How To Draw a Cute Cow

Today, we’re diving into the barnyard to sketch a character that’s both adorable and a blast to create—a cute cow! With a few simple steps, you’ll transform basic shapes and lines into a friendly bovine buddy. So, let’s grab those color pencils and start our creative journey into the world of drawing farm animals.

Your kids will love making this cute cow drawing, and it’s a fun and easy way to get in some fun bonding time together.

Keep reading for our quick tutorial video that will really help you see how your funny cow can come together.

What You’ll Need to make your Drawing of a Cow

Paper or a sketchbook
Color pencils in black, white, and pink (or any colors you fancy!)
Your imagination!

Drawing Your Cow Step by Step

Watch our video tutorial, but we’ve broken it down into a step by step guide below in case you need a refresher. You can also pause the video to allow you to work.

The Nose Knows: Begin with an oval shape for the nose. This will be the central point from which the rest of our cow will take shape.
Nostril Time: Inside the nose, draw two smaller circles for the nostrils. Place them towards the bottom of the oval to give it a realistic look.
Smile Please: Just below the nose, add a curved line for the mouth. It’s just a simple smile, but it brings our cow’s face to life.
Head Held High: Now, draw the upper part of the head around the nose. This will form the foundation for where the eyes will sit.
Seeing Spots: Above the nose, on either side of the upper head, add two eyes. Keep them simple; circles or two small ovals will do the trick for now. We will come back and add a little more detail to our simple shapes later
Ears to Hear: On top of the head, sketch two ear shapes on either side.
A Horn Here and There: Between the ears, add two small horn shapes. They don’t need to be too big—just enough to notice.
The Body and Legs: Now that the cow’s head is done, let’s draw the side of the body of the cow. From the head, extend the lines to form a large, rounded shape for the body, and add four legs with hooves.
Tail of Tales: On the backside of the body, add a little tail with a tuft on the end.
Details Delight: Go back to the eyes and ears to add more details. Give those eyes some expression with tiny circles for a sparkle and shade them a bit, and don’t forget to detail the inner part of the ears.
Cow Couture: It’s time for the iconic cow pattern. Add various irregular shapes across the body for the cow’s spots. This is my favorite of these easy steps – great fun! By adding the pattern, you instantly feel your baby cow come to life.
Coloring Fun: With your black and white pencils, color in the patterns on the body, the hooves, and the tips of the ears to add some vibrancy to your cute art work. Use pink to add some blush to the nose and the inner ears. Feel free to add any additional colors you like to make your cow unique!
Finishing Touches: Step back and admire your work. Add any additional details or colors you’d like to see in your drawing. Remember, it’s your artwork—there’s no right or wrong way to be creative!

And there you have it—a cute, cartoon cow drawn by you and the kids! Remember, the key to learning to draw is practice. The more you draw, the better you’ll get. So don’t worry if it’s not perfect the first time. Each simple cow you draw will have its own personality and style, and that’s something to be proud of. Keep these steps handy for next time, and maybe you can even teach a friend!

If you loved this tutorial and want to keep learning, don’t forget to check out our other free drawing lessons. Keep creating, and soon, you’ll have a whole herd of cute cows!