10 Easy Steps to Draw a Cute Unicorn: A Beginner's Guide

Published on 11 July 2023 8 min read

Unicorns, those mystical creatures that have captured our imaginations for centuries, are not just for fairy tales and fantasy novels. They can make for a fun and lighthearted drawing project too! Whether you're a budding artist or simply looking to learn, follow these 10 easy steps to draw an adorable and easy to draw unicorn. Let's get started!

1. Gather Your Materials

Before we embark on our creative journey, let's make sure we have all the right tools on hand. Trust me, having everything you need within arm's reach makes the process a lot smoother—and more fun! Here's what you'll need to create your easy to draw unicorn:

Pencil: Any standard pencil will work, but a #2 pencil is a great choice for sketching.
Eraser: We all make mistakes, and that's okay! An eraser helps to clean up any unwanted lines.
Paper: Grab a few sheets of plain white paper. It's always good to have extras in case you want to practice a bit before starting on your final drawing.
Colored Pencils or Markers: These will bring your unicorn to life! Crayola, Faber-Castell, or Prismacolor are all good brands, but use whatever you have on hand.
Sharpener: A good sharp point on your pencil can make your lines cleaner and your drawing more precise.

Got all your materials ready? Fantastic! In the next step, we will start with a simple sketch of our easy to draw unicorn.

2. Start with a Simple Sketch

Alright, now that we're all set with our materials, let's start with a simple sketch to create the basic shape of our easy to draw unicorn. Remember, this is a beginner's guide, so don't worry about perfection. We're here to enjoy the process and learn!

Head: Start by drawing a small circle for the head. This will be the base for our unicorn's cute face.
Body: Draw a larger oval that overlaps slightly with the circle. It's going to be the body of your unicorn. Think about a slightly squashed marshmallow. Sounds silly, I know, but it will help you get the shape right.
Legs: Add four lines descending from the body for the legs of your unicorn. They should resemble long, thin rectangles.

At this point, your drawing should look like a stick figure unicorn. It may not look like much yet, but trust me—with a few more details, it will start to come together. Next, we'll move on to outlining the body of our easy to draw unicorn.

3. Outline the Body

Now that we've got our simple sketch, let's add some volume to our easy to draw unicorn. Remember, this is your drawing, so feel free to add your own personal touch. Here's how you can outline the body:

Head: Starting with the head, add some extra roundness to the circle. Think of it like a fluffy pillow - soft and round. This will give your unicorn's face a cute and gentle look.
Body: Now, onto the body. Instead of a squashed marshmallow, think of a cloud, puffy and light. Use smooth, curved lines to reshape the oval into a more cloud-like form.
Legs: For the legs, add some curves to those rectangles. This will make them look more natural and less stick-like. Don't forget the small circles at the end for hooves!

Great job! With the body outlined, your drawing should now start looking more like the easy to draw unicorn you pictured in your mind. Next, we'll tackle that iconic unicorn horn!

4. Draw the Unicorn Horn

What's a unicorn without its magical horn? Now that we've outlined the body, it's time to give our easy to draw unicorn a horn of its own. Let's break it down:

Position: The horn should start at the top of the unicorn's head. Imagine a line running from the nose through the middle of the forehead. That's where our horn should be!
Shape: Unicorns have spiral horns, right? So, we'll draw two lines going up and tapering at the top. It's like drawing a long, thin ice cream cone on top of the unicorn's head.
Details: Now, for the spirals. Draw gently curving lines from the base of the horn to the tip. Start from the wide end and make your way up. It's like decorating a Christmas tree with garland!

And voila! You've now added a majestic horn to your easy to draw unicorn. It's coming along nicely, isn't it? Let's keep going and add a mane next, shall we?

5. Create the Unicorn Mane

Unicorns are known for their beautifully flowing manes, right? It's time to add that element to our easy to draw unicorn. So, grab your pencil and let's start creating magic:

Start at the Base: The base of our unicorn's mane starts right behind the horn. Imagine a wavy line flowing from this point, going down the neck. It's like drawing a river flowing down a hill.
Add the Flow: Now, let's add some waves to this river. Draw a series of curved lines along the base line. Remember, it doesn't have to be perfect. The more irregular the waves, the more natural our unicorn's mane will look.
Close the Ends: Once you're happy with the flow, simply connect these curved lines back to the body, creating the illusion of hair falling over the unicorn's back.

See? Creating a mane for your easy to draw unicorn is a breeze, right? Now that our unicorn is looking more magical, let's move on to the next step and make it even cuter with some adorable eyes.

