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How to draw a standing penguin using teardrop shapes

Start with a tall teardrop for the body and small ovals for the head and feet. Add a simple beak and flippers with more teardrops, map the tuxedo belly, then refine the outline. Erase the guides and finish with light shading for roundness. Each step’s image overlays pale guide shapes and the darker final lines so you can see what to keep.

10 clear steps·Illustrated guide
A standing penguin drawing with pale blue teardrop guides visible under a clean dark outline.
  1. 01

    Lightly sketch a tall teardrop for the body

    Place a vertical teardrop in the center of your page, point down and rounded top up. Keep the lines very light—this is a guide for the penguin’s overall body.

    A pale blue vertical teardrop guide showing the basic penguin body shape with a darker outline following it.
  2. 02

    Add a small oval for the head on top

    Draw a small oval or upside-down teardrop overlapping the top of the body shape. Let it sit slightly forward to suggest the face will look to the side.

    A small head oval overlaps the top of a larger body teardrop, both in pale blue, with a darker outline hinting at the combined silhouette.
  3. 03

    Place a simple beak as a sideways teardrop

    At the front of the head, add a tiny sideways teardrop for the beak, point facing outward. Keep it modest so it fits the rounded head.

    A small sideways teardrop sits at the front of the head oval to mark the penguin’s beak.
  4. 04

    Sketch flippers with two curved teardrops

    Attach a narrow teardrop to each side of the body for flippers, points angling slightly down. Keep them smooth and hugging the body’s curve.

    Narrow teardrops on each side of the body indicate the penguin’s flippers.
  5. 05

    Block in the feet at the base

    At the bottom of the body, add two squat ovals or rounded teardrops that peek out from under the belly. Angle them outward a bit for balance.

    Two small rounded foot shapes sit at the base of the body, angled slightly outward.
  6. 06

    Map the tuxedo belly with an inner teardrop

    Inside the body, draw a softer, smaller teardrop to mark the light belly patch. Keep it centered and leave a slim border for the darker back and sides.

    A smaller inner teardrop marks the penguin’s white belly within the larger body shape.
  7. 07

    Refine the silhouette with smooth, confident lines

    Trace a clean outer contour, merging head and body, smoothing the neck, back, and belly. Adjust flippers and feet so they look attached and natural.

    Clean dark outline of a penguin overlays pale blue guides, showing a smooth, unified silhouette.
  8. 08

    Add the eye and beak detail

    Place a small round eye on the head, slightly above the beak base. Add a short line to lightly separate the upper and lower beak.

    A small round eye and a short beak line are added to the refined penguin outline.
  9. 09

    Erase the construction lines you no longer need

    Gently remove the pale guide lines and any overlaps inside shapes, keeping the clean outer contour, belly patch, and facial details intact.

    Clean penguin drawing remains while the light guide shapes are cleared away.
  10. 10

    Add simple shading for roundness

    Choose a light source from one side. Shade the opposite side of the body, under the chin, beneath each flipper, around the belly edge, and under the feet. Soften with a stump or swab for a smooth look, and add a small ground shadow.

    The penguin drawing has gentle shading for volume and a small shadow on the ground.

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