Ravens are a favorite drawing subject in the fall. They suit Halloween cards, autumn journals and any page that needs a little drama. This pencil sketch from Cartooning Club XL builds a realistic raven from a few simple shapes, then adds shading and feather texture one layer at a time. You need a pencil, an eraser and some patience. No drawing experience required.
How to draw a raven: the plan
- Block in the bird with a circle, two straight lines and a curve.
- Add the wing, the leg and a heavy, hooked beak.
- Shade the whole body lightly with the side of the pencil.
- Build up dark feather texture on the head, then the wings and tail.
Raven or crow?
They look alike on paper. A raven is bigger, with a thicker, more curved beak, shaggy feathers at the throat and a wedge-shaped tail. A crow has a slimmer beak, a smoother neck and a fan-shaped tail. Draw the beak heavier and add ruffled throat feathers to make your bird read as a raven.
Pencils to use
An HB or 2B pencil is perfect for the light guide lines because it erases cleanly. Switch to a soft 4B, 6B or 8B for the dark feathers. Ravens are black, so most of the work is building up dark values without losing the shape. A kneaded eraser lifts highlights back out of dark areas, and a paper blending stump softens the base shading.
Drawing black feathers that still look like feathers
A raven is not flat black. Its feathers shine with a blue-purple gloss. Leave thin streaks of light grey along the top edges of the wing feathers and on the crown, and keep a bright dot in the eye. Press harder where feathers overlap and lighter on the edges that catch the light. That contrast is what makes the bird look glossy instead of like a silhouette.
Getting the proportions right
The head circle sets the scale for everything else. The body runs about three head widths from the neck to the tail tip, and the beak is nearly as long as the head is wide. If the bird looks off, check those three measurements before you start shading. It is much easier to fix a guide line than a finished feather.
How long it takes
The shapes take about five minutes. The shading and feathers take the rest, so plan on an hour or more for a finished sketch. Pause the video and work at your own pace.
Common mistakes
- Dark guide lines. Press lightly at the start. Heavy sketch lines show through the shading.
- A tiny beak. Ravens have big, heavy beaks. Make it longer than feels right.
- Smudged highlights. Rest your hand on a scrap of paper so you do not drag graphite across the page.
Ideas for your raven
Draw it on cream card for a Halloween invitation, add a full moon behind it, or perch it on a pumpkin. Frame a finished sketch for October, or teach it to a grandchild as a fall art afternoon.
Keep practicing birds with our guides to drawing a bird, a cardinal and an owl. For darker, smoother feathers, brush up on shading with pencil.
