How to Draw a Gorilla Face: Easy 9-Step Guide for Kids

Bring the king of the jungle to life with this simple, guided drawing lesson perfect for ages 5 and up. You will only need a pencil, an eraser, and a piece of paper to master these expressive primate features. Follow along to develop your shading skills and learn how to capture the powerful, gentle look of a gorilla.

10 Steps

🎯 Final Result

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Sketching the Eyes

Two almond-shaped gorilla eyes with dark pupils drawn on white paper.

Draw two almond-shaped outlines for the eyes. Add a dark, circular pupil inside each. Teacher's Tip: Keep the eyes level with each other to give your gorilla a calm, focused expression.

Step 2: Defining the Eye Sockets

Curved lines added around the eyes to define the gorilla's brow structure.

Add curved lines around the eyes to create the heavy brow and eye sockets. Teacher's Tip: Gorillas have deep-set eyes; using layered, curved lines helps create that sense of depth.

Step 3: Drawing the Nose

A wide, flat, peanut-shaped nose structure centered below the eyes.

Sketch the nostrils using a peanut-shaped outline, then add curved lines around it. Teacher's Tip: A gorilla's nose is wide and flat; keep your lines soft and rounded rather than sharp.

Step 4: Creating the Mouth and Chin

A wide, smiling mouth and a defined chin area drawn below the nose.

Draw a wide, gentle curve for the mouth and a small line for the chin. Teacher's Tip: Adding tiny lines at the corners of the mouth gives your gorilla a friendly, approachable look.

Step 5: Shaping the Head

A large, dome-shaped head outline with jagged fur textures on top.

Use long, jagged curved lines to form the dome of the head. Teacher's Tip: Don't make the lines perfectly smooth; the jagged edges represent the gorilla's thick, coarse fur.

Step 6: Outlining the Face Sides

The sides of the gorilla's face are drawn, connecting the head to the chin.

Connect the head to the chin using curved lines that meet at points. Teacher's Tip: These lines define the cheek area, so keep them slightly wider than the chin.

Step 7: Adding Fur Detail

Additional fur textures added to the chin and forehead areas.

Add more furry, jagged lines around the chin and forehead. Teacher's Tip: Vary the length of your lines to make the fur look natural and layered.

Step 8: Refining the Features

Subtle contour lines added to the forehead and cheeks for definition.

Add subtle curved lines along the forehead and cheeks to show muscle structure. Teacher's Tip: Use light pressure here; you want these to be subtle shadows, not heavy outlines.

Step 9: Final Touches

The completed gorilla face outline with all final details and contours.

Add final contour lines around the eyes, nose, and mouth to complete the face. Teacher's Tip: Step back and look at your drawing from a distance to see if you want to darken any areas for more contrast.

Step 10: Bring Your Gorilla to Life with Color

A fully colored gorilla face drawing with realistic fur shading.

Fill in your drawing using shades of black, dark brown, or grey. Teacher's Tip: Use a lighter grey for the face and a darker black for the fur to create a realistic, three-dimensional effect.