How to Draw Snake: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

Learning how to draw snake can be an exciting artistic challenge for beginners and experienced artists alike. Snakes offer wonderful opportunities to practice fluid lines, texture rendering, and dynamic poses. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll break down the process of drawing snakes into easy-to-follow steps, covering everything from basic shapes to realistic details. Whether you want to create a simple cartoon snake or a highly detailed realistic serpent, these techniques will help you master snake drawing.

Table of Contents

• Essential Drawing Materials
• Understanding Snake Anatomy
• Starting with Basic Shapes
• Step-by-Step Snake Drawing
• Adding Scales and Textures
• Different Snake Poses to Try
• Coloring Your Snake Drawing
• Pro Tips for Better Snake Drawings

Essential Drawing Materials

Before we dive into how to draw snake, let’s gather the right tools. While you can start with just a pencil and paper, having these materials will enhance your drawing experience:

• Drawing pencils (HB, 2B, 4B for varying line weights)
• Quality drawing paper or sketchbook
• Eraser (kneaded and vinyl)
• Blending stumps or tortillons
• Fine liner pens (for inking if desired)
• Colored pencils or watercolors (optional)
• Reference photos of snakes

Understanding Snake Anatomy

To draw snakes convincingly, it’s crucial to understand their basic anatomy. Snakes have several distinctive features:

Key Snake Anatomy Features

• Head shape: Typically triangular or rounded depending on species
• Eyes: Often round or vertical slits (for venomous species)
• Body: Long, cylindrical with consistent width or tapered
• Scales: Overlapping plates covering the entire body
• Underside: Wider belly scales (scutes) in most species

Movement and Posture

Snakes move in characteristic ways that influence how you should draw them:

• S-curves: Most common resting position
• Coiled pose: Defensive or striking position
• Straight lines: When moving quickly
• Vertical climbing: For arboreal species

Starting with Basic Shapes

When learning how to draw snake, beginning with simple shapes makes the process much easier. Here’s the fundamental approach:

1. Start with a curved line for the spine
2. Add ovals along the line to represent body segments
3. Connect the ovals with smooth curves
4. Sketch a triangle or oval for the head
5. Add a tapered line for the tail

Step-by-Step Snake Drawing

Now let’s break down the complete process of drawing a snake in a coiled position:

Step 1: Basic Outline

Lightly sketch a spiral shape to represent the coiled body. Keep your lines loose and fluid.

Step 2: Head and Tail Placement

Add a slightly flattened circle for the head at one end of the coil. Sketch a tapering line for the tail at the opposite end.

Step 3: Refining the Body

Connect your initial spiral with smooth curves to create the snake’s body. Remember that snakes have consistent thickness except near the tail.

Step 4: Facial Features

Add eyes, nostrils, and the characteristic forked tongue. Position the eyes on the sides of the head for most species.

Step 5: Final Outline

Go over your sketch with confident lines, erasing any unnecessary construction lines.

Adding Scales and Textures

The key to realistic snake drawings lies in the scales. Here’s how to approach this challenging aspect:

Scale Patterns by Species

• Diamond pattern: Rattlesnakes and vipers
• Smooth scales: Many non-venomous snakes
• Keeled scales: Rough texture with ridge down center
• Belly scales: Larger rectangular plates

Drawing Scales Effectively

1. Lightly sketch scale rows following body curves
2. Start with the belly scales if visible
3. Add dorsal scales in staggered rows
4. Use short curved lines for individual scales
5. Vary pressure for depth and shadow

Different Snake Poses to Try

Once you’ve mastered the basic coiled position, experiment with these dynamic poses:

• Striking pose: Head drawn back, neck in S-curve
• Slithering movement: Gentle S-curves along length
• Climbing pose: Wrapped around a branch
• Defensive coil: Tight spiral with raised head
• Sidewinder movement: Distinctive desert locomotion

Coloring Your Snake Drawing

Color can bring your snake drawing to life. Consider these coloring tips:

Common Snake Color Patterns

• Green tree snakes: Vibrant greens with yellow accents
• Desert species: Tans, browns, and sandy colors
• Coral snakes: Bright red, yellow, and black bands
• Black mambas: Dark olive to gray coloration

Coloring Techniques

1. Start with light base colors
2. Layer darker tones for shadows
3. Leave highlights on scale edges
4. Use directional strokes following scale patterns
5. Blend colors smoothly for natural