Learn How to Draw an Enchanting Snowy Owl With This Step-by-Step Guide

Snowy Owl Photo

Photo: chbaum/DepositPhotos

The mysterious and enigmatic owl has been associated with wisdom for centuries. Its large, penetrating eyes and beautiful plumage make it one of the most distinct birds. In particular, the white-feathered snowy owl—made famous by Hedwig from the Harry Potter franchise—has become emblematic of an ethereal winter landscape.

Want to learn how to capture this enchanting creature for yourself? Learning how to draw an owl is easier than you think. We've put together an illustrated guide that will walk you through the steps to rendering a snowy owl perched on a piece of wood in pencil, before going over the drawing in ink. All you'll need is some basic drawing supplies and paper. Ready to get started? Then, let's draw an owl!

Learn How to Draw a Beautiful Snowy Owl

Snowy Owl Photo

Photo: Panadian/DepositPhotos

Step 1: Sketch a circle

How to Draw an Owl

Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met

Create the head of the owl by drawing a circle.

 

Step 2: Draw a cross

How to Draw an Owl

Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met

Divide the circle into four sections by adding a verticle and horizontal line.

 

Step 3: Add the face

How to Draw an Owl

Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met

Then, use the guidelines from Step 3 to place a pair of large oval eyes, and a small triangular beak.

 

Step 4: Start the body

How to Draw an Owl

Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met

Next, add a curved line to the head to transform the circle into a number 9 shape.

 

Step 5: Finish the body

How to Draw an Owl

Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met

Round out the body of the owl to create a bean-like shape. The head should blend into the body without much indentation.

 

Step 6: Add the wings

How to Draw an Owl

Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met

Afterward, use a couple of ovals to add wings and a tail to the owl. The wing in the forefront should extend well past the body, as well as the tail.

 

Step 7: Sketch the feet

How to Draw an Owl

Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met

Then, add a pair of large feet. We will add a fluffy texture to these later.

 

Step 8: Refine the sketch

How to Draw an Owl

Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met

Now that we've drawn all of the basic body parts of the owl, it is time to refine the sketch. Using a reference photograph, go over the wings and head and add detail where you can.

 

Step 9: Add the pattern 

How to Draw an Owl

Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met

Next, fill in the owl with its spotted pattern. This will be most prominent on the wings and top of the head, but make sure to compare with a photo until you're satisfied with the result.

 

Step 10: Draw a background

How to Draw an Owl

Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met

With the drawing of the snowy owl nearly done, you can enhance the illustration by adding a fitting background, such as a lake at night.

 

Step 11: Go over the drawing in ink

How to Draw an Owl

Photo & Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met

Finally, it's time to go over our drawing in ink. Place a scrap of paper under your drawing hand and slowly go over the sketch with a pen. Once you've gone over all of the marks, including the border, you can begin filling in the large areas of black. It's important to leave this step until last, otherwise, you risk smearing the ink.

Congratulations! You've finished a drawing of an enchanting snowy owl.

 

Looking for others who love drawing? Join our Art, Design, Photography, and Drawing Club on Facebook!

 

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Margherita Cole

Margherita Cole is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met and illustrator based in Southern California. She holds a BA in Art History with a minor in Studio Art from Wofford College, and an MA in Illustration: Authorial Practice from Falmouth University in the UK. She wrote and illustrated an instructional art book about how to draw cartoons titled 'Cartooning Made Easy: Circle, Triangle, Square' that was published by Walter Foster in 2022.
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