How to Draw a Snake Step-by-Step: Easy & Fun Guide for Beginners

Learning to draw a snake doesn’t have to be complicated. Whether you’re a child discovering art or an adult seeking a relaxing creative activity, drawing a snake can be simple and rewarding. In this easy-to-follow tutorial, we’ll guide you through step-by-step instructions to create a realistic or cute snake drawing using basic shapes and lines. Perfect for improving your sketching skills — and perfect for beginners!


Understanding the Context

Why Draw a Snake?

  • Builds confidence with basic shapes
  • Enhances hand-eye coordination
  • Develops attention to detail
  • Great for creative expression or cartoon art projects
  • Ideal for learning animal anatomy basics

What You’ll Need

Key Insights

  • A pencil (HB or 2B is best for beginners)
  • An eraser
  • A sheet of paper
  • Optional: Colored pencils, markers, or crayons

Easy Snake Drawing: Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Draw the Head
Start with a simple oval or a teardrop shape for the snake’s head. Keep it smooth and slightly pointed at the nose — this gives your snake personality! You can make the head wider or more elongated depending on whether you want a cute cartoon snake or a realistic one.

Step 2: Add the Neck and Body
From the back of the head, draw a long, slightly curved line extending backward for the neck. Connect it to a slender, flowing body shape—long, smooth curves work best for giving a graceful snake look.

Final Thoughts

Step 3: Sketch the Face (Optional)
Add two small ovals for eyes — one larger and rounded for the pupil, and a tiny dot for the highlight. A simple curved line under the head can form a smiling mouth.

Step 4: Define the Body Details
Snakes have scaly skin — add diagonal lines across the body to suggest texture. Use short, steady strokes following the curve of the body to simulate scales. Keep the lines light and flowing.

Step 5: Refine the Shape
Erase any harsh lines and smooth out the curves. Adjust proportions to make the snake look balanced. Decide whether your snake is coiled, slithering, or standing upright — this affects how you curve the body.

Step 6: Add Final Touches
Enhance features like eyes, pupils, and maybe a faint tongue or breath lines for detail. Color your snake using vibrant greens, browns, or bold textures to make it pop!


Tips for Success

  • Start light so corrections are easy
  • Use reference photos to understand snake anatomy
  • Practice basic curves and flowing lines first
  • Experiment with styles — simple, cartoonish, or photorealistic

Why This Method Works for Beginners

  • Breaks complex forms into simple shapes
  • Focuses on flow and movement
  • Encourages patience and observation
  • No prior drawing experience needed