How to Draw Merida: Easy 10-Step Disney Princess Guide

Ready to capture the spirit of the Scottish Highlands? This tutorial is perfect for young artists ages 7+ who want to draw the brave Princess Merida. You will need a pencil, an eraser, and your favorite coloring markers to bring her iconic look to life.

10 Steps

🎯 Final Result

A high-quality, colorful drawing of Princess Merida from Brave, showcasing her curly hair and archer outfit.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Sketching the Face and Features

Pencil sketch showing the initial U-shaped jawline and almond-shaped eyes for Merida's face.

Start by drawing a soft 'U' shape for the jawline. For the eyes, sketch two almond shapes and add pupils inside. Tip: Keep your pencil pressure light here so you can easily erase and adjust the symmetry of her expression.

Step 2: Starting the Iconic Curls

Drawing the initial outline of Merida's voluminous, curly hair using swirling lines.

Begin framing her face with large, swirling 'U' shapes to represent her wild hair. Tip: Don't worry about making the curls perfect; Merida’s hair is naturally messy and voluminous, so organic, uneven shapes look best.

Step 3: Expanding the Hair Volume

Adding additional layers of curly hair texture using connected U-shaped lines.

Continue adding more layers of curls around the head. Use sharp, pointed ends where the hair strands meet. Tip: Vary the size of your 'U' shapes to give her hair a more realistic, textured look.

Step 4: Defining the Hair Silhouette

Completing the outer silhouette of Merida's large, curly hair.

Fill in the outer edges of the hair. Keep the lines flowing and bouncy. Tip: Imagine the hair is moving in the wind—this helps you decide where to place the curves.

Step 5: Drawing the Neck and Shoulders

Sketching the neck and shoulder lines to connect the head to the body.

Draw two vertical lines for the neck, then curve them outward to form the shoulders. Tip: Make sure the neck isn't too thin; it needs to support that big, beautiful hair!

Step 6: Sketching the Dress and Sleeves

Adding the dress neckline and sleeve details to the torso sketch.

Add the neckline of her dress with a 'U' and 'V' shape. Draw the arms with crescent shapes to show her rolled-up sleeves. Tip: Use slightly curved lines for the arms to make them look natural rather than stiff.

Step 7: Adding the Arrow

Drawing the hand holding an arrow with a diamond-shaped tip.

Draw Merida’s hand holding an arrow. Use parallel lines for the shaft and a diamond shape for the arrowhead. Tip: Keep the arrow straight to show she is a skilled archer!

Step 8: Drawing the Bow

Adding the bow held by Merida, shaped like a wide W.

Draw the bow using a wide 'W' shape that passes through her hand. Tip: Make sure the bow looks sturdy by adding a few extra lines to show thickness.

Step 9: Completing the Dress

Drawing the bowstring and the long skirt with fabric folds.

Draw the bowstring and the long, flowing skirt of her dress. Add a few vertical lines to suggest fabric folds. Tip: Folds in the fabric make your drawing look much more professional and dynamic.

Step 10: Bringing Merida to Life with Color

Final colored illustration of Merida with her signature red hair and blue dress.

Time to color! Use a vibrant orange-red for her hair and a deep royal blue for her dress. Tip: Use light pressure with your pencils to blend colors, or press harder for bold, solid blocks of color.