Caroline
Snakes have come to gain a rather sinister reputation due to many myths, legends and stories where they represent evil.
It’s a reputation that’s not entirely unearned, as there are many species of snakes that are highly venomous, so they should generally be treated with caution.
That being said, they are also incredible creatures that come on many different variations with often stunning patterns on their bodies.
We are here to represent a fun side of these slithering creatures in this guide on how to draw a cartoon snake.
These steps are here to show you how fun and easy it can be, so let’s begin!
We hope you have a spectacular time working on this step-by-step guide on how to draw a cartoon snake in 6 fun and easy steps.
How to Draw A Cartoon Snake – Let’s Get Started!
Step 1
As you will see in the later steps of this cartoon snake drawing, this snake will be wrapped up in a coiled shape.
This is a common pose for snakes to take on, so it makes sense that we would draw this one in this position!
To begin this, simply draw a horizontal curved line. This will function as the bottom edge of the snake’s body.
Then, draw another curved line running closely parallel to the first line.
We will then add a series of small vertical lines to the area between these two curved lines to give the underside of the snake some texture.
Lastly, we will begin the pattern on the snakes’ back. This can be done by drawing a row of rounded shapes along this area of the body.
These round shapes will have gaps at the tops of them as this is where the next layer of the coiled body will go.
Step 2 – Now, draw another section of the coiled body
For this second part, we will essentially be replicating what you did in the first step of our guide on how to draw a cartoon snake.
It will be slightly different, but it will basically be a smaller version of the portion of the snake’s body that you drew previously.
The difference here will be that there will be an additional curved line over the area where the circles of the pattern are. The sides will also extend inward more than the bottom later did.
Finally, we will add a pointy tail portion poking out to the right. That’s all there is to it, and then we can proceed to step 3!
Step 3 – Next, draw the neck of the snake
When looking at a snake, it can be hard to know where the body ends and the neck begins!
We will be drawing the neck for this snake in this step, and it will extend from the center of the looping body portions you have already drawn.
The neck will be drawn with some curved, wavy lines. It will be thicker at the base and get thinner as it curves over where the head will go shortly.
We will also be able to see the underside of the snake on the neck, and this will also have some curved lines running along it for some texture.
Step 4 – Now, draw the head outline
Now we can finish off the outline of this cartoon snake drawing as we add the head.
The head and mouth of the snake are possibly the trickiest parts of this drawing, but as long as you closely follow our example image then you should have no problems!
The head is relatively large compared to the neck, and it is drawn with lots of rounded lines. The mouth will be curved and open, and there will be a characteristic curved tongue poking out.
Before we add some final details in the next step, you can draw some more circular shapes onto the neck area to finish off the pattern there.
Step 5 – Add the final details to your drawing
You’re almost ready for the final step of this guide on how to draw a cartoon snake! Before you do, we have a few final details to add. The main detail that is missing is the eye of the snake.
The eye is a simple oval shape with a smaller black oval inside of it. The eye as a whole goes inside a slightly larger oval shape.
The final detail to add will be on the lips, where we will draw some small curved lines for some more texture.
When you have added these final details, you can also add any additional details you may like!
Snakes can live in many different environments, so you could create a really cool background for this cute snake.
Bonus: Try Out These Fun Ideas To Make Your Cartoon Snake Drawing Even Better!
This cartoon snake drawing looks great already, but we had a few ideas for how you make it even better. These ideas could be fun to try before you begin coloring in your drawing.
One way that you could make your drawing better would be to add some more snake characters. There are so many unique snake species that you would have many to choose from!
Some good examples would include cobras with their distinctive hoods. Or, you could go for a fearsome anaconda, for another idea.
If you need some inspiration, you could look up some snake pictures online to use as references. Then, using these images, you could follow through the guide again and adapt the details to fit the new species.
When you really get the hang of it, you could design new facial expressions and poses for your new snakes. It could be fun to make your own snake species using different features from several species.
Adding a background is also a great way to take your drawing even further. It could be a location that represents natural habitats that you would find a snake in.
This would be a great way to make this cartoon snake drawing a bit more realistic, or at least as realistic as a picture like this can look. You could also go for a more stylistic, creative setting if you prefer, though.
There are so many possibilities, but you should feel free to add any other ideas. This is your chane to create a really cool snake scene, and you could add different characters that are other kinds of animals.
What kinds of characters would you like to add to this drawing?
Step 6 – Finish off your drawing with color
We have mentioned in this guide that snakes can come in many different colors and patterns.
This gives you free rein to use any colors you love, as chances are these colors would appear on a snake species somewhere in the world!
We went with a green color scheme for our example image, and it helps to create a striking, beautiful image.
This is definitely a step where you should feel free to use any colors you like, however! We will be interested to see which colors and mediums you choose for this one.
3 More tips to make your cartoon snake drawing easy!
Make your cartoon snake sketch even easier with these 3 helpful tips!
Any artist will tell you that the easiest way to draw something is to look at a real example of it. That is true even when it is something in a cartoony style like this cartoon snake drawing.
You could make this design a lot easier to do by looking at some real snakes. Getting close to real snakes is rarely recommended, so the next best thing would be to look up some pictures.
You should try to find some pictures of snakes that are in a similar coiled position to this one to help you as you draw. You may be surprised to see how much it can help!
When creating this drawing of a cartoon snake, you may find that the way it is posed is a bit too tricky. If that is the case, you could simplify the pose a bit to suit you better.
For example, instead of having the snake curled up like this, you could instead have it slithering along the ground. This is a pose that you may find easier, and you could still keep a lot of the details you like.
This is another case where you could use photos of real snakes when drawing to help you with the new pose. What kinds of poses would you like to put this cartoon snake in?
Finally, if all else fails then you could simplify the design in any way you wish. If you were to do this, you should focus on the parts of this cartoon snake sketch that are giving you the most trouble.
For example, you may be struggling with the details on the snake itself. If that is the case, you could change or remove any of these details until it becomes easier for you to do.
Or, maybe you would want to simplify the design of the face or the expression on the snake. It all depends on what you are struggling with, so don’t be afraid to simplify!
Your Cartoon Snake Drawing is Complete!
Snakes are incredible creatures that can be as beautiful even when they’re rather dangerous!
We hope that you had a lot of fun capturing a softer side of these slithery reptiles as you worked on this guide on how to draw a cartoon snake!
We aimed to show you that it can be easy to draw this fun picture while leaving room for your own extra details and ideas.
Now you can add some extra details and background elements to make this drawing even more unique! By using your favorite colors and mediums you can take it even further.
Then, there are many more drawing guides for you to enjoy on our website! We have tons of awesome guides and more are coming out soon, so keep checking in to never miss out.
When you’re ready to show off your finished cartoon snake drawing, you can share it on our Facebook and Pinterest pages for us to see and enjoy!
