How to Draw a Woodpecker

1. Begin the woodpecker outline by drawing the bird's face. Use long curved lines to sketch its long beak and the top of its head.

Outline the eye with curved lines that don't quite meet at the corners. Shade a circle inside the eye.

2. Use long and short lines to outline the back of the head, back, belly, and leg. notice how short lines that overlap or meet at points are used to provide the texture of feathers.

3. Use a series of long, overlapping curved lines to sketch the bird's wing. Notice how each line forms one of the large flight feathers.

4. Use a series of curved lines to add texture to the upper wing, and another to outline the tail. Use curved lines to sketch the leg and toe, using a teardrop shape for the bird's claw.

5. Use curved lines to draw additional toes and the remaining foot, again using teardrop shapes for the claws.

Draw a long curved line passing between the feet to indicate the tree the woodpecker is clinging to.

6. Use short lines, some of which meet at jagged points, to draw the pattern on the bird's face. Then, use overlapping curved lines to draw the opposite side of the tree and the nub of a branch emerging from it.

7. Use curved lines to pattern the bird's neck and to add the texture of feathers to its chest.

8. Use curved lines to texture the bird's head, belly, leg, wing, and tail, as well as the bark of the tree.

9. Continue to texture the tree bark using long curved lines.

Your woodpecker outline is now complete. Color your cartoon bird. Pileated woodpeckers are mostly black with white and red markings on the head, especially the prominent red crest.