How to Draw a Snake: A Step by Step Guide

Begin at the upper-rear opening where the head will later join the neck, around x80% / y21%. Lead the line left and down into the first broad turn. Let it swing back towards the right through a larger middle arc, then carry it down and left while gradually narrowing the motion towards the tail endpoint near x18% / y81%.

Make this one permanent outside edge. The three arcs should differ: the upper turn is compact, the middle turn opens more widely, and the final run settles into a narrow taper. Avoid making three matching scallops or pausing at each change of direction.

Look for this before moving on: both placement targets have comfortable clearance from the page edges, the two main turns are easy to distinguish, the middle does not go straight, and the final third becomes progressively narrower in movement.

If it goes wrong: keep the stable portion of the line. Replace only the newest interval between two points where the curve is already flowing; do not erase the complete S because of one flat, hook or kink.

Start at the exact tail point you just made. Work back in this order: follow the lower tail, open the space through the lower body, round the broad second turn, narrow through the middle waist, round the first turn, then stop at the lower-rear head opening.

This second contour is not a fixed parallel copy. Bring it closer to the first line as it approaches the tail, allow a fuller width through the middle body and narrow it modestly through the waist. Keep looking across the blank body interior rather than staring only at your pencil point.

Look for this before moving on: both contours meet at one clean tail tip, never touch or cross elsewhere, and create gradual width changes instead of a uniform hose or a series of pinches. Two separate endpoints remain ready for the head.

If it goes wrong: leave the Stage 1 edge and shared tail point where they are. Remove only the newest faulty part of the inside contour, then reconnect it between two trustworthy points with the neighbouring body widths as your guide.

Use the two waiting neck endpoints as fixed anchors. From the upper one, draw a slightly fuller brow towards the upper-right. Round into a blunt, asymmetric snout, turn through a shallower lower jaw and return to the lower neck endpoint.

The head should extend only about one neck-width beyond its roots. Keep it low rather than circular. The brow can be a little more generous than the jaw, but the join into both body contours must remain smooth and uninterrupted.

Look for this before moving on: the head is a low wedge attached at both fixed neck endpoints, the snout is blunt rather than pointed, and there is no collar, gap, round bump or sudden width change at the neck.

If it goes wrong: preserve both body contours and their endpoints. Replace only the new head segment between those anchors; adjusting one brow or jaw interval is safer than moving the neck to accommodate it.

Put one small almond-shaped eye above the head's midline, closer to the brow than the jaw. Add a restrained dark pupil while leaving a tiny point of paper open. Then place one small nostril forward and slightly below the eye.

Only the near eye is visible in this viewpoint. Real snakes have a transparent scale, often called a spectacle, covering the eye rather than movable eyelids; for this simple drawing, the compact almond and pupil are enough. Keep the nostril subordinate so the two marks direct the head without turning into a large cartoon face.

Look for this before moving on: the eye and nostril sit fully inside the head, point the face towards the upper-right, and remain small in relation to the snout. The eye retains its tiny open highlight.

If it goes wrong: do not reshape the head around an oversized feature. Remove only the newest eye or nostril mark and replace it smaller, using the brow, snout and head midline as local landmarks.

Draw a short mouth seam from the snout back along the jaw angle, stopping well before the neck. At the mouth opening, extend one slim tongue stem in the direction the head faces. Split it only in its final third to make a small fork.

The tongue must touch the mouth opening; a gap makes it look pasted on. Keep the stem longer than either fork and avoid a sharp lightning-bolt shape. These compact additions should not compete with the long body rhythm.

Look for this before moving on: the mouth is short and restrained, the tongue emerges directly from it, and the small fork stays aligned with the upper-right head direction without approaching the frame edge.

If it goes wrong: keep the head, eye and nostril untouched. Replace only the newest mouth interval, tongue stem or fork; do not lengthen the mouth towards the neck to make the attachment easier.

Add exactly seven short curved bands around the lower side of the first inner turn. Begin with the longest useful arc, then place the others one at a time, allowing their spacing and length to vary slightly. Turn every band with the body rather than keeping them vertical on the page.

Each arc starts and ends comfortably inside the silhouette. They suggest the underside rolling through the bend, not a ladder that connects both outer edges.

Look for this before moving on: seven bands are easy to count, their curve follows the first turn, their rhythm varies gently, and none touches the outline, eye, mouth or tongue.

If it goes wrong: preserve the body and the better bands. Remove only the newest arc that is too straight, crowded or long, then replace it while comparing its angle with the body immediately around it.

Place exactly six open, unequal saddle fragments along the centre-facing flow of the body. Begin near the upper body and work down the S, rotating each fragment with the local curve. Reduce the later ones as the body tapers.

Leave generous gaps and change the width, opening and angle from one mark to the next. These fragments provide surface rhythm only; they should not become repeated diamonds, scallops or a dense species pattern.

Look for this before moving on: six fragments remain separate from one another and from every outline and underside band, they turn with the S, and their scale decreases naturally towards the tail.

If it goes wrong: leave all established contours and successful marks in place. Remove only the newest fragment, then make it less regular or move it inward so that open paper remains around its edges.

Finish with exactly thirteen short, light strokes on selected lower-right-facing edges of the head and two body turns. Curve each stroke with the nearby form and stop it well before any outline, facial feature, band or saddle mark. Keep the upper-left-facing areas open to preserve the chosen light direction.

This is still the same line drawing, not a separate shaded finish. The strokes are sparse directional accents, so leave the surrounding paper open and keep the outer contour at its existing weight. These accents cannot correct a width problem or awkward junction from an earlier stage.

Look for this before moving on: thirteen strokes remain lighter and shorter than the main outline, the lower-right placement is consistent, the upper-left stays open, and every Stage 1–7 mark is still clear and unchanged.

If it goes wrong: remove only the newest direction stroke and replace it with a shorter, lighter one that follows the local curve. If an earlier contour still bothers you, leave it visible and use that observation on the next attempt rather than covering it with extra marks.