Frogs have long been popular subjects in art, symbolizing transformation, rebirth, and fertility. With their diverse species and adaptability to different environments, frogs have captured the fascination of many artists. But drawing a frog can be a daunting task, especially if you’re a beginner. That’s why we’re here to guide you through the process step by step, from sketching the basic structure to shading and adding details.
What you’ll learn:
- How to draw a frog
- How to shade a frog
Materials needed:
- A piece of paper
- Graphite powder
- A soft brush
- A 2H graphite pencil
- A 4B graphite pencil
- A Kneaded eraser
- A white gel pen
This is the frog you’ll be drawing:
And these are the steps we’ll walk you through:
Section 1: How to draw a frog – Structure and lines
Step 1: Draw an oval
Begin by drawing an oval in the center of your canvas. This will serve as the body of the frog. Make it as big as you want your frog to be.
Step 2: Draw a circle
Draw a circle on top of the oval to create the frog’s head. Ensure that the width of the circle matches the width of the oval from the previous step.
Step 3: Draw the leg
Using a tilted “U” shape, draw the right leg of the frog. Position the bottom of the shape to reach the middle of the body.
Step 4: Draw the leg
Repeat the previous step, but this time draw the left leg of the frog. Make this shape slightly thicker in the middle.
Step 5: Repeat
Repeat the previous steps on the other side, using dashed lines for the overlapping parts that will be erased later.
Step 6: Draw the toes
Use three lines to mark the position of the frog’s toes. Most frogs have long and thin toes, but the shape may vary depending on the species.
Step 7: Draw the front leg
Draw a bean-like shape for the upper part of the frog’s front leg.
Step 8: Draw the front leg
Repeat the previous step, but this time draw the lower part of the frog’s front leg at a 90-degree angle.
Step 9: Draw the front toes
Use three lines to mark the position of the frog’s front toes.
Step 10: Draw the head structure
Draw a curved line to represent the frog’s head. Leave a pointy part for the middle of the body’s structure.
Step 11: Add a line
From the pointy part of the head, draw a line that follows the 3D shape of the head. This line represents the frog’s spine. Draw another line from the top to create the frog’s mouth.
Step 12: Add the tail
Draw two lines to create the bone structure of the frog’s back. Use a small “V” shape between the legs to represent the tail.
Step 13: Mark the eyes’ position
Position the frog’s eyes on top of the head, as frogs have protruding eyes. Use two small circles on each side of the spine line to mark the eye placement.
Step 14: Draw the eyelids and pupils
Draw the eyelids of the frog and use a circle to mark the position of the pupils.
Step 15: Draw the toes and clean your drawing
Erase any guidelines and overlapping lines, and outline the frog’s toes.
Step 16: Draw the eardrum
Using a circular shape, draw the eardrums of the frog just below the eyes. These eardrums are identifiable by their circular shape and dark color.
Section 2: How to shade a frog
Step 17: Detail your frog
Add more organic lines to enhance the details of your frog. Pay attention to areas like the nostrils, eyelids, and back lines to make your frog look more realistic. Remember that frog pupils come in various shapes, so use a curved triangle in this case.
Step 18: Add the spots
Draw irregular shapes all over the frog’s body, with larger shapes for spots on the legs and lower back, and smaller spots on the head and toes.
Step 19: Fill your frog
Using powdered graphite and a soft brush, fill the frog with a soft layer of graphite. Clean up any excess graphite and define the edges with a kneaded eraser.
Step 20: Shade your frog
Frogs have slimmer bodies compared to most animals. Use your 2H and 4B graphite pencils to add texture to the frog’s skin. Focus on shading the areas where light doesn’t directly hit, as highlighted in the diagram below.
Step 21: Fill the spots
With your 4B pencil, apply slightly more pressure to fill in the frog’s spots and eardrums.
Step 22: Shade the eye
Shade the frog’s eye by outlining the pupil and filling the eye with a soft layer of graphite. Add some spots inside the eye to give it more depth.
Step 23: Add highlights
Using a white gel pen, add two small triangles to the frog’s eye to create highlights. Tap gently on the frog’s skin to create a “humid” effect.
And there you have it! You’ve successfully drawn a realistic frog. We hope you enjoyed this tutorial and learned something new. Keep practicing and exploring your artistic skills. Until next time!
