25 easy step-by-step tutorials to make cool drawings

As a designer or illustrator, you always seek inspiration and new creative skills to learn.

This post lists a wide variety of drawing tutorials made especially for this purpose. We've also made them easy for beginners and children to follow, so there's no need to feel daunted by the idea of committing to a big art project.

Most of the tutorials in this list start with a rough sketch on a piece of paper that gets translated into a digital format using our graphic design software, Linearity Curve (formerly Vectornator).

Ready to get your creative juices flowing with some fun ideas? Let's go.

1. Draw leaves

Estimated time to complete: 30 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Dive into the natural world by mastering the art of drawing various leaf types. This tutorial guides you through every step, ensuring you capture the essence and beauty of nature in your image.

From understanding the basic leaf shape to adding fine veins, the tutorial on drawing a leaf is your gateway to exploring the botanical world in pencil and color.

2. Draw a fish

Estimated time to complete: 25 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

The rhythmic movement of fish has a calming effect that's mesmerizing to watch. Capture this tranquility on a surface by learning how to draw a whimsical aquatic friend.

This tutorial is perfect for a quick creative break. It teaches the basics of drawing a fish and inspires a deeper appreciation for the simple elegance of marine life.

3. Draw a monkey

Estimated time to complete: 35 minutes

Difficulty: Medium

Monkeys are known for their playful and curious nature. Embrace their lively spirit as you venture through this tutorial on drawing a monkey.

A simple drawing for beginners, you'll learn how to create an endearing animal portrait, starting with three basic shapes.

4. Create children's illustrations

Estimated time to complete: 45 minutes

Difficulty: Hard

Children's illustrations open a door to the imagination. In this tutorial, learn to create captivating illustrations that entertain and foster curiosity in young minds.

From cute girl bunnies relaxing in their burrows to koala bears on scooters, there's something to delight and inspire your younger friends.

This tutorial is the longest one on this list, but it's good drawing practice as you'll explore how to illustrate different textures and effects.

5. Design backgrounds

Estimated time to complete: 40 minutes

Difficulty: Hard

An often-neglected skill, learning how to draw a well-designed background can set the stage for your drawings. This tutorial guides you on creating backgrounds that complement and enhance your creative work.

Journey through background design elements, learning to create settings that captivate the viewer while harmoniously blending with your main drawing subject.

6. Draw a hatched chick

Estimated time to complete: 20 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Want to capture the fluffy charm of a baby chick? In this tutorial, learn to capture the soft, rounded features that characterize these adorable baby birds.

The inspiration for this colorful image is a deeper appreciation for the tender beginnings of life.

7. Draw different breeds of cats

Attention cat people: learn how to draw your favorite animal starting with pencil sketches and geometric shapes.

Siamese

Estimated time to complete: 30 minutes

Difficulty: Medium

Siamese cats' elegance and poise demeanor make them captivating subjects for drawing. Learn to portray the distinct features that set Siamese cats apart with this tutorial.

You will improve your drawing skills and enhance your understanding and appreciation of this elegant feline breed.

Ginger Maine Coon

Estimated time to complete: 30 minutes

Difficulty: Medium

Ginger cats, with their vibrant fur and expressive faces, are a joy to draw. This tutorial walks you through the process, helping you capture the lively spirit of a ginger cat on a surface.

Sharpen your drawing skills and brighten up your day with the warm hues characteristic of ginger cats.

8. Draw a bat in color

Estimated time to complete: 25 minutes

Difficulty: Medium

These misunderstood creatures embody the mystique of the night. This tutorial demystifies the process of drawing a bat, guiding you through each step to create a lovable illustration with a bit of color applied.

Hone your drawing skills and learn how to draw one half of the shape and mirror the other side using the Duplicate feature on Linearity Curve.

9. Make a drawing of a car

Estimated time to complete: 40 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Cars are a blend of engineering precision and aesthetic appeal. This tutorial drives you through the process of drawing a car, capturing the sleek dynamics that define modern automobiles.

Depending on how many fine details you'd like to add, this tutorial takes a bit longer to master. So if you're feeling ready for a drawing challenge, follow the steps to create a professional-looking car illustration.

10. Draw beveled letters

Estimated time to complete: 35 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Are you a fan of typography and sign-writing? So are we.

This tutorial unfolds the steps to draw beveled letters, elevating your text into the third dimension. Beveled letters can be used for various images, such as signage, logo design, book covers, and more.

11. Design a minimalist pattern

Estimated time to complete: 30 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Minimalism speaks volumes with less. This tutorial guides you through designing a minimalist pattern, a subtle yet powerful way to communicate visually.

Dedicating about 30 minutes to this tutorial empowers you to explore the essence of minimalism and creating simple, elegant, and impactful image patterns.

12. Sketch a Minion

Estimated time to complete: 27 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Unleash your playful side by drawing a Minion, those adorable yellow henchmen from the Despicable Me films. This tutorial is a fun exercise in capturing the mischievous essence of these beloved cartoon characters.

After completing this step-by-step tutorial, you'll have a Minion with its iconic yellow body, goggles, spikey hair, and blue overalls. This is also a fun drawing project for kids.

13. Doodle different shapes of eyes

Estimated time to complete: 30 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Eyes are often said to be the windows to the soul, being one of the most expressive facial features. This tutorial dives into the art of drawing eyes, detailing how to space them apart, shape them, and add color to bring a portrait to life.

With a time commitment of about 30 minutes, you can learn the secret to crafting realistic eyes, an essential skill in portraying emotion and personality in your images.

14. Draw a nose like an artist

Estimated time to complete: 25 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

The nose is a central feature that gives a face its character. This tutorial explores individual nose shapes and the art of building a nose drawing from simple shapes.

In roughly 25 minutes, this tutorial guides you through shading and defining a nose, enhancing the realism of your life drawing.

15. Drawing hair

Estimated time to complete: 30 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Hair adds a layer of personality and style to characters. Delve into this tutorial to learn how to create cool hairstyles for flat characters using simple shapes.

Dedicating around 30 minutes to this tutorial will teach you the basics of drawing hair and inspire you to experiment with different styles, adding a new dimension to your character drawings.

16. Draw hands

Estimated time to complete: 40 minutes

Difficulty: Medium

Hand gestures help to tell a story. You can create compelling images by focusing on a hand's various facets in different positions. This tutorial guides you through the anatomy of hands and demonstrates how to draw them.

Mastering the art of drawing hands will significantly enhance your ability to convey emotion and action in your drawings.

17. Draw facial expressions

Estimated time to complete: 35 minutes

Difficulty: Medium

Facial expressions are crucial in conveying emotions in character drawing. This tutorial shows you how to create a range of expressions by tweaking basic elements of your character's face.

Investing about 35 minutes in this tutorial will enrich your ability to depict emotions accurately, making your characters more relatable and engaging.

18. Draw poses

Estimated time to complete: 40 minutes

Difficulty: Medium

Dynamic poses breathe life into characters. Running, sitting, slouching—these poses create a sense of velocity and emotion in each drawing.

Discover the art of creating lifelike character poses in this tutorial, from quick sketches of stick figures to the realistic portrayal of muscles and movements.

19. Design a character

Estimated time to complete: 45 minutes

Difficulty: Hard

Character design is a fascinating journey from a concept to a fully realized figure. Follow this step-by-step drawing tutorial to learn advanced character design techniques and bring your imaginative characters to life.

You'll delve into the creative process of character design and explore how to craft unique and memorable characters for your projects.

20. Make a drawing of a rabbit

Estimated time to complete: 33 minutes

Difficulty: Medium

This tutorial provides a step-by-step guide to drawing a cute bunny illustration from scratch.

In about 33 minutes, delve into this fun tutorial and bring this charming little creature to life on your paper or digital canvas​.

21. Draw a rose

Estimated time to complete: 21 minutes

Difficulty: Medium

Drawing a rose is a classic way to express sentiment. It's also a popular element in tattoo design. This tutorial provides a step-by-step guide that's ideal for creating Valentine's Day greeting cards, classy party invitations, or even a wallpaper for your phone.

Learn to draw a simple rose, a skill that can be used to add a romantic touch to various art and design projects.

23. Draw a cute tiger

Estimated time to complete: 15 minutes

Difficulty: Medium

Capture the ferocity and elegance of a tiger in your drawings with this tutorial.

It's a super quick 15-minute read that provides a step-by-step guide to drawing a tiger using brushes, shapes, and bright colors.

24. Draw a red panda

Estimated time to complete: 15 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

The tutorial shows how to create a digital illustration of a red panda. It's a short one to complete and is perfect for anyone exploring digital drawing for the first time.

25. Draw a dog

Estimated time to complete: 30 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Dogs are not only 'man's best friend' but also a delightful drawing subject. This tutorial steps into the playful world of dogs, capturing this beloved animal's friendly and loyal essence.

In around 30 minutes, you can learn to draw a dog in various poses to portray its playful and affectionate nature. The tutorial is a fun way to practice drawing while paying homage to our furry companions.

Looking for more cool drawing ideas?

If you've warmed up your drawing muscles and are ready for a bigger challenge, check out our 110 drawing ideas to keep improving your skills.

You can also tap into more drawing and design tutorials by visiting the Linearity Academy. It features our helpful library of step-by-step videos on everything from designing candle labels to social media posts—both on iPad and Desktop.