How to Draw Batgirl

Finished Batgirl drawing with a mask, long cape, and dark comic book shadows.

Batgirl’s appearance has changed quite often over the course of her comic-book history, but the main characteristic elements have always remained the same. In this step-by-step tutorial, we will show you how to draw Batgirl from the DC universe in one of her classic looks.

The costume is quite similar to the one we showed in our Batman drawing tutorial, while the figure and build follow the