They are big, fluffy and...deadly. They look like larger versions of pets, but at the same time they are very different from them. If you want to draw one of the many big cats, don't just try to draw a bigger cat with spots or stripes on its skin. If you have a desire to learn how to draw lions, tigers, cheetahs or snow leopards, I will give you some tips. After this tutorial, you will no longer need to look for references!
Anatomy of big cats
This tutorial is about the differences between members of the big cat subfamily. If you want to learn about felines in general, I advise you to read my first tutorial dedicated to them.
Step 1
The structure of all big cats is similar, so there is no need to memorize the muscles of each of them. Just look at the diagram of a lion's muscles - in other cats, some will be larger, others shorter, but the general structure will be the same.
Step 2
If you need to draw a big cat quickly without focusing on the musculature, here is a simplified diagram of the body. It will be a good idea if you always start there and then draw in the muscles if necessary.
Step 3
The same goes for bones. I have never memorized the structure of the skeleton - you can make a simplified diagram from it, and I suggest you use this diagram for all cats. The poses presented here are not distinctive for any particular member of the family - I simply made them similar for ease of comparison.
Features of the external structure of cats
On average, the length of an adult cat excluding the tail is 50-60 cm, with the tail - 75-85 cm. Sexual dimorphism is weak - females are only 5-7 cm smaller than males. The height of cats at the withers is 25-28 cm.
The largest cat, according to the Guinness Book of Records, is a Maine Coon from Melbourne named Omar, its length is 121.9 cm.
A pet weighs on average from 2.5 to 6.5 kg, but there are breeds whose representatives are considered real heavyweights. For example, the jungle cat, Siberian cat and Maine Coon can gain weight up to 13 kg.
Head
Cats have an elongated or rounded head. Relative to the entire body, it is small in size. For example, wild relatives like the tiger and lion have a larger muzzle due to a more massive jaw and pronounced fangs.
The surface pattern of a cat's nose is unique, like a human fingerprint.
The cat can rightfully be called a big-eyed animal. And it's not just a matter of keen eyesight. Cats are among the ten animals with the largest eye sizes relative to the size of their muzzle. Thanks to this feature, cats can immediately see a picture with a 200° field of view without moving their head (for comparison, a person’s visual range is only 180°).
Each cat’s ear is controlled by more than 10 muscles, thanks to which cats can change the position of the ears on the head - press them, bend them, turn them towards the sound, etc.
A special feature of the cat is the presence of very sensitive whiskers on its face. These are hard whiskers, which at the base are penetrated by a large number of nerve endings. Under no circumstances should you pull, let alone tear out, these whiskers - this causes pain to the animal.
With the help of whiskers, the cat receives information about everything that surrounds him - about objects, about the weather, approaching enemies and even the temperature of food
Torso
The body of a cat is divided into the back, chest, and abdomen. According to the relationship of the body to the head and paws, cats have three body types:
- Heavy - these cats have a wide body, a large head and rather short but dense legs and tail.
- Lungs - the body is slender and elongated, the head seems miniature in comparison.
- Medium - in this case, there is maximum harmony between the sizes of the body, head and tail. As a rule, outbred animals have an average body type.
Hair coat is of great importance for a cat. There are no wild naked cats (sphynxes are the result of artificial selection, they are not able to survive in nature). Wool protects the animal from cold, direct rays of the sun, and injuries. Miniature muscles located at the roots of the hairs can raise them on end - at such moments, cats seem larger than usual. This is a defense mechanism designed to scare off the enemy.
Cats love to climb higher - their long tail allows them to maintain balance.
Limbs
Some people mistakenly consider only the pads on which the animal steps when walking and running to be a cat's foot. In fact, it is longer and reaches a protuberance that is a vestigial finger (it can be easily felt, since the claw never retracts into it). It turns out that the cat moves “on tiptoe” all the time.
The photo shows that cats have five fingers - 4 on one side of the pad and one, rudimentary, located away from their “comrades”, on the opposite side
Complex drawings
If the child easily copes with drawing simple sketches, you can move on to more labor-intensive work.
- Draw the animal's body in the form of an oval.
- Draw a round head to the oval, add paws and ears.
- Draw the hind legs.
- Draw the hind legs.
- Color the animal with colored pencils to make the work look realistic.
Kitten for little artists
Children find it difficult to cope with realism, so cartoon or anime stylizations are perfect. You can draw a lot of these cats and color them with multi-colored markers, paints and glitter.
Photo: uprostim.com
You will need:
Paper and markers.
How to draw:
First draw the eyes, and then from them build a muzzle with ears. Don’t rush to make solid lines - outline the main points with dotted lines. To make the kitten even cuter, you can draw its cheeks.
Did you like the post? Subscribe to our channel in Yandex.Zen, it really helps us in our development!
Add the finishing touches
If the cat you are drawing has any markings on its fur, draw them over the top. Erase all noticeable construction lines (if you draw with a pencil) or turn off the sketch layers in a graphics editor.
