How to Draw Cupid

"Cupid, draw back your bow
And let your arrow go
Straight to my lover's heart
For me."
- "Cupid" by Sam Cooke, 1961

"Stupid Cupid, stop picking on me!"
- "Stupid Cupid" by Connie Francis, 1958

On Valentine's Day and in classical statues, Cupid is depicted as a chubby baby with wings, shooting arrows that cause people to fall in love. He's been immortalized in songs, film, and television. From where does this mythological creature originate?

Cupid was a Roman god of love, the equivalent of the Greek god Eros. He was said to be the son of the the messenger god Mercury, and Venus, the goddess of love. In the Latin language, Cupid's name means "desire." His symbols were the bow and arrow and the torch, depicting the stings and burning passion of love.

Heard of the birds and the bees? This phrase may have its origins, in part, with the god Cupid. In one myth, Cupid attempts to steal honey but is stung. When he complains to his mother that something small should not be so painful, she points out that his arrows are much the same.

Would you like to draw Cupid? This simple, step-by-step drawing tutorial is here to help. You will need only a pencil, an eraser, and a sheet of paper. You may also wish to use crayons, colored pencils, or markers to shade your finished drawing.

1. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Begin by drawing a circle. This will help you to outline Cupid's head. Then, enclose the jaw and ear beneath the circle, using a long, curved line.    

2. ​Draw Cupid's hair. Draw a curved line around the circle. Continue to extend the outline to the bottom of the jaw, using short, curved lines that connect to form locks of hair. Draw similar curving, sharply pointed locks across the forehead to enclose the shape of the hair. Use a short, curved line to draw an ear opposite the first.  

3. ​​Outline an irregular shape beneath the head using a long, curved line. This will form the character's body. 

4. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Draw two roughly parallel curved lines across the chest, forming one arm. Then, extend two curved lines outward from the bottom of the figure, forming a leg. 

5.​ ​​​​​Use a series of curved lines to draw the hand, completely enclosing the arm. Enclose the foot using curved lines. Then, draw several short, parallel lines at the tip of the foot to distinguish the toes. Finally, Draw a curved line at the top of the leg, and another across the belly.  

​6. ​​​​​Draw a pair of curved lines extending from behind the hand, forming the other arm. Enclose the other leg as well, using curved lines. Draw small lines at the end of the foot to indicate the toes. 

​7. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Erase the guide lines from the head and body. 

​8. ​​​​​​​​Use curved and "U" shaped lines to enclose a fist on the far hand. Extend a set of curved lines from each side of the fist, allowing the lines to end in a spiral shape. This is Cupid's bow. From the other hand, extend a set of long, narrowly spaced parallel lines, forming the shaft of the arrow. Draw a heart at the end to form the arrowhead.  

9. ​​​​Draw the wing using several overlapping curved lines. For each eye, draw a series of three circles; shade between the smallest to form the pupil. Draw a curved shape above each eye to indicate the eyebrow, and another curve for the nose. Use two curved lines to enclose the mouth, and another for the tongue.Color Cupid. 

​10.​​ Color Cupid.