This time I focused on a cheetah’s head drawn from a side view. The guide includes 15 steps and the difficulty sits at a medium level because of the precision needed for proportions and spot placement. It’s a solid one to practice if you’re working on improving your big cat drawings. This guide shows how to draw a cheetah head side view from basic shapes to final outlines.
Visual Features to Note When Sketching This Cheetah
- Smooth sloping forehead into the nose bridge
- Rounded ears placed behind the eye line
- Short fur around the cheek and neck area
- Defined tear lines running from the eyes to the muzzle
- Small spots across the forehead, cheeks, neck
- Closed mouth with visible whisker dots and outline
- Strong profile with clean silhouette and jaw structure
If you’re into animal drawing, you might want to check out guides on lions, tigers or panthers for more big cat profiles. There’s also a guide for sketching cheetah from the front.
Breakdown of the Color Code System
- Red Color: highlights the lines you’re working on in the current step
- Black Color: shows the lines already completed from previous steps
- Grey Color: indicates the basic underlying sketch to help build proportions
This 15-step layout focuses on the cheetah’s natural shape and patterns. The spot sizes vary slightly to keep it organic, and the overall flow keeps the lines clean and easy to follow.
That’s all it takes to draw a cheetah’s head, and with a bit of practice those distinctive tear marks and sharp features will start feeling really natural to sketch. If you want to share what you came up with, drop it in the comments on the Pinterest pinned post for this guide.