How to Draw Anubis: Easy Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

Bring the mystery of Ancient Egypt to life with this Anubis drawing guide, designed for young artists and history buffs. You will need a pencil, an eraser, and a piece of paper to complete this character study. Follow these steps to master the iconic jackal-headed silhouette and build your confidence in drawing mythological figures.

10 Steps

🎯 Final Result

A vibrant, finished illustration of the Egyptian god Anubis, showcasing the completed drawing steps.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Sketching the Base Head Shape

A light pencil sketch of a circle on white paper, serving as the base for the Anubis head.

Draw a light circle to serve as the foundation for the head. Teacher's Tip: Keep your pencil pressure very light here; this is a guide shape that we will partially erase later, so don't press too hard!

Step 2: Defining the Ears and Snout

Drawing the tall, pointed ears and elongated snout of Anubis using curved lines.

Erase the top and side of your circle. In the opening, draw two tall, curved triangles for the ears, and a long, curved shape for the snout. Teacher's Tip: Make the snout slightly rounded at the tip to give it a natural, canine look.

Step 3: Adding the Headdress

Adding the traditional Egyptian headdress texture to the side of the head.

Erase the opposite side of the circle and replace it with an irregular four-sided shape. Add small curved lines inside to suggest fabric texture. Teacher's Tip: Think of this as a piece of cloth draped over the head; keep the lines flowing downward.

Step 4: Drawing the Neck and Collar

Sketching the neck and the detailed, patterned collar of the Anubis figure.

Outline the neck and add a decorative collar at the base with small, shaded triangles. Teacher's Tip: Use a ruler if you want the collar bands to be perfectly straight, or keep them hand-drawn for a more organic, ancient feel.

Step 5: Sketching the Muscular Arm

Adding the muscular arm structure using overlapping curved lines.

Use overlapping curved lines to sketch the shape of the arm. Teacher's Tip: Overlapping lines are the secret to showing depth—it makes the arm look round rather than flat.

Step 6: Adding the Armband

Detailing the armband on the bicep with vertical texture lines.

Draw horizontal lines across the bicep to create an armband, adding vertical texture lines between them. Teacher's Tip: Keep your vertical lines evenly spaced to make the armband look like polished metal.

Step 7: Sculpting the Torso

Defining the chest and abdominal muscles with smooth, curved lines.

Use curved lines to define the pectoral and abdominal muscles. Teacher's Tip: Think of these as 'C' shapes or parentheses to show the curve of the body.

Step 8: Completing the Headdress

Finalizing the headdress drape falling from the jaw to the chest.

Add more curved lines from the jaw to the chest to finish the headdress drape. Teacher's Tip: Ensure these lines follow the contour of the neck to make it look realistic.

Step 9: Adding Facial Details

Drawing the detailed, sharp-cornered eye and eyebrow of the Anubis character.

Draw the eye with pointed corners and add a sharp eyebrow shape above it. Teacher's Tip: The eye is the focal point—take your time to make the corners sharp to give Anubis a wise, intense expression.

Step 10: Bringing Anubis to Life with Color

The completed Anubis drawing, colored with dark tones and bright gold accents.

Color your drawing! Traditionally, Anubis is depicted in deep blacks or dark blues with gold accents. Teacher's Tip: Use a yellow or metallic gold crayon for the collar and armband to make them pop against the dark skin.