In this quick tutorial you'll learn how to draw a Crane in 8 easy steps - great for kids and novice artists.
The images above represent how your finished drawing is going to look and the steps involved.
Below are the individual steps - you can click on each one for a High Resolution printable PDF version.
At the bottom you can read some interesting facts about the Crane.
Make sure you also check out any of the hundreds of drawing tutorials grouped by category.
How to Draw a Crane - Step-by-Step Tutorial
Step 1: First, draw the crane's back. Draw a line that slopes down and to the right.
Step 2: Draw the wing starting at the end of the back. Cranes have very big, wide wings that help them to swim and fly very fast.
Step 3: At the end of the crane's wing is the tail. The tail is short and pointed, like a triangle.
Step 4: Now let's draw the belly. Make a long curved line just to the left of the wing.
Step 5: Next, draw the crane's head. First draw the neck, long and curved; then make an oval for the face and a long triangle with a line in the middle for the beak.
Step 6: Now draw the eye and the fur on top of the crane's head. If you need help, just draw a bunch of straight lines coming right out of the top of the head.
Step 7: After you’ve finished the fur, draw the front leg. The crane’s knee is much higher up on its leg than your knee! Also make sure to draw four toes in the front and one coming out of the back.
Step 8: Your last step is to draw the second leg. Cranes have long slender legs that help them to run and move quickly.
Interesting Facts about Cranes
Cranes are wading birds with long necks and long legs. They live on every continent but Antarctica and South America. There about 15 species of them. Eleven species of cranes are at risk of becoming extinct. The rarest of all cranes is the whooping crane; there are only about 500 left in the world.
Did you know?
- Cranes are great swimmers, but they do not have webbed feet like other wading birds such as ducks.
- Cranes are fast runners. They can outrun humans.
- Cranes can fly as fast as 52 miles per hour.
- Some food that cranes eat includes plant roots, small mammals, reptiles, other birds’ eggs, worms, and clams.
- Some species of cranes migrate over many miles, while others do not migrate at all.
- The Sarus crane is the tallest of all flying birds. It is about 6 feet tall!
Cranes communicate with various types of trumpeting calls. Mates call out to each other when they are looking for one another. Cranes also call out to warn other cranes of predators. When a crane wants to attract a mate, it “dances.” This dance includes certain calls. Once a couple gets together, they mate for life.
How To Draw A Crane – Step-by-Step Tutorial