Not many animals can survive the brutal temperatures and harsh landscape of Antarctica, but the incredible emperor penguins make it work. This striking flightless bird is the largest species of penguin native to the icy continent and one of Earth's most fascinating creatures. So, it’s only natural to want to pay homage to this incredible bird, and what better way to do that than through art?
Follow along to learn how to draw an emperor penguin adult and an emperor penguin chick in pencil, before going over the illustration in pen. All you'll need to begin is a pencil, eraser, pen, and some paper. Ready to get started? Then let's draw a penguin!
Learn How to Draw a Realistic Penguin Step by Step
Step 1: Draw an oval
Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met
Begin by sketching one large oval to create the body of the penguin.
Step 2: Add the legs
Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met
Next, add two semi-rectangular legs at the bottom of the oval.
Step 3: Sketch the toes
Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met
Add three oval toes to each leg to make the feet.
Step 4: Add the tail
Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met
Then, sketch a wide, triangular tail that swoops in between the penguin's legs. You might need to add another line to the back of the oval to change the shape of the body somewhat.
Step 5: Draw the beak
Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met
After focusing on the lower half of the penguin, we're going to take our pencil to the upper half and lightly sketch an arch shape extending from the top of the oval. This will be the beak.
Step 6: Finish the head
Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met
Finish the head using a couple of soft round arches, making sure it appears more almond-shaped than round.
Step 7: Sketch a wing
Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met
Next, add one, long slender wing about a quarter of the way down the oval, ending near the start of the legs.
Step 8: Sketch the coloration
Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met
Penguins have a distinct tuxedo-like coloration. So, using a couple of reference photos of emperor penguins, lightly draw the outline of where this black-and-white pattern will be.
Step 9: Refine the drawing
Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met
Afterward, clean up the sketch by erasing any unnecessary lines and refining the illustration. Feel free to fill in the black areas with light pencil shading to remember where you will have to go over in ink.
Step 10: Go over it in ink
Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met
Next, you can go over the drawing in ink. Find your pen of choice, such as a multiliner, and carefully trace over all of the desired pencil lines. Wait until you've traced everything before you fill in any large black areas, otherwise, you may risk smudging the ink on the rest of the paper. Once you're done, you can either leave the drawing as is or move on to the tutorial below to add an emperor penguin chick to the drawing.
(If you want to add a baby penguin to your illustration before you start inking, then skip this step and start the tutorial below this one.)
How to Draw a Baby Penguin
Step 1: Draw an oval
Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met
To draw the body of a baby penguin, you'll once again sketch a large oval. This one should be about half the size of the adult penguin.
Step 2: Add the feet
Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met
Next, we're going to add the feet. So, add one circle to the bottom of the oval, creating the leg that is facing the viewer. Then, draw three long, oval toes poking out from the bottom of the oval.
Step 3: Sketch a wing
Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met
Afterward, sketch a long wing that is nearly as long as the entire oval.
Step 4: Start the neck
Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met
Next, move your pencil to the top half of the oval, and draw one arch on the right side, and one short, straight line on the left side to create the neck.
Step 5: Finish the head
Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met
Then, finish the head of the baby penguin by using more rounded lines. The beak should be an almond shape.
Step 6: Sketch the outline of the coloration
Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met
Now it is time to fill in the body of the penguin with the outline of its coloration. Fortunately, unlike the adults, the chicks have a fairly simple coloration of a grey body and a partially black head. You may need some reference photos on hand to complete this step.
Step 7: Refine the drawing
Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met
Clean up the illustration by erasing any unnecessary pencil marks and adding texture lines to the fuzzy body of the penguin. If you want, add some light shading to the will-be black areas.
Step 8: Draw a simple background
Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met
Want to place your penguins in a realistic setting? Then use a ruler to draw a straight horizon in the back, add some snowy mountains, and fill the sky with dramatic, swirling clouds.
Step 9: Go over the illustration in ink
Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met
Finally, it is time to go over the illustration in ink. So, using your favorite pen, carefully trace over the pencil lines. After you've gone over the whole drawing, you can fill in any black areas.
Congrats! You've created a striking black-and-white drawing of an adult emperor penguin and its chick.
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