How to Draw a Penguin by Oliver Jeffers

In celebration of our heart-warming adaptation of Oliver Jeffers' Lost and Found for the stage, we're sharing the award-winning author and illustrator's guide to drawing your very own penguin.

Follow Oliver’s 12 steps for a perfect illustration – it might be exactly like the original, or all your own. And, when you’re done, we’d love to see them!

A penguin illustration by Oliver Jeffers that says ' How to draw a penguin by Oliver Jeffers. 1. We all know how important it is to draw from real life so step 1 is: borrow a penguin'

Illustration of a photo of a penguin that says '2. Ok, so its pretty tricky to borrow a penguin. And they are quite expensive, so buying one is out of the question. If you failed to complete step 1, then step 2 is find a photograph of a penguin.'

An illustration of a penguin x-ray that says '3. Can’t find a photo? Alright, Alright I’ll show you. As you can see from this study of the anatomy of a penguin, it is made up of only three parts: head, body and useless wings. It’s important to get these right.'

An illustration of two circles one on top of the other that says '4. Lets get the proportion first by drawing a circle on top of a bigger circle.'

Outline illustration of a penguin that says '5. The bigger circle is the body. Draw in how it meets the head.'

Outline illustration of a penguin that says '6. Now for his wings, which look like two sausages on either side.'

Outline illustration of a penguin with the black sections coloured in that says '7. Penguins look like waiters, so lets give him his white shirt by colouring in his head, wings and sides, black.'

Outline illustration of a penguin that says '8. It’s time to add his beak, which is a blob of orange in the middle of his face. While you are at the orange, do a bit on the fluff on his neck.'

Two illustrations of penguins side by side that says '9. His eyes are two dots of white paint. Where you put them changes where he is looking.'

A full formed illustration of a penguin with orange beak and white eyes that says '10. Lets decide where the sun is. For the sake of argument, we will say its to the right. This means we put in a shadow to the left, and make his belly fluff a bit darker on the left too.'

An illustration of a penguin with a shadow that says '11. We are ready for the final touch, his feet, which are really just two blobs of orange at the bottom of his body.'

An illustration of a penguin with a tea tray that says '12. There you go! You now have a penguin and you can make him do whatever you want.'

Illustrations by Oliver Jeffers. How To Draw a Penguin first appeared in The Guardian, 2011.

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Share your drawings with us by tagging Factory International in your posts!

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