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

Bring this arctic giant to life with a simple, guided drawing lesson perfect for ages 5 and up. You only need a pencil, an eraser, and a piece of paper to get started. Follow along to build confidence in your sketching skills while creating a fun, character-filled walrus.

10 Steps

🎯 Final Result

A friendly, finished cartoon walrus drawing, colored and ready to display.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Sketching the Face

Close-up sketch of a walrus eye and snout outline on white paper.

Start by sketching the snout and the eyelid area. Draw a half-circle for the eye and add a small dot for the pupil. Teacher's Tip: Keep your pencil pressure light here so you can easily adjust the shape later.

Step 2: Adding the Nose and Second Eye

Drawing the nose and second eye on the walrus face.

Draw a rounded 'M' shape for the nose and two small points on the snout. Add the second eye to match the first. Teacher's Tip: Use the first eye as a guide to ensure your walrus looks symmetrical.

Step 3: Defining the Head and Neck

Outlining the head and neck shape of the cartoon walrus.

Use a 'C' shaped line to finish the lip and add curved brows. Sketch the top of the head and the sides of the neck with long, smooth strokes. Teacher's Tip: Use a fluid motion to make the neck look thick and sturdy.

Step 4: Drawing the Iconic Tusks

Adding long, curved tusks to the walrus drawing.

Extend two long, curved lines from the lip and loop them back to create the tusks. Add a small line for the lower lip. Teacher's Tip: Make the tusks slightly pointed at the ends for a realistic touch.

Step 5: Sketching the Front Flippers

Sketching the front flippers with detailed toe lines.

Draw the front flippers using short, curved lines to create the 'toes.' Connect them to the body with a smooth curve. Teacher's Tip: Walrus flippers are chunky, so don't be afraid to make them wide!

Step 6: Forming the Back and Tail

Adding the back and tail section to the walrus body.

Use overlapping curved lines to draw the back and the tail. Ensure the lines connect naturally to the body. Teacher's Tip: Overlapping lines help create the illusion of depth.

Step 7: Finalizing the Body Shape

Refining the body contour and tail of the walrus.

Close the body shape at the base of the tail with overlapping curves. Add a few contour lines to the face and body. Teacher's Tip: Keep your lines soft to give the walrus a friendly, rounded appearance.

Step 8: Adding Texture and Whiskers

Adding whisker details and skin texture lines.

Add small lines to represent skin folds. Extend curved lines from the snout for the whiskers. Teacher's Tip: Whiskers should be drawn with quick, flicking motions for a natural look.

Step 9: Final Touches

Finalizing the walrus outline with clear whisker lines.

Complete the whisker details across the lip area. Review your drawing and erase any stray guidelines. Teacher's Tip: Now is the perfect time to darken your final outline with a pen or darker pencil.

Color Your Walrus

A fully colored cartoon walrus with brown skin and white tusks.

Bring your walrus to life with color! Use shades of brown for the body and keep the tusks a clean white or light cream. Teacher's Tip: Use a darker brown to add shadows under the flippers for a 3D effect.