Rusty, a red fox. Start light: a wide oval for his head, a cross on it for his eyes and nose, two tall triangles for ears and a small oval for his muzzle.
Draw these lightly: they’re only there to help, and you’ll rub them out in step 12.
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Step 2 of 18Guide lines
Body, tail and leg guides
Below it, a big tipped oval for his body and a circle low down for his haunch. Then a long oval for his bushy tail and a line down each front leg.
Draw these lightly: they’re only there to help, and you’ll rub them out in step 12.
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Step 3 of 18
The head and ears
Start at the bottom of the left cheek: up over a few spiky tufts, round the ear just outside its triangle, to the top of his head, and a loop inside. Then the other side.
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Step 4 of 18
The eyes and brows
On the eye line, one each side of the centre line. Left eye: almond from its inner corner, a round iris, a glint loop; the right the same with a taller iris, then the brows.
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Step 5 of 18
The nose and muzzle
A round nose where the centre line crosses the muzzle oval, with two nostril curls. Then a line from cheek to nose, the smile, down the muzzle under his chin, and out to the right cheek.
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Step 6 of 18
The chest and back
Down his neck and chest on the right, with a tuft, then under his chin and down the left side to his legs. Then one long curve down his back, just inside the body oval.
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Step 7 of 18
The tail
His tail curls round in front: along the top of the tail oval to the tip, back along the bottom and up into his back. Then a zigzag for the white tip.
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Step 8 of 18
The haunch
Over the haunch circle, from the tail up and round to the left. Then the front of the back leg, from the tail up to a furry tuft, and two short lines beside it.
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Step 9 of 18
The front legs
The thin leg is nearest: one side of its leg line, round the paw, a toe line, the other side. Then the bigger leg's slanted top, its front round the paw, and two toe lines.
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Step 10 of 18
Fur flicks
A few quick flicks of fur, each from its root: one by his neck, one on his shoulder, one on his side, one low on his back, then three on his tail.
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Step 11 of 18
The ground
A wavy ground line on each side, starting from his tail and from his paw.
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Step 12 of 18
Erase the guides
Rub out all the guide shapes. Only Rusty and the ground stay.
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Step 13 of 18
Go over the outline
Press harder all the way round Rusty's outside edge in one go: from the tip of his right ear, over his head and left ear, down his back, round his tail, then up his chest.
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Step 14 of 18
Shade the head and chest
The light comes from the top left. Shade softly round the rim of each ear, by his right cheek, and down the shady side of his chest and front legs.
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Step 15 of 18
Shade the tail
Now a soft tone along the bottom of his tail and where it tucks under his body, keeping the white tip light.
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Step 16 of 18
Deep shadows
Press a little harder in the darkest places: round each ear's rim, along the top of each eye, his lower legs and where the tail tucks under.
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Step 17 of 18
Cast shadow
A soft shadow on the ground under his paws, so he sits on the page.
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Step 18 of 18
The darks
Last of all, fill a dark oval in the middle of each iris, round the glint so it stays white, and colour his nose solid black.
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Finished
Your finished fox
That’s Rusty! Go over any lines you want darker, then sign your drawing in the corner.
In the DrawRabbit app
Rusty lives in Clover’s hedge
Every animal has a whole world of narrated drawings in DrawRabbit, each one a little story you draw with a real pencil and paper. The first drawing in every world is free.
Free to start · iPhone and iPad
The fox in the hedge
The dandelion
The big leap
First snow
Tips for a better fox
Triangles for the ears
Fox ears are big. Sketch a tall triangle for each, then draw the ear just outside it with a rounded tip, and a line inside for the fur.
The cross places the face
The eyes sit on the line across, one each side of the middle line, and the nose goes where the middle line meets the muzzle.
The tail in front
His tail curls round in front of his paws, so draw it before his legs and haunch, and stop those lines where they meet it.
The near leg first
The thin front leg is nearer to you. Draw it first, then the bigger leg behind it, stopping at its edge.
Questions
Is a fox easy to draw?
Yes. It starts with a few rough shapes, an oval for the head, a tipped oval for the body and an oval for the tail, so the shape is right before you add any detail, and each step only adds a little.
What do I need?
A pencil, paper and an eraser. Draw the first steps lightly: the guide lines are rubbed out in step 12.
How do I draw a fox’s face?
Draw a cross on the head oval: a line down the middle and one across for the eyes. Two big pointed ears on top, an almond eye on each side of the middle line, a round nose where the middle line meets the small muzzle oval, then a smile and the cheek tufts.
How do I draw a fox’s tail?
Sketch a long oval curling round in front of his paws, then draw over it: along the top, round to a point, back along the bottom and up into his back. A zigzag across the end marks the white tip.
Can kids draw it?
Yes. It’s made for beginners of any age. If reading the steps is hard, the draw-along talks you through each line while it draws.
What is DrawRabbit?
A drawing app for iPhone and iPad: narrated, step-by-step lessons you follow with a real pencil and paper. 95 drawings in 10 worlds, free to start, no account needed.
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