In this bonus challenge, you’ll draw seven different animals using simple shapes and easy-to-follow steps. Each day focuses on breaking an animal down into clear forms like circles, ovals, and simple lines.

Inside each lesson you’ll find:

• a step-by-step drawing guide

• a reference page with observation tips

• a practice page to try the drawing yourself

The goal of this challenge is not to create perfect drawings. It’s to practice seeing animals in a simpler and more approachable way.

Take your time, keep your drawings loose, and focus on the big shapes first. The more you practice, the easier it becomes to understand how animals are built.

I hope you enjoy the challenge and have fun drawing along.

Before You Begin the Challenge

Day 1: Drawing an Orca

Before starting, make sure to download and print the worksheet for today’s lesson. The worksheet includes step-by-step instructions, a reference page with observation notes, and a practice page where you can try the drawing yourself.

As you work through the drawing, try not to focus too much on the small details right away. Orcas are actually built from very smooth and simple forms, so the most important part of the drawing is getting the overall body shape working first. Once the main shape feels solid, the fins and markings become much easier to place.

Pay close attention to the placement of the white eye patch and the flow of the body from head to tail. Try to keep your lines light in the early stages and slowly refine the shapes as the drawing develops.

If your first attempt does not turn out exactly the way you expected, that is completely normal. Feel free to draw the orca more than once. Often the second drawing feels much easier because you already understand the shapes better.

Day 2: Drawing a Penguin

Penguins are a great animal for practicing simple construction because most of the body can be simplified into a few large forms. Begin by focusing on the overall shape of the head and body before worrying about the markings and smaller details.

As you draw, pay attention to how the head sits slightly forward on the body and how the wings rest along the sides. These small observations help the drawing feel more natural and balanced.

When adding the dark markings, try to think about the flow of the shapes rather than filling everything in immediately. Building the drawing slowly in stages will help keep the proportions under control.

Remember to keep your first lines loose and sketch lightly at the beginning. The goal is not to create a perfect drawing right away, but to slowly build confidence with the shapes.

Day 3: Drawing a Koala

Koalas are a great example of how appealing drawings can come from very simple construction. Most of the drawing is built from circles and soft curves, which helps make the animal feel friendly and approachable.

As you work through the steps, pay close attention to the size of the nose compared to the rest of the face. The large nose and fluffy ears are some of the features that make koalas so recognizable.

Try to focus on building the structure before adding shading. Once the main forms are working, the details become much easier to place naturally.

You may also notice that small changes in the spacing of the eyes or ears can change the expression quite a bit. Take your time adjusting the features and enjoy experimenting with the drawing.

Day 4: Drawing a Beetle

Beetles are built from a few very clear body shapes, which makes them a great exercise for learning structure and balance. Start by focusing on the large body forms before moving into the legs and smaller details.

As you draw, pay attention to how the body is split down the center. Keeping both sides of the beetle as even as possible will help the drawing feel stable and believable.

The legs and antennae may look complicated at first, but try to approach them one shape at a time. It often helps to draw them lightly at first before refining the lines.

This lesson is also a good opportunity to practice shading darker forms and creating contrast between the body segments.

Day 5: Drawing an Owl

Owls have very compact bodies and large facial features, which makes them a fun subject for shape-based drawing. Begin by focusing on the overall body shape before adding the face and feather details.

As you study the reference, pay attention to how large the eyes are and how closely they sit together on the face. The placement of the eyes plays a big role in the overall expression of the owl.

Try not to rush into feather details too early. Instead, focus on getting the larger forms working first and allow the smaller textures to come later in the process.

As you shade the drawing, think about keeping the lighting soft and simple. Even light shading can help the owl feel more solid and three-dimensional.

Day 6: Drawing a Bird

Small birds are a great subject for learning proportion and balance because even tiny changes to the head, wing, or tail placement can affect the overall pose of the drawing.

As you work through the steps, focus on how the head connects into the body and how the wing rests along the side. These relationships help the drawing feel more natural and believable.

When adding the feather markings, try not to draw every feather individually. Instead, think about the larger feather groups and the overall direction of the forms.

You can also pay attention to the way the bird sits on the branch. Small details like the angle of the tail or the placement of the feet can help create a stronger sense of balance in the pose.

Day 7: Drawing a Snail

Snails are a wonderful reminder that even very simple animals can create interesting and beautiful drawings. The shell is built from one large spiral shape, while the body stretches outward in soft flowing forms.

As you work through the lesson, pay attention to how the spiral curves inward toward the center of the shell. Try to keep the curves smooth and avoid making the shapes too stiff or angular.

The eye stalks and body may seem simple, but small adjustments to the curves can change the feeling of the drawing quite a bit. Take your time and allow the lines to flow naturally.

For the final shading stage, try to build the shadows slowly. Gentle shading can help give the shell more volume and help the body feel grounded on the page.

Congratulations on reaching the end of the challenge!

I hope these drawings helped you feel more comfortable simplifying animals into basic shapes and forms.