King Louie swings into The Jungle Book as the jazz-loving orangutan who rules the ancient ruins. His catchy song “I Wanna Be Like You” and larger-than-life personality made him an instant favorite, despite his scheme to get the secret of fire from Mowgli.
Sketching King Louie
This guide walks you through 11 steps to draw King Louie in his signature dancing pose, capturing all the swagger of the king of the apes!
King Louie’s Distinctive Look
- Spiky orange-brown hair tuft on top of head
- Gray-purple face with prominent brow ridge
- Yellow eyes with blue eyelids and friendly expression
- Large pink muzzle with wide grin showing teeth
- Round potbelly with lighter tan coloring
- Long orange arms with gray hands and fingers
- One arm raised overhead in dancing motion
- Short legs with gray feet and visible toes
- Thick orange fur covering most of body
King Louie’s expressive pose makes this a fun exercise in capturing movement and personality. After finishing this orangutan, try sketching his reluctant guest Mowgli. For more jungle characters, Baloo guide features Louie’s dance partner from that memorable musical number.
Tutorial Color System
Each step displays different colors to show what lines to draw and when:
- Red Color: lines added in the current step.
- Black Color: lines completed earlier.
- Gray Color: base sketch for structure.
How to Draw King Louie: Step-by-Step
Show Off Your King Louie!
You now have the skills to draw King Louie from The Jungle Book. Did you capture his royal swagger? Leave a comment with your thoughts, and if you shared your drawing online, post the link so we can all see it! Fellow artists always appreciate checking out new interpretations of classic characters. One question for Jungle Book fans: do you think King Louie would have actually shared the secret of fire if Mowgli had known it, or was he always planning to keep the man-cub around?