Hello everyone! In this guide, we’ll learn how to draw a pelican step by step using simple illustrations. This is part of the bird drawing series (which I try to update regularly) and consists of 15 steps, starting with a basic sketch and ending with a fully detailed reference for coloring. So, grab your drawing tools, and before we begin, take a moment to look at the final drawing. Below, I’ll highlight the key elements to focus on as you work through each step.

Key Features to Focus On

• Bill: A long, curved bill with a pouch beneath it. Pay close attention to its proportions.
• Head and Neck: A rounded head with a smooth transition into its long, slender neck.
• Body: A sturdy body with a clean outline for the feathers.
• Wings: Large wings that can be drawn with layers of feathers.
• Legs and Feet: Short legs with webbed feet.

Once you finish this drawing, you might want to try drawing other birds like robins, flamingos or blackbirds to practice different shapes and proportions.

About the Guide

This tutorial uses a simple color-coded system to help you keep track of each step:

• Red Color: Highlights the lines or details to focus on in the current step.
• Black Color: Represents the completed parts of the drawing.
• Grey Color: Shows the basic framework or sketch to guide proportions.

This structure ensures you stay organized as you build up your drawing from basic shapes to fine details.

Step 1: Create a basic sketch outlining the proportions and placement of the pelican’s body, limbs, head, and beak. First, draw an oval for the head and a significantly larger oval for the body. Then, from the edge of the head oval, draw two lines to the left to represent the beak. Connect the two ovals with curved lines to form the neck, and use simple lines to sketch the pelican’s legs.

Step 2: Draw the upper part of the pelican’s beak based on the lines from Step 1, connecting it to the head. Add the pointed tip at the end of the beak, which the pelican uses to catch fish.

Step 3: Outline the pelican’s head and the back of its neck based on the lines from Step 1 down the body oval. For the back of the head, use a series of short, curved lines to represent the feathers instead of a simple smooth line.

Step 4: Draw a black oval leaving a blank dot inside for the eye and highlight. Add a circle around the eye for extra detail. Then, draw a line down the middle of the beak to show where the mouth opens. Along the top part of the beak, draw another nearly parallel line for added detail.

Step 5: Draw an additional line on the upper part of the beak of the pelican to add further detail and texture.

Step 6: Outline the upper part (back) of the pelican’s body based on the oval drawn in Step 1. Draw the upper portion of the pelican’s wing base.

Step 7: Draw multiple smooth, curved lines to form the remaining part of the wing that wasn’t completed in the previous step. This will complete the outline of the pelican’s wing with feathered layers texture.

Step 8: Starting from the base of the beak, complete the front part of the pelican’s neck down to where the legs begin. Draw the upper part of the leg, which is covered in feathers, leading to where the first leg begins.

Step 9: Draw the pelican’s tail, which is located beneath the wing, near its edge. The tail is fairly simple, with a few visible feathers at the end.

Step 10: Complete the outline of the pelican’s body from the legs area to the tail, using a continuous slightly curved line to shape the body. In this step, also draw the visible upper part of the second wing from our perspective.

Step 11: Outline the first leg and its foot, including the webbing. This completes the outline of the pelican’s leg, the one closer to us.

Step 12: Draw the second leg behind the first one from our perspective. Include its foot, which is partially visible, and the leg itself.

Step 13: Draw a series of short, curved lines along the back of the neck, starting from the base of the head. This optional step adds detail to show the pelican’s feathers texture.

Step 14: This is the completed sketch. Take a moment to review the drawing, identify any missing elements, and clean up any unnecessary lines. At this point, carefully erase the basic sketch lines from Step 1. Optionally, you may choose to ink the drawing with a pen. If you opt for inking, let the ink dry completely before erasing any remaining pencil lines.

Step 15: Optionally, if you wish to color the pelican, you can use a reference image for color guidance. The beak should be shades of yellow or orange, with the area around the eye also in orange. The pelican’s body and wings are white, but you can add gray strokes for texture and shading. The tips of the wings can be highlighted with black or dark gray to show their shape or slightly darkened feather edges. The pelican’s legs can be painted a soft yellow or orange. After coloring, you can add shading to give the drawing a more dimensional look.

Drawing a pelican is a great way to improve your skills and learn about bird anatomy. If you enjoyed this guide, consider supporting my work so I can create more tutorials for artists like you.

I’d love to see your pelican drawings! Share your finished work in the comments section on Pinterest. Follow me on social media for more tutorials and tips:

• Pinterest
• YouTube
• TikTok
• Facebook
• Instagram