Caroline
Africa is known for its incredible range of wildlife and sights to see throughout the continent, and many animals have become very famous around the world.
The giraffe is one of the most incredible animals found on the continent, and this is due to its unusual appearance and long neck.
We will be portraying this wonderful creature in this guide on how to draw a cartoon giraffe!
This portrayal is a really sweet and charming one, and we will show you just how you can replicate this design with no difficulty. We’re sure you will have tons of fun with this one!
So get ready for a wild creative adventure as we begin this step-by-step guide on how to draw a cartoon giraffe in just 6 easy steps!
How to Draw A Cartoon Giraffe – Let’s Get Started!
Step 1
We will be drawing quite a lot of this cartoon giraffe drawing in this first step of the guide. We will go through each element to make sure that you don’t get lost, however!
First, we will begin with the eye of the giraffe. This will be an oval shape that has a curved line at the base of it and an eyelid covering the top.
We will also draw some small eyelashes coming from the eyelid.
Next, you can draw the face outline of the giraffe. This will be drawn with some curved, rounded lines, and the jaw will be especially rounded.
The muzzle for the face will be a separate section that has some nostrils and a smiling mouth. For the top of the head, there will be two small horns and some small ears.
Finally, use some longer curved lines for the long neck and the chest, and then we can continue!
Step 2 – Now, draw some eye details and the first legs
There was quite a lot to begin with in the first step of this guide on how to draw a cartoon giraffe, and in this step we will draw some details on the eyes while also adding the first legs.
For the eyes, we will draw a simple circle inside it, and then add a smaller circle inside of that first one.
The legs will be quite long and thin, and the lines will curve in certain places to show the musculature of the legs.
Each one will also end in a two-tipped hoof. There will be an empty space where the belly is, but we will fill that in soon!
Step 3 – Next, draw another leg and the mane
Much like a horse, giraffes have manes running down the backs of their necks, and we will draw this for your own now!
The mane will be drawn using several small curved lines that connect to each other to create an appearance of hair.
Then, we will add the other front leg of the giraffe. This one will look very similar to the first one, but it will be facing the other direction.
That’s all there is to it for this step, and then we can move on to step 4.
Step 4 – Now, draw the final leg and tail
In this part of your cartoon giraffe drawing, we will be adding one more leg as well as the tail of the giraffe. The other leg will be the second back leg, and it will be shaped a bit differently.
This is because it is bent at the knee to create a jauntier pose for the giraffe.
Once that leg is drawn, we will then add the tail of the giraffe. The tail will be thin and wavy and have a pointy tuft of hair at the end.
With these drawn, we can move on to the final details in the next step of the guide!
Step 5 – Add the final details to your drawing
Before we add some color to this adorable guy in the final step of our guide on how to draw a cartoon giraffe, we must first add the final details.
Giraffes have a rather specific set of pattern details covering their bodies, and we will draw these now.
This pattern can be a bit tricky to draw, but there is also not really a super-specific way that each has to look like.
They are essentially some angular shapes of varying sizes that cover the giraffe without touching each other.
With this pattern drawn, you can finish off this wonderful composition with some extra details! Do you think you might draw a background or some extra animals?
Bonus: Try These Tips To Make This Drawing Easier
In this guide on how to draw a cartoon giraffe, we have covered how to make this cute design easier to draw. However, even though it is in a cartoon style, it can still get rather tricky to do.
It is a fairly simple cartoon, but there are lots of details and specific proportions to draw as well. If you got to this point and are still feeling frustrated, then we want to change that!
First of all, there is no shame in struggling with any aspect of the drawing. Some people just have a harder time with some pictures than others, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
If you’re struggling with the drawing, try to think about what it is that’s giving you a hard time. Is it the details, the proportions or maybe the facial expression?
It could be any of these or perhaps something else, but identifying the source of the issue is a good start. Once you have placed what’s giving you the most trouble, you can focus on that.
You can start by simplifying the parts that are giving you problems. For instance, let’s say you’re having a hard time drawing the spots on the giraffe.
If that’s so, then you can draw simpler shapes instead. This will give it a different look, but not a worse one!
Some may even prefer a simpler style, and you can change other aspects as well. If you’re having a hard time matching your drawing to the example images, then try to play to your strengths.
If you have a particular style you like to draw in, then why not use it for this design? Practice can also help, so don’t be afraid to do a few practice sketches before you draw.
Step 6 – Finish off your drawing with color
Giraffes have a specific color scheme, and we aimed to recreate it in our reference image. In this picture, we used various golden yellows for much of the giraffe’s coloring.
Then, we used some lighter browns for the spots that make up the pattern. Similar browns were used for the hair and hoof elements as well.
These are the colors we chose, but you could also go with different ones if you prefer! What kinds of colors do you think you will use?
We would recommend art mediums such as colored pens and pencils for this one, as they would make the more intricate details easier to color.
Any mediums you use will look really good, however, so let your creativity flow!
4 More Ways To Make Your Cartoon Giraffe Drawing Unique
Make your cartoon giraffe sketch even greater with these fun and easy tips!
In real life, giraffes will often travel in packs. This is something you could represent in this drawing of a cartoon giraffe!
Now that you have finished the guide, you know exactly how to draw this animal. All you would need to do is repeat the guide and change a few details to make each giraffe unique.
You could create a large group of these unique animals if you wanted to! How many would you like to have in this picture?
If you want some more variety, then you could add other cartoon versions of African animals. There are so many that you could choose from if you wanted to do this!
There is the giant elephant, the powerful rhino or the graceful gazelle. You could also go for some predators such as lions or leopards to make the picture even more interesting.
With so many to choose from, which animals would you like to add to make this even wilder?
It would also be amazing if you added a background for your cartoon giraffe drawing! The African wilderness is home to some incredibly beautiful settings, so you would be spoiled for choice.
If you need some inspiration, try to look up some pictures of the African savannah using an image search. These would give you something to use as you add a wonderful background setting for your cartoon giraffe.
What sorts of environments could you use for your artwork?
Many of us would like to get to interact with a real giraffe in some way. If you are one of those people, then you could add yourself to this cartoon giraffe sketch!
There are a few ways you could portray yourself or another human character with this animal. For one, you could be looking at it in a zoo setting.
Or, you could draw yourself on a fun safari, looking at this giraffe from the safety of a jeep. How would you like to meet this giraffe?
Your Cartoon Giraffe Drawing is Complete!
This is such an incredible animal that we worked on in this guide on how to draw a cartoon giraffe, and we hope you had a wonderful time working on it!
Even when something is done in a cartoon style, it can still be difficult to draw. Remember to break it down into smaller steps as we did in this guide whenever you run into a tough drawing challenge!
When you have finished this design, you can keep adding your own elements and ideas in order to really make it your own. We can’t wait to see what you bring to this picture!
It would be great if you would visit our website when you’re ready for more drawing fun as well! We have a huge selection of guides for you to enjoy there, and more come out all the time.
When your cartoon giraffe drawing is complete, you can also share your creation on our Facebook and Pinterest pages for us to see!
