sketcha.day

Day 004 Sunday, June 14

How to draw
a sleepy cat

Tuck a round cat into one cozy shape, then wrap its tail around the whole sleepy bundle.

20 minEasy5 steps
Start drawing
Loose graphite and blue-pencil sketch of a sleepy cat curled around its tail
Finished sketch About 20 minutes

From the archive

Let's draw a sleepy cat

Work lightly through the construction, then darken only the lines that help the finished sketch.

  1. 01
    Place two soft shapes stage for how to draw a sleepy cat

    Place two soft shapes

    Draw a wide oval for the curled body and overlap it with a smaller circle for the head.

    Sketch tip: Keep the head low. A sleepy pose feels heavier when the chin sits close to the body.

  2. 02
    Add the ears and face stage for how to draw a sleepy cat

    Add the ears and face

    Set two triangles on the head circle. Use two shallow curves for closed eyes and a tiny center line for the nose.

    Sketch tip: Closed eyes curve upward only slightly. Too much curve can turn the nap into a grin.

  3. 03
    Find the curled outline stage for how to draw a sleepy cat

    Find the curled outline

    Follow the oval around the back and belly. Join it to the cheeks, leaving a small tucked-paw bump underneath.

    Sketch tip: Use one slow line across the back. Small wobbles are fine, but avoid lots of short furry marks.

  4. 04
    Wrap the tail around stage for how to draw a sleepy cat

    Wrap the tail around

    Start behind the body, loop the tail around the front, and let its top edge cross the tucked paws.

    Sketch tip: Make the tail widest near the body and narrower at the tip so the curve stays readable.

  5. 05
    Loose graphite and blue-pencil sketch of a sleepy cat curled around its tail

    Darken and add blue

    Choose the contours you want to keep, then shade a few cool blue strokes along the body and tail.

    Sketch tip: Leave most of the paper untouched. A small patch of color is enough to finish this sketch.