A squirrel's bushy tail and alert, bright-eyed expression make it one of nature's most charming drawing subjects. Parikshet breaks the squirrel down into its key shapes — the oval body, the dramatic tail, and the large dark eyes — so even beginners can capture it well.

🖍️ What You Need

  • Pencil and eraser
  • Brown and tan markers
  • Black pen for details
  • Optional: orange or red-brown for a red squirrel version

How to Draw a Squirrel Step by Step

  1. Draw the body — a rounded oval for the main body, positioned slightly to one side.
  2. Add the head — a smaller circle connected to the top of the body. Squirrel heads are relatively small.
  3. Draw the ears — two pointed ears at the top of the head. Red squirrels have tufted ear tips.
  4. Add the face — large, round black eyes, a small pointed nose, and two prominent front teeth showing in the smile.
  5. Sketch the front paws — small, delicate hands held up near the chest (as if holding a nut).
  6. Add the hind legs — larger, powerful back legs showing the squirrel in a sitting position.
  7. Draw the tail — this is the star of the drawing. A massive, bushy, comma-shaped tail curving up and over the back. Fill it with dense, fluffy fur texture lines.
  8. Add a nut — an acorn or round nut between the front paws.
💡 Parikshet's Tip: The tail should be about the same size as the entire rest of the body. Squirrels use their tails for balance, warmth, and signalling — drawing it too small makes it look like a rat.