A beaver is easier to draw once you stop thinking of it as a generic furry animal and look for the few features that make it recognisable: a compact body, a blunt head, small ears, short front legs and a wide, flat tail.
For this beginner tutorial, choose a photograph of a beaver on land. A side view will make it easier to see the body, feet and tail. You can draw with pencil, pen, charcoal or whatever medium you normally use in your sketchbook.
Start with a clear reference
Look for a photograph where the beaver is not hidden by water, branches or long grass. Try to find one in which you can see:
- The complete outline of the body
- At least two feet
- The head and muzzle
- The connection between the body and tail
- The broad surface of the tail
If you cannot see the complete animal, you will have to invent more of the drawing. My guide to choosing an animal drawing reference can help you find a photograph that is easier to work from.
Notice the beaver’s main features
Before you begin, take a moment to study the animal.
A beaver has a rounded, heavy body that sits fairly close to the ground. The head connects to the body with very little visible neck. Its eyes and rounded ears are small, while the muzzle is broad and blunt.
The front legs are short and end in small, dexterous paws. The hind feet are much larger. Behind the body is the feature most people recognise immediately: a broad, flattened tail.
Keep returning to these relationships as you draw.
1. Place the beaver on the page
Lightly mark where the nose, back, feet and end of the tail will sit.
These small marks will help you judge the amount of space the animal needs. Beavers are longer than they may initially appear, especially when the tail is fully visible.
Leave more room behind the body than you think you need. This will prevent you from squeezing the tail against the edge of the page.
2. Follow the top of the body
Begin at the top of the head and follow the outer edge across the back.
Do not try to make the contour perfectly smooth. Fur, posture and the angle of the photograph may create small changes along the edge.
The back will usually form a broad curve rather than a straight line. Follow what you see until you reach the point where the tail begins.
I often use several light marks here instead of committing to one dark outline.
3. Draw the head and muzzle
Return to the front of the beaver and observe the slope from the forehead towards the nose.
The head is broad and fairly blunt. Avoid giving it a sharply pointed muzzle, since that can make the animal resemble a rat, otter or other small mammal.
Add the lower jaw and look for the lighter or darker fur around the mouth. If the teeth are visible, place them carefully beneath the upper lip rather than making them the largest feature of the face.
The small eye usually sits high on the side of the head. The ear appears as a small rounded shape behind it.
4. Find the underside of the body
Follow the chest downward towards the front legs. Then look for the belly as it continues towards the hindquarters.
Much of a beaver’s underside may be hidden by fur or by the ground. You do not have to invent a complete edge where you cannot see one.
Instead, use the visible feet, shadows and changes in fur direction to suggest where the body meets the ground.
5. Add the front legs and paws
Beavers have short front legs that can be easy to lose beneath the body.
Choose the clearest front leg and follow it down towards the paw. Look for the angle of the wrist and the way the toes rest on the ground or hold an object.
If the beaver is holding a branch, draw the relationship between the paws and branch before adding smaller details. The action will help the paws make sense.
The second front leg may be partly hidden. Allow it to disappear behind the chest if that is what you see.
6. Draw the hind feet
The hind feet are larger and longer than the front paws.
In a side view, one may project from beneath the body while the other is almost completely hidden. Pay attention to where the heel rests and which direction the toes point.
Do not feel that you need to draw every toe or section of webbing. Establish the width and direction of the foot first, then add only the details that remain visible in your reference.
My animal drawing anatomy guide explains how I use visible joints and weight without turning the drawing into an anatomy diagram.
7. Draw the flat tail
The beaver’s tail needs careful observation because it should not look like an ordinary furry tail.
First, mark where the tail emerges from the hindquarters. Follow its direction towards the end, then add the second edge to establish its width.
The tail may look oval, tapered or slightly asymmetrical depending on the angle. Draw the shape you can see rather than the flat paddle shape you expect.
Its surface is smoother and more textured than the fur-covered body. A few crossing or irregular marks can suggest the scaly texture, but keep them subtle. The overall shape is more important than filling it with a pattern.
8. Place the facial features
Return to the eye, nose, mouth and ear.
The eye is small and dark. Leave a tiny area of lighter paper if you see a reflection, but avoid enlarging the eye just to make it more noticeable.
The nose is broad and dark at the end of the muzzle. Look for the shadow beneath it and the line leading towards the mouth.
If the front teeth are visible, draw their width and angle carefully. They should emerge naturally from the mouth rather than appearing pasted onto the face.
Keep the ear simple. A small curved edge and a darker interior may be enough.
9. Add fur and value
Before drawing individual hairs, look for the main light and dark areas.
The face, belly and wet sections of fur may be darker than the back. Light may catch the top of the head and shoulders, while the underside remains in shadow.
Use shorter marks around the face and longer, looser marks across the body. Follow the direction of the fur rather than covering every area with the same texture.
The tail should be treated differently from the body. Use broader value and restrained surface marks so it remains visibly flatter and less furry.
If you are using graphite, my guide to animal drawing in pencil has more advice on building fur and value without drawing every hair.
Check whether it reads as a beaver
When the drawing is nearly finished, look at the complete animal rather than concentrating on the details.
Check these five features:
- The body should feel compact and heavy.
- The head should connect closely to the body.
- The eyes and ears should remain small.
- The hind feet should be larger than the front paws.
- The tail should be broad, flat and clearly different from the fur.
If one of these features is missing, the beaver may begin to resemble an otter, groundhog or large rat. Correcting the muzzle, body weight or tail is usually more helpful than adding extra fur.
Try another beaver pose
After drawing a beaver on land, try sketching one:
- Holding a branch
- Sitting beside the water
- Swimming with only its head and back visible
- Standing on its hind feet
- Walking towards the water
- Partly reflected in a pond
A live beaver is unlikely to remain still, so begin with photographs and videos. Later, you can make faster studies at a zoo, wildlife center or natural wetland.
My wildlife sketching guide has more advice for observing animals that continually change position.
For more beginner subjects, visit my complete collection of animal drawing tutorials.