Hello, and welcome to another simple 10-step art tutorial! In this tutorial, we will learn how to draw a koala and discover some facts about the little animals along the way.
Koalas are adorable animals. Although we may call them a “koala bear,” they aren’t actually bears! Rather, they are marsupials. There is only one species of koala in the world, and their closest relative is the wombat. Their name—koala—possibly means “no drink” in Australian Aboriginal languages. This would make sense since Koalas don’t drink water too often and get most of their hydration from eating eucalyptus leaves. Interesting, right?
Koalas are endemic to Australia, where they live in the southeast and eastern parts of the country. Most of the country’s wildlife is used to living in its dry climate. Unfortunately, koalas face many threats, such as deforestation, drought, habitat loss, and disease. There are many initiatives to ensure a promising future for the animal.
Let’s get started on the tutorial now! Find some drawing materials and keep reading for Step 1. As always, we will have visuals accompanying the written instructions. Let’s go!
How to Draw a Koala — Let’s get started!
Materials:
- a piece of paper
- a pencil for the guiding lines and sketching
- an eraser
- a black sharpie or a pen for the outlines
- markers or colored pencils for coloring
- our printable drawing guide (Join my Email List below to get this Tutorial)
Get the FREE Printable Drawing Guide
Here are my RECOMMENDED Art Supplies!
- Crayola Coloring Set (140 Pieces – Mega Value!)
- 24 Colored Crayon Set
- A4 Printer Paper
- Crayola Coloring Pencils
- HP Home Printer with Instant Ink!
Time needed:
15 minutes.
Step 1 – Draw the koala’s ears.
First, we will draw the top of the koala’s head, including the recognizable fluffy ears. Centered near the top of the page, draw two semicircles made of jagged lines to show their fluffy texture. Connect them with a small curve in between. It should look like the koala’s head is tilted.
Step 2 – Draw the rest of the koala’s head.
Let’s draw the bottom half of the head. Draw a long curve connecting the bottoms of the ears. Great job!
Step 3 – Complete the koala’s face!
Let’s draw the koala’s face! Did you know that wild koalas have excellent senses of smell? They are super picky eaters, and their keen noses allow them to pick the most nutrient-dense eucalyptus leaves, which are often higher up on the tree.
Let’s start with the nose. Draw a large black oval centered on the head. Koalas’ large noses are part of why people think they are bears!
Below the nose, draw two small upward-facing curves that look like a smile. Next, draw two eyes on either side of the nose. Check out the photo.
Step 4 – Add detail to the ears.
We’re going to circle back to the ears. Inside each ear, draw a titled semi-circle to show more dimension.
Step 5 – Draw the koala’s body!
Now, it’s time to add the body. Koalas often climb in the wild, so ours will be, too! We are going to draw the koala from a profile view sitting in a tree.
Let’s start with the back. Draw a line from the left side of the head that curves down and to the right to form the leg. Draw another curve for the arm above the leg. Check out the photo!
Step 6 – Add two more legs and claws.
Let’s finish the body. Koalas are famous for their long claws and great grip, which help them climb trees.
Draw three claws on the arm and leg we drew in Step 5. They should look like small, slightly pointy curves. Additionally, draw a line connecting the arm and leg. Finally, draw a line connecting the top arm to the head. These help show the other side of the body that is only possibly visible due to the angle of the body.
Step 7 – Draw a tree.
Koalas are fascinating because they primarily eat eucalyptus, which is toxic to most animals, even in very small amounts. Koalas have certain qualities that allow them to break down the plant and survive almost entirely on eucalyptus leaves. It makes sense that koalas spend a lot of time in eucalyptus trees!
Let’s add a tree to our drawing. Our koala will be sitting in between branches in the area called the fork. Koalas may sleep and rest for up to 20 hours a day while in the fork of the tree! This is partially to preserve energy.
Draw a long diagonal line that goes from near the right ear to the bottom leg. Draw another shorter diagonal line on the left side of the body. These are the branches.
Step 8 – Continue drawing the tree.
We need to add the other side of the tree branches to make them look realistic. Draw two more lines a few inches over from both lines we just drew. They should be parallel to form the width of the trunk.
Have them taper off at the bottom to form one big trunk! Check out the photo.
Step 9 – Complete the tree.
Finally, draw lines at the bottom of the trunk and at the end of the two branches, just to close off the tree’s shape.
Step 10 – Color in your koala drawing!
Koalas are recognizable for their grey fur. However, you can color in your koala however you want! Have fun filling in the background, too.
Pin it now, Draw later!
We hope you loved this tutorial! We have so many more animal-themed tutorials, such as a cow, dog, cat, pig, and more! Be sure to check out the website to find one that looks fun. There are also a holiday, food, people, and cartoon-themed projects! We love throwing in facts so that you learn a little bit along the way, no matter the subject.
Until next time!
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