How to Draw a Cardinal

Learn how to draw a Cardinal with this easy step by step tutorial. It’s bright red color can make a pretty holiday card.

If you need a fun winter project that has some built in color appeal, and honors the season more than a specific religion or holiday, you can’t go wrong with cardinals. They have a simple shape with distinctive pointy head and black face, and when set against a snowy sky, always make a charming winter work of art.

My school used to have an annual art fundraiser for the holidays, and having students draw and color or paint a cardinal seemed to always make all the parents happy. We had a pretty diverse student body, so bringing out a nature-themed project always felt like a good solution.


MATERIALS

  • How to Draw a Cardinal (click to download a PDF)
  • Drawing paper
  • Black marker
  • Crayons

DIRECTIONS

Time needed: 30 minutes.

How to Draw a Cardinal

1.Draw a half circle at an angle.

2.Add a tail.

3.Erase inside the wing, and add a face.


4.Erase inside the wing, and add a face.

5.Draw tail lines and add two feet.

6.Draw a branch underneath the feet.

7.Add another branch above.


8.Draw a tree line in the background.

9.Trace with marker and color.

















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