Introduction
Are you eager to learn how to draw a realistic rabbit with pencils? Drawing fur might seem complicated and suitable only for advanced artists. However, I’m here to show you that it’s within your reach. By following these step-by-step instructions, you’ll not only draw a beautiful rabbit but also develop a strategy that can be applied to drawing other animals.
Rabbits are captivating creatures with their long eyelashes, big round eyes, and fluffy fur. Their gentle charisma and aesthetic make them perfect drawing subjects. So, let’s dive into the process of drawing a rabbit!
Materials Needed
Before we begin, gather the following materials:
- Pencils ranging from H-6B (e.g., from Koh-I-noor or Faber Castell)
- A black coloring pencil (e.g., Faber Castell Polychromos)
- Tissue or cotton bud
- Eraser or eraser pencil (e.g., Mono Zero from Tombow)
- Sketching paper (preferably at least 250 g/m²)
Preparation
Start by printing out a black and white photo of a rabbit to use as a reference. I recommend a photo taken by the talented photographer Deena Sveinsson. You can find the photo here.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Sketching out the lines
- Use an H or HB pencil to sketch the construction lines lightly.
- Begin by drawing a long ellipse in the middle of your paper for the rabbit’s face.
- Add two more ellipses as ears, starting in the upper third of the first ellipse and protruding slightly outwards.
- Draw another ellipse horizontally to mark the cheeks.
- Divide the head with a cross: the horizontal line indicates eye placement, and the vertical line marks the center of the face.
- Roughly outline the body using simple shapes as a guide.
2. Completing the rough sketch of the rabbit
- Using the construction lines as reference, sketch the eyes, nose, mouth, and chin of the rabbit.
- Soften the contours and adjust the shape of the ears to create a more fluid appearance.
- Once satisfied with the sketch, erase the construction lines.
3. Light shading
- Study the printed photo and identify the medium dark and darkest areas in the rabbit’s fur.
- Use an HB or 2B pencil to gently shade these areas, leaving the lighter areas blank.
4. Darkening
- Switch to a softer pencil, such as 4B, to intensify the darkness in the very dark areas of the rabbit’s fur.
- Focus on the eyes, nose, mouth, and inside of the ears, which appear almost black in the reference photo.
5. Blending
- Take a scrunched-up tissue or cotton swab to smooth out the pencil strokes.
- Gently wipe over the drawing to create a softer and more even appearance.
6. Erase highlights
- Use an eraser pencil or a pointed eraser to touch up the brightest areas.
- Pay attention to the reference photo to identify the areas that need highlighting.
- Use the eraser pencil to erase individual hairs for added realism.
7. Drawing the rabbit’s fur with dark pencils
- Grab a dark pencil (4B or above) and start drawing lots of individual hairs to depict the rabbit’s fur.
- Adjust your stroke length and curve to match the different areas of the rabbit’s body.
- Note the direction in which the fur grows and replicate it in your drawing.
8. Add some contrast to your rabbit drawing
- Use a black coloring pencil to make the black areas even darker, enhancing the contrast.
- Focus on the eyes, nose, and mouth to give them more depth and realism.
9. Draw some details to make the rabbit look more realistic
- Include the long whiskers that are characteristic of a rabbit using a hard pencil (H).
- Employ dynamic, fast motions while applying pressure at the beginning of the stroke and gradually reducing it towards the end.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You’ve successfully learned how to draw a realistic rabbit with pencils. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial as much as I did. Feel free to share your drawing with me by sending a message or tagging me on Instagram. If you’d like more drawing tutorials, check out my other articles on pen and ink drawings and drawing skin tones.
