How to Draw Sully: Easy Step-by-Step Guide for Kids

Bring James P. Sullivan to life with this fun, guided drawing activity perfect for ages 6+. You will need a pencil, an eraser, and your favorite coloring markers or crayons. Follow these steps to master Sully's iconic fur and friendly monster features while building confidence in your artistic skills.

10 Steps

🎯 Final Result

Finished, colorful illustration of Sully from Monsters, Inc. ready for display.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Sketching the Head and Face

Close-up sketch of Sully's eyes and nose showing basic oval and triangle shapes for facial structure.

Near the top of your paper, draw two lemon-shaped ovals for the eyes. Add small circles inside for the pupils. For the nose, sketch a rounded triangle pointing up and another pointing down, then connect them with curved lines. Teacher's Tip: Keep your pencil lines light so you can easily erase any mistakes later!

Step 2: Defining the Furry Head

Drawing Sully's head outline using jagged, fur-like strokes to create texture.

Use short, jagged, squiggly lines to create Sully's bushy eyebrows and the top of his head. These lines should look like little hills. Teacher's Tip: Don't worry about making the lines perfect; the messier the lines, the more 'furry' he will look!

Step 3: Adding Shoulders and Horns

Sketching Sully's shoulders and horns using sharp, curved lines.

Draw curved, pointed lines for the shoulders that look like porcupine quills. Add two C-shaped horns on top of his head. Teacher's Tip: Make the horns slightly asymmetrical to give your monster a bit of personality.

Step 4: Sketching the Hand

Detailed drawing of Sully's hand showing fingers and sharp claws.

Draw a large loop for the thumb and three smaller, overlapping loops for the fingers. Add small triangles at the tips for claws. Teacher's Tip: Use a 'sausage' shape technique to make the fingers look thick and strong.

Step 5: Defining the Torso

Outlining Sully's torso and arm with jagged lines to represent fur texture.

Use broad, dashed, and pointed lines to outline the body and elbow. This creates the illusion of thick, shaggy fur. Teacher's Tip: Keep your strokes rhythmic to maintain the 'furry' look throughout the body.

Step 6: Adding the Second Arm

Drawing the second arm and hand of Sully with consistent fur texture.

Draw the second arm using diagonal lines and thick loops for the fingers. Don't forget the small triangles for the claws! Teacher's Tip: Ensure the arm looks connected to the shoulder by overlapping your lines slightly.

Step 7: Legs and Tail

Sketching Sully's legs and tail with jagged fur-like outlines.

Use jagged lines to create the legs and a tapering shape at the base for the tail. Teacher's Tip: Make the tail look thick at the base and thinner at the tip for a natural look.

Step 8: Adding Toes and Spikes

Adding details like toes, claws, and tail spikes to the Sully drawing.

Draw thick, sausage-like toes with triangular claws. Add rounded triangles along the tail for spikes. Teacher's Tip: Use varying sizes for the spikes to make them look more realistic.

Step 9: Final Fur Details

Adding final fur texture patches to complete the outline of Sully.

Add small patches of fur using zigzag lines across the body and arms to complete the texture. Teacher's Tip: Focus on the elbows and knees for these extra details to make him look extra fluffy.

Step 10: Bringing Sully to Life with Color

Final colored drawing of Sully from Monsters, Inc. with teal fur and purple spots.

Great job! Now, color his fur teal with purple spots. Use brown for the claws and tan for the horns. Teacher's Tip: Use light pressure with your crayons to blend the colors smoothly for a professional look.