How to Draw a Tiger (Easy Step-by-Step for Kids)

To draw a tiger, start with a round head and two round ears. Add a muzzle with a nose and smile, then a sitting body and paws. Finish with a curvy tail and bold stripes.

Finished cartoon tiger sitting, orange with black stripes, a white muzzle, chest and paws, a pink nose and pink inner ears
The finished tiger
Steps
6 easy steps
You need
  • Pencil
  • Eraser
  • Black marker
  • Orange, black and pink crayons

Updated

Teaching this to a class?

Show one step at a time on the board and wait for the class before the next. The directed drawing for kids page explains how to run it.

How to draw a tiger step by step

  1. A round head with two round ears, each with a smaller circle inside

    Step 1 of 6: Draw a round head with two round ears, each with a small circle inside.

  2. Two round eyes with a shine dot and an oval muzzle with a triangle nose and a smile

    Step 2 of 6: Add two shiny eyes and an oval muzzle with a triangle nose and a smile.

  3. A sitting body under the head with two front legs, round back legs and paws with toe lines

    Step 3 of 6: Draw a sitting body with two front legs, round back legs and paws with toe lines.

  4. A long tail curving up on the left side with two stripe lines across it

    Step 4 of 6: Add a long tail curving up on the left, with two stripe lines across it.

  5. Stripes on the forehead, on each cheek, on both sides of the body and more on the tail

    Step 5 of 6: Draw stripes on the forehead, on each cheek, on both sides of the body and on the tail.

  6. The tiger colored orange with black stripes, a white muzzle, chest and paws, a pink nose and pink inner ears

    Step 6 of 6: Color the tiger orange, the stripes black and the nose and inner ears pink. Leave the chest white.

Tips for little artists

  • Tip: Press lightly with the pencil first. Trace the lines you like with the marker, then erase the rest.

  • Tip: Draw each stripe thick at the edge and thin at the tip, like a long thorn.

  • Tip: Leave the muzzle, chest and paws white. The white makes the orange look brighter.

Make it yours

  • White tiger

    Leave the fur white, color the stripes black and give it blue eyes.

  • Tiger cub

    Make the head and paws bigger and the body smaller for a baby tiger.

  • Tiger in the jungle

    Draw tall green grass and a few big leaves behind the tiger.

Common mistakes and easy fixes

  • It looks like a bear

    Add the stripes. The stripes and the long tail are what make it a tiger.

  • The stripes cross the whole face

    Keep the stripes short. Start them at the edge of the head and stop before the eyes.

  • The tail comes out of the back

    Start the tail low, behind one back leg, then curve it up beside the body.

Fun facts about the tiger

Questions grown-ups ask

How do you draw a tiger easy?

Draw a round head with ears and a muzzle. Add a sitting body, a tail and stripes. The 6 steps above follow that order.

How do you draw a cute tiger?

Give it a big round head, round ears, shiny eyes and a small smile. Short stripes and white paws finish the cute look.

How do you draw a tiger step by step?

Start with the head and ears, then the face, the body, the tail and the stripes. Color it orange last.

If your stripes came out different sizes, that's fine. Every tiger has its own stripes. More easy drawings for kids are on the home page.

Step 1 of 6

A round head with two round ears, each with a smaller circle inside
Draw a round head with two round ears, each with a small circle inside.