How to Draw a Tiger: A Step by Step Guide

Begin at the lower neck opening near x70% / y48%. Draw forward through the short jaw, turn around the muzzle and rise along the gently convex brow. Continue into the taller near ear, cross a shallow crown, form the slightly smaller far ear and finish at the upper neck opening near x70% / y40%.

Keep the head low and wedge-shaped rather than round. The ears belong to the same outer contour; they should differ modestly in height and angle instead of looking like two matching triangles. Stop at the two separate neck endpoints. Do not join them behind the head.

Look for this before moving on: the muzzle sits comfortably inside the right edge, the head occupies less than one fifth of the page width, both ears are attached and unequal, and two clear rear endpoints remain for the neck.

If it goes wrong: keep every interval that already has the right direction. Remove only the newest circular bump, pointed snout or mirrored ear, then reconnect that short section between two stable points. Do not enlarge the head to absorb the correction.

Build the upper contour first. From the upper neck endpoint, travel through the shoulder, along the gently dipping back and around the rump, stopping at the upper tail-root endpoint. This long run establishes the adult proportion before any leg is drawn.

Now return to the lower neck endpoint and add the underside as short permanent intervals in this order: chest, near-foreleg opening, belly, near-hind-leg opening, then the small rump interval ending at the lower tail root. The blank spaces are planned attachment points, not missing pencil work. Do not close them with a body oval or connect them provisionally; they stay open until the legs and tail meet them.

Look for this before moving on: the shoulder sits slightly higher than the rump, the back from shoulder to rump is about twice the head length, the chest looks deep without a narrow waist, and the short lower intervals leave distinct endpoint pairs for two near legs and the tail.

If it goes wrong: preserve the complete Stage 1 head and whichever torso intervals already fit. Replace only the newest back, chest, belly or rump interval. If a gap was accidentally closed, correct that new interval now; never plan to cover the join with a leg or stripe.

Use the rightmost chest opening for the near foreleg. Carry its front edge down with a slight curve, round a broad paw on the shared floor and return to the other endpoint. Add two short toe notches inside the paw. This is the main front support and should feel substantial rather than column-thin.

At the hind opening, angle the thigh forward into a visible hock, descend to another broad paw and close the leg at its waiting endpoint. Add two restrained toe notches. The bent hind rhythm should differ clearly from the steadier foreleg.

Look for this before moving on: each leg bridges one complete endpoint pair, the near forepaw is the farthest-right support, the hind leg has a readable change of direction, and both wide paws rest on the same invisible floor.

If it goes wrong: leave the torso and the successful support untouched. Replace only the newest leg between its fixed endpoints, or reshape only its newest paw. Widen a narrow paw sideways without moving its ground level; do not extend the belly across an awkward attachment.

Add the far foreleg from inside the chest. Let it pass behind the near foreleg and finish at a paw slightly to the left of the near forepaw. Its upper attachment remains visible, which makes the depth clear without changing line opacity.

Next place the far hind leg from inside the hindquarter. Set its paw behind and to the left of the near hind paw. Give both new paws two small toe notches, but change their widths and angles enough that they do not look duplicated.

Look for this before moving on: all four legs can be traced separately from body to paw, the farther pair begins inside the torso and sits offset behind the nearer pair, no tangent creates a fifth leg, and all four paw bottoms share one level.

If it goes wrong: keep the body and both near legs exactly where they are. Replace only the newest far leg, starting again from its interior attachment and aiming for its offset paw position. Correct a tangent by changing the new line, not by shifting an established support.

Start at the upper tail-root endpoint on the rump. Sweep left and gently upward to the rounded tip near x8% / y28%. Return from that same tip with a different curve, narrowing the tail gradually until it meets the lower root endpoint.

The two lines should join the rump cleanly and meet only once at the tip. Avoid parallel sides, a bulb at the base or a perfectly geometric hook. The unequal inner and outer curves make the raised tail feel relaxed.

Look for this before moving on: both tail roots attach without a gap or doubled collar, the tail becomes narrower towards one tip, the tip and left curve clear the frame, and the silhouette is now complete.

If it goes wrong: preserve the torso endpoints and the better tail edge. Replace only the newest curve between one root and the existing tip. Do not move the rump, thicken the base or add a knot to force the lines together.

Place one small almond-shaped near eye above the head's midpoint. Add the compact nose at the end of the muzzle, then a short closed mouth seam beneath it. Finish with three sparse whisker-root dots on the cheek.

There is no far eye in this almost-profile view. Keep the visible eye and nose subordinate to the head shape. A short mouth is enough to establish the calm expression; teeth, an open jaw or long whisker lines would change the promised result.

Look for this before moving on: one small eye directs the head to the right, the nose and mouth fit comfortably inside the muzzle, the mouth stays closed and neutral, and the three dots remain separate rather than becoming surface texture.

If it goes wrong: do not reshape or retrace the head. Remove only the newest oversized eye, misplaced nose, smiling mouth or crowded dot, then replace it smaller using the brow, muzzle and jaw as nearby landmarks.

Add exactly fourteen open stripe marks in four groups: three on the head and cheek, three down the neck and shoulder, five across the torso, and three turning around the hindquarter. Place one group at a time so you can compare the changing direction with the nearby form.

Vary the curves, lengths, angles and spaces. The head marks are shorter; the shoulder marks turn more steeply; the torso marks open out; the last three rotate towards the rump. Each stripe is an unfilled line with open paper around it. None touches the eye, ear, mouth, body outline or a leg attachment.

Look for this before moving on: fourteen marks are individually countable, the 3 + 3 + 5 + 3 grouping follows the head-to-rump flow, no two form a stamped chevron or barcode rhythm, and every earlier junction remains exposed.

If it goes wrong: keep the successful stripes and all established anatomy. Remove only the newest mark that is too long, repeated or close to an edge, then replace it with a different curve that follows its local part of the body. Never use a stripe to hide a weak join.

Finish with exactly twelve more open marks. Put two curved bands on each of the four legs, making eight. Then add four unequal partial rings to the tail, shortening and tightening them as they approach the tip.

Treat every band as belonging to one appendage. A leg stripe turns around that leg alone and stops before either edge; it does not bridge to the neighbouring support. The tail rings change with the taper. These twelve lines complete the pattern, but they do not add shading, fill or a second finish.

Look for this before moving on: there are two new marks per leg and four on the tail, all twelve remain open, the four legs and their paws are still individually readable, the tail bands reduce towards the tip, and no Stage 1–7 line has changed.

If it goes wrong: replace only the newest band that touches an outline, joins two legs or repeats its neighbour too closely. Keep it shorter and turn it around the local axis. If an older attachment still feels uncertain, leave it visible and address that construction on the next attempt rather than covering it with pattern.