How to Start Drawing Animals in Coloured Pencil (Even If You Feel Completely Overwhelmed)

debbielouart1
May 1
2 min read

Introduction

If you’ve been wanting to draw animals in coloured pencil but keep thinking…

"I don’t know where to start""What materials do I even need?""What if I mess it up?"

I completely understand.

Because this is exactly where most people begin.

Not lacking talent. Not lacking interest. Just… overwhelmed.

In this post, I’m going to walk you through a simple, realistic way to get started, without overcomplicating it or spending a fortune on supplies.

1. You Don’t Need Everything (Start Simple)

One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is thinking they need all the supplies before they can begin.

Expensive pencil sets.Multiple papers.Blending tools.

And before they’ve even started… they’re overwhelmed.

The truth?You can start with:

A small set of coloured pencils
One good sheet of paper
A basic sharpener and eraser

That’s it.

You don’t need perfect materials to begin, you just need to begin.

2. Choose the Right First Subject (This Matters More Than You Think)

Not all animals are beginner-friendly.

Highly detailed subjects (like long, fluffy fur or complex lighting) can make things feel harder than they need to be.

A better approach: Start with:

Simple shapes
Clear lighting
Short fur or smoother textures

This helps you focus on learning how coloured pencil works without feeling overwhelmed.

3. Use Line Art (Yes, Really)

This is something I stand by strongly.

A lot of beginners think they have to draw everything freehand.

But that often leads to:

Proportion issues
Frustration
Giving up early

Using line art or transferring your outline allows you to:

Focus on colour and technique
Build confidence faster
Actually enjoy the process

It’s not “cheating”—it’s learning smarter. If you’re not sure how to transfer line art or get started, I’ve shown exactly how I do it in this video:

4. Focus on Layers, Not Perfection

When you first start, it’s easy to expect your drawing to look “finished” too quickly.

But coloured pencil doesn’t work like that.

It’s a slow build.

Think in layers:

Light pressure first
Gradually build colour
Adjust as you go

Your first layer will never look impressive, and that’s completely normal.

5. Follow a Clear Path (Instead of Guessing)

This is where most people get stuck.

They:

Watch random tutorials
Try different techniques
Jump between styles

But nothing quite clicks.

Because they don’t have a clear path to follow.

That’s exactly why I created structured tutorials inside my Pencil Paws Academy—so you can go from feeling overwhelmed to knowing exactly what to do next.

Where to Go From Here

If you’ve been putting this off because it feels too complicated, I want you to take this as your sign:

You don’t need to have everything figured out.

You just need a starting point.

And once you have that… things begin to feel a lot easier.

If you’d like step-by-step tutorials, line art, and guidance designed specifically for beginners and intermediate artists, you can learn more about my Pencil Paws Academy here:

Join the Pencil Paws Academy