6. Add Cute Unicorn Eyes

What's a cute unicorn without those big, adorable eyes? Let's draw them next. This step is crucial to bring our easy to draw unicorn to life:

Draw the Shape: Start by drawing a large oval shape for each eye. Space them out evenly on either side of the unicorn's face.
Add Some Sparkle: For that magical sparkle in the eyes, draw a smaller circle inside each eye. This will represent the reflection of light and give your unicorn a lively look.
Color in the Eyes: Now, fill in the area around the smaller circle in each eye, leaving the circles white. This gives your unicorn those classic, enchanting eyes.

Voila! Now our easy to draw unicorn has a charming face. It's beginning to take shape, right? The next step will add even more personality to our unicorn - the tail. Are you ready?

7. Draw the Unicorn Tail

The tail of a unicorn is one of the most fun and creative parts of the drawing. It's where you can showcase your personal style and let loose with your imagination:

Start with the Base: Begin by sketching a line from the back of your unicorn. This will be the base of the tail.
Shape the Tail: From the base, draw a flowing, wavy line to represent the top of the tail. Repeat this step for the bottom of the tail, ensuring it meets back at the base. Remember, the tail can be as long or as short as you want, but it's usually about the same length as the body.
Add the Hair Strands: Now for the fun part! Draw several wavy lines within the tail to give the impression of flowing hair. Feel free to make these lines as wild or as tame as you like—this is your unicorn, after all!

And there you have it—an enchanting tail for our easy to draw unicorn! But no unicorn would be complete without a touch of magic, would it? Let's move on to the next step.

8. Add Some Unicorn Magic

What makes a unicorn so special? It's the magic, right? So, let's add a dash of enchantment to our easy to draw unicorn:

Draw Magical Stars: Around your unicorn, sketch a few tiny stars to represent the magical aura. These stars can be simple shapes, no need for them to be perfect. Remember, it's the thought of magic that counts!
Add Sparkles: Along with the stars, add some sparkles around your unicorn. You can draw these as small circles or as traditional sparkle shapes with four points.
Sketch a Heart: For the final touch of magic, draw a small heart right next to your unicorn. After all, unicorns are all about love, aren't they?

And voila! Our easy to draw unicorn is now imbued with a sense of mystical charm. Ready to add some color to your masterpiece? Let's proceed to the next step.

9. Color Your Unicorn

Great job so far! Now that we have our easy to draw unicorn all sketched out, it's time to bring it to life with some colors. Here's how you can do it:

Choose Your Palette: Unicorns can be any color you imagine! Want a classic white unicorn? Go for it. Fancy a pink or a blue one? Absolutely. The point is, the choice is entirely up to you. Let your imagination run free!
Color the Body: Start by coloring the body of your unicorn. Use smooth, even strokes with your color pencil or marker to fill in the body.
Color the Mane and Tail: Here's where you can get creative. You could color the mane and tail the same color as the body, or choose a completely different color. Some people even like to use multiple colors to give their unicorn a rainbow mane and tail. How fun is that?
Color the Horn: Typically, unicorn horns are depicted as golden, but who's to say you can't have a silver, purple, or even a rainbow horn? Remember, this is your unicorn. It can be whatever you want it to be.

There you have it! Your easy to draw unicorn is now bursting with color. But we're not done just yet. We've got one final step to complete our masterpiece.

10. Finalize Your Drawing

We're now on the home stretch of our easy to draw unicorn journey, and it's time to put the finishing touches on our adorable creation. Here's what you can do to finalize your drawing:

Add Some Shading: By adding some light shading to your unicorn, you can make it look more three-dimensional. Just remember to keep the source of light consistent. If you imagine the light coming from the right, then the left side of your unicorn will have more shading.
Draw the Background: Don't let your unicorn float in white space. Give it a magical setting! It could be a mystical forest, a sparkling rainbow, or a simple grassy field. You're the artist, so you decide!
Review Your Drawing: Now, take a step back and take a good look at your drawing. Are there any parts that need more detail or color? If so, go ahead and add them in.
Sign Your Artwork: Last but not least, don't forget to sign your masterpiece. After all, you're the artist behind this cute, easy to draw unicorn.

Well done, you've successfully created an adorable unicorn! Remember, practice makes perfect, so don't stop here. Keep drawing and keep experimenting with different colors and styles. Who knows, maybe next time you could try drawing a unicorn with wings or a baby unicorn. Happy drawing!

If you enjoyed our guide on drawing a cute unicorn and want to explore more digital drawing techniques, check out the workshop 'Learn How to Draw in Procreate' by Vicky Catalan. This workshop offers in-depth tutorials on using Procreate, a popular drawing app, to create stunning illustrations and bring your creative ideas to life.