Caroline
You may have heard the phase ‘stubborn as a mule’ before, and it’s a reputation that is well earned!
These hardy animals are known for their strong wills and tenacity, and while it can make them hard to deal with it also makes them strong and reliable.
They also happen to be rather cute, and learning how to draw a cartoon donkey can be a really fun challenge to take on!
That’s what we are here to take on in this guide, as we will show you exactly how to complete this drawing easily.
So get ready to recreate this famous animal as we take on this step-by-step guide on how to draw a cartoon donkey in 7 steps!
How to Draw A Cartoon Donkey – Let’s get Started!
Step 1
In this first step of this guide on how to draw a cartoon donkey, we will begin with the outlines for the head, back and leg of the donkey.
Starting from the top, we will first draw some large, rounded ears with a small tip at the top. Next, you can draw a small mane coming down from between the ears.
This can be drawn using a combination of curved and pointy lines, and the back of the head will be drawn using a simple rounded line.
The back of the head will extend into a curving line for the back of the donkey, and then we can finish off with the back leg. Once these are all drawn, we can move on to step 2!
Step 2 – Draw some more of the outline
To continue this cartoon donkey drawing, we will now keep adding to the outline for the head and chest.
These will be drawn with some more smooth, curved lines. There will be an empty curved space at the front of the face as well, and we will fill that in soon.
The chest line will be longer and curvier, and once it is drawn we can head to step 3.
Step 3 – Next, draw more legs for the donkey
For this third step of the guide, we will add some more legs to the donkey. The front leg will be much thinner and straighter than the back leg that you drew earlier.
It will also have a rounded hoof at the end. Then, we will draw the belly using a curved line, and we will add another small leg on the other side of the body.
We will only see a small portion of this leg due to the angle it’s at. Then, you will be finished with this step!
Step 4 – Now, draw the mouth for this cartoon donkey
In step 4 of this guide on how to draw a cartoon donkey, we will draw the mouth of the donkey.
This will go onto that empty space that you left at the front of the face earlier, and it will be drawn as a separate piece. It is quite large and rounded, and it has a smiling mouth extended into it.
There will also be a small bump on top of it for a nostril. That’s all there is to it for this step, and then we can continue!
Step 5 – Draw some facial details
We will bring the focus to the facial features of this donkey for this fifth step of the guide. Start off by drawing some large rounded shapes for the eye outlines.
Then, there will be a small oval inside each one with an even smaller black oval inside for the pupil.
The next detail will be the nostril of the donkey. This can be drawn using a rounded line with a small black shape inside.
When these facial details are done, we can move on to some final details in the next step of the guide!
Step 6 – Now, add the final details
Now you’re ready to finish off this cartoon donkey drawing with some final details. Once these are drawn, you will be able to color your creation in the last step!
First, we will add a tail that will be thin and wavy. It will be rather short, and there will be a thick tuft of hair at the end.
Finally, we will add one more leg. This one will be raised and bent over, and the hoof will look identical to the other ones.
Once these details have been added, you could also draw a fun background setting or maybe add some more animal pals for it! These are just a few ideas, but what else can you think of?
Step 7 – Finish off your drawing with some color
In this final step of our guide on how to draw a cartoon donkey, we will finish off with some colors!
In our reference image, we went with various light browns for the body of the donkey and then darker shades for the main, hooves and tail.
These are the colors that we chose, but now you can show us what colors you think would best suit this donkey.
Will you go for a different color scheme or maybe try one that is similar to our example? Whatever you choose will look great in its own way, and we can’t wait to see how it turns out!
Do this to take your cartoon donkey drawing to the next level
Make this cartoon donkey drawing look even better with the help of these tips!
Donkeys are often used to cart and carry things around, and you could add this aspect to your drawing of a cartoon donkey! This could take on a few different forms.
For example, it could be carrying some things on its back that have been packed on. Or, maybe the cartoon donkey could be pulling a cart behind it that has other supplies loaded onto it.
These are a few ways that you could show this donkey carrying some things, but what are some other ways you could do this?
Donkeys are not known for their speed, but they can still be used to carry people over great distances. This is another aspect that you could add to the drawing!
One way of doing this would be by drawing someone riding on the donkey’s back. Or, you could once again add a cart and have someone sitting inside of it.
If you were to add a human character, who would you base them on?
Donkeys can traverse all kinds of harsh environments, and so you would have many options for a background to this cartoon donkey drawing! To do this, you could pick a theme for the picture.
For example, maybe it could be in a desert environment, and then any supplies or people you added could reflect that environment. Or, maybe the cartoon donkey could be navigating a treacherous mountain environment.
These are a few ideas, but what are some other background settings you could use?
It would also be fun to add some other animal characters to your cartoon donkey sketch! First, you could start by adding some other donkeys to hang out with this one.
Or, you might like to draw some similar animals such as a horse for the donkey to befriend. By adding people, supplies and other animals you could really create a big convoy!
Can you think of other animals that you could add?
Your Cartoon Donkey Drawing is Complete!
This was a rather detailed design that we worked on in this guide on how to draw a cartoon donkey!
When a drawing has details and proportions to get right, it can make it a challenging and frustrating experience to take on.
Following steps in a guide like this can make it so much easier and more enjoyable, though!
Then, you can take things even further as you add some of your own details and ideas.
We mentioned a few ways that you can do that, but now you can show off how creative you can be with how you finish it off.
When you would like to take on a new drawing to try out, you can check out some more of the drawing guides we have on offer on our website.
There are plenty there, and more are on the way, so be sure to keep checking in!
You can also share your finished cartoon donkey drawing on our Facebook and Pinterest pages for us to see when it’s done!