I decided to paint stripes on my cat. Be careful how dark you make the markings and stripes on the coat, as they can easily steal the spotlight. Use fine shading and follow the shape of the animal's body. Wool patterns, especially stripes, can add depth and dimension to your work, or make it look flat if you draw them incorrectly.
Experiment with the length, width and shape of the stripes - they are usually darker and more frequent on the tail, body and front legs, and thinner and lighter on the hind legs and around the head. Last but not least, add a light shadow under your cat's paws to indicate the ground, and you're done!
Author: Kate Oleska
Sitting cat in five steps
To draw such a cat you need to start from the head.
- It is necessary to draw a circle - the kitten's head. You need to finish drawing the ears on the head.
- Then you need to finish drawing the body. Draw an oval under the head, and another circle under it. The lines need to be connected to each other.
- Then use lines to depict the cat’s paws.
- Inside the oval head you need to depict the animal’s muzzle.
- Add a large voluminous tail to the body. The drawing is ready!
Movement lines
To depict an animal in motion, you need a line. It will demonstrate the direction of movement or the arch of the back in a calm state. The center line plays a very important role so that the depicted body is beautiful, realistic and graceful in appearance.
Romantic kittens in gouache
This drawing is very simple, but it turns out very cute. The picture is perfect for a holiday card or a touching gift in a homemade frame!
Photo: sandplay.by
You will need:
Paper, masking tape, brushes, palette, gouache.
How to draw:
Secure the paper to the table with masking tape to prevent it from fidgeting during the process. Use a wide brush to paint the background with a beautiful gradient, shading the starry sky. Draw the moon and make the stars with regular splashes.
At the very end, draw a roof and “plant” a couple of black cats on it - let them admire the sky. Using a thin brush with white paint, draw outlines and create the appearance of chiaroscuro.
Draw the features of the muzzle
Now is the time to resort to thicker, darker and more defined lines. If you are working traditionally, just take a thick pencil and apply more pressure. If you prefer graphic editors, then switch to a new layer, while setting the opacity level for the previous ones to a low level.
Draw the eyes, mouth and nose (and notice how much it resembles the letter “T”), draw the pupils. If you wish, you can draw the eyes more squinted or more open. Don't forget about your mustache - it plays an important role!
Easy step-by-step pictures of drawing a cat for children 7-8 years old
Next, let's look at several step-by-step images of cats that will help you develop artistic skills.
Save the picture you like, open it on your device screen and carefully follow all the steps, transferring them to paper.
Even a child as young as 5 years old can repeat the sequential patterns. If he knows the simplest geometric figures. We have collected the best instructions, especially for you.
- Let's depict a cat, arching his head and sharpening his claws on a wooden board. This is a fairly popular plot, but the main thing is that such a pet does not ruin the furniture in the process.
- The following step-by-step pictures will help you draw a cute sleeping cat in a sleeping-lying position. This striped whale will definitely lift your spirits!
The diagram explains how to draw a sitting cat in profile. Animals are not in this position very often, as they prefer to lie down or sleep.
- The following instructions will allow you to easily transfer a washing pet to canvas. To work, sharpen your pencils well, and gradually carry out step by step.
- The photo clearly shows the different positions of the kitten's head: in full face, with a three-quarter turn and in profile.
- A cartoon character is much easier to draw, since it consists of simple and expressive elements; the following step-by-step photo will demonstrate the process.
What else can you draw?
A cute image of a curious animal reaching for a beautiful butterfly. Absolutely everyone can do it:
Video tutorial for those who want to see how to portray a real mouse hunter in the grass:
Step-by-step lesson on how to draw a Scottish Fold cat with a pencil:
Master class for 9 year old children on drawing a furry friend at sunset. Extremely romantic and colorful image:
Internal organs
Provide the body with healthy functioning. The internal structure of a cat is represented by the respiratory, digestive, circulatory, reproductive, urinary, nervous, endocrine systems, as well as sensory organs. All systems are closely interconnected. If the organs of one of the systems are not very healthy, then this will cause illness in the others.
Respiratory system
The process of oxygen exchange is not much different from other representatives of fauna.
The respiratory system is similar to that of other animals. It consists of the nose, nasopharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi and lungs. Seals inhale and exhale between 17 and 100 times per minute. The structure and physiology of the respiratory organs is similar to other animals. The air enters the nasal cavity, where it is heated and cleared of dust. Then it enters the bronchi through the nasopharynx, larynx and trachea. From there - to the lungs. A cat's purr is produced by the anatomical structure of the larynx. A domestic cat has a purr in the neck area. This is the name of the folds on the larynx that provide such a sound.
Circulatory system
The cat's circulatory system consists of the heart and blood vessels. The heart is a hollow four-chambered organ. There are 2 circles of blood circulation: small and large. Organs and tissues are filled with blood thanks to the arteries through which it flows. And the vessels that provide blood flow from tissues to the heart are called veins. One of the large vessels is the carotid artery.
