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PlayOwl
A brown owl with two feather tufts, big yellow eyes, an orange beak, darker wings and rows of belly feathers, sitting on a branch.
The finished drawing.

How to draw

How to Draw an Owl

  • Easy (level 2 of 5)
  • 12 min
  • 9 steps
  • Ages 5–9 (a guide, not a rule)
Start Drawing Draw on Screen Print

Draw on paper: Paper, Pencil. Optional: Eraser, Brown, yellow and orange crayons or markers.

Draw it on the screen

An owl is mostly one big egg shape. Its head and body are joined, so there is no neck to draw. Add two feather tufts on top, huge round eyes that touch in the middle, a small beak, and wings on the sides. Little U shapes make soft belly feathers.

Rather color it? Print the owl coloring page.

Step by step

  • New lines: purple, thick and glowing
  • Lines you already drew: gray
  1. Step 1 diagram, with the new lines highlighted
    Step 1 of 9 Draw a big egg shape for the body. Make it a little wider at the bottom.
  2. Step 2 diagram, with the new lines highlighted
    Step 2 of 9 Draw a pointed feather tuft on each top corner, like little ears.
  3. Step 3 diagram, with the new lines highlighted
    Step 3 of 9 Draw two big circles for the eyes. Let them touch in the middle.
  4. Step 4 diagram, with the new lines highlighted
    Step 4 of 9 Draw a round dot in each eye and fill it in.
  5. Step 5 diagram, with the new lines highlighted
    Step 5 of 9 Draw a small triangle beak under the eyes, pointing down.
  6. Step 6 diagram, with the new lines highlighted
    Step 6 of 9 Draw a curved wing on each side of the body.
  7. Step 7 diagram, with the new lines highlighted
    Step 7 of 9 Draw three rows of small U shapes on the belly for feathers.
  8. Step 8 diagram, with the new lines highlighted
    Step 8 of 9 Draw three little toes at the bottom for each foot.
  9. Step 9 diagram, with the new lines highlighted
    Step 9 of 9 Draw a branch under the feet, with a small oval at the cut end.
A brown owl with two feather tufts, big yellow eyes, an orange beak, darker wings and rows of belly feathers, sitting on a branch.

You did it!

Your drawing does not have to look like this one. Every artist draws a little differently.

Color it on screen Print a practice sheet

Tips for this drawing

Helpful hints

  • Draw the egg shape first and make it big. Everything else goes inside it.
  • The eyes take up almost the whole top of the owl. Big eyes make it look like an owl.
  • Try a sleepy owl: draw each eye as a curved line like a closed smile instead of a circle.

Common mistakes

  • The owl has a neck and a separate head, like a chicken. Keep one egg shape for the head and body together. Owls look like they have no neck.
  • The eyes are small and far apart. Make each eye nearly as wide as half the body, and let the two circles touch.

Make it simpler

Draw just the egg shape, two tufts, two big eyes with dots and a beak.