Digestion
Includes the oral cavity, esophagus, stomach, intestines, pancreas and gall bladder. Food passes through the animal's mouth, where it is chewed and swallowed. Chewed foods enter the stomach through the esophagus. The stomach contracts and food gradually passes into the duodenum and then into the small intestine. It absorbs all useful substances. Remains of food enter the large intestine and are excreted from there in the feces. The breakdown of food occurs due to the action of pancreatic enzymes.
Sexual function
Like other mammals, the ovaries are the center of hormone production.
The female cat's reproductive system includes the vulva, vagina, cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries and mammary glands. The ovaries produce the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen is responsible for their functioning, and progesterone is responsible for the condition of the uterus during pregnancy. The reproductive system of males is based on the testes, which enter the scrotum, and the testes. They produce sperm and create hormonal levels.
Urinary function
This includes 2 kidneys, ureters, urinary and urethra. The kidney is a paired organ located on the posterior wall of the peritoneum. It is pierced by nerves and arteries. The ureters come out of the kidneys and are tubes that connect to the bladder and prevent urine from flowing in the opposite direction. Location: pelvic cavity. It looks like a pear-shaped bag and acts as a urine collection bag. The urethra, or urethra, is designed to remove urine from the body.
Figure
At this stage, the head of a cat is depicted. To do this, two axes are drawn, dividing the silhouette of the head horizontally and located vertically. This is necessary for the parallel arrangement of the furry's eyes, nose, and ears. Next, the head is adjusted, the shape of the tail is selected and the paws are added.
Add muscle
The next step is to build muscle on the cat's skeleton. As before, I do not propose to draw every muscle with anatomical accuracy, no, at this stage it is much more important to grasp the overall shape of the animal’s body and its proportions.
Use broad strokes to outline the paws and be sure to pay attention to the proper shape of the lines around the joints. Make sure the outline looks complete and precise, avoiding jagged or unclear lines. And remember that cats are actually very muscular and strong, despite all their fluffiness.
Start with quick sketches
Sketch some poses based on references. Don't pay too much attention to the clarity and precision of the lines now, try to capture the very essence of the movement. These initial, rough sketches will help you understand the cat's structure; Remember: we learn faster by drawing than by just watching.
To get the most out of this exercise, you can go further and try to slightly exaggerate the cat's flexibility, as they do in cartoons. This deliberate exaggeration will help you better understand how the animal moves and how its body works.
Sense organs
Features of hearing and eyes
A cat's vision provides good vision of its surroundings at night. They distinguish objects and people that move quickly, so these animals are natural hunters. Biological features are the shape of the pupils. They are long and oval. The eyes are closed with the outer and inner eyelids, which prevents external influences. A cat's ear can move to detect the source of a sound. The hearing organs have a unique structure inside and can distinguish the tonality of sound. A cat's hearing acuity is superior to that of a human. If an animal fights, it presses its ears to its head so that they do not get hurt. The movement of the hearing organs occurs with the help of muscles, of which there are 32.
Taste buds
The role of the taste organ in cats is performed by the tongue, which is covered with papillae, giving the surface a rough appearance. Cats easily remove meat from bones and debris from fur by licking it. The tongue contains nipples, which are responsible for the perception of taste. They, unlike other animals, do not perceive sweets. Cats like sour and salty foods. Its anatomical structure prevents cats from spitting out food or dirt from their fur that gets into their mouth, so they swallow everything.
Smell and touch
The organ of smell is the nose. A cat's sense of smell helps determine whether food is fresh. They have a Jacobson organ. It is located in the sky. When cats raise their upper lip, they draw air into their nose through this organ. A cat uses scents to find food, game, or to mark its territory. The tactile organ is the mustache. They have many nerve endings, which provides good orientation in the area. At night, the cat is self-confident. The mustache is connected to visual receptors, through which external factors are recognized.
Animation drawing
The first step is to draw a vertical line. This is the future basis. The pattern must be symmetrical, passing through this axis. The following guidelines should be followed:
- The cat's body should resemble a heart, therefore, a heart is drawn through a vertical line.
- The upper part is drawn above the heart, and the head is even higher.
- The eyes, mustache, nose and other parts are indicated on the muzzle. Since the animal is animated, it is better to capture it smiling.
- Below, at the base of the heart, draw the number three, upside down. These are the kitten's future paws.
- Then draw the paws. The number 3 also represents the hind legs.
How to draw fur
Once the pose and anatomy have been drawn, you can complete the cat drawing by adding fur. The longer the hairs, the “fatter” each part of the body should be. Hair grows in a specific direction throughout the body. Before drawing a specific breed, spend a few minutes analyzing its images.
How do you need to change the proportions of the muzzle to achieve this look? How long is the fur, paws, tail? You don’t need to draw every little detail, but drawing some elements is necessary for recognition. How to draw a cat easily - use shading to draw fur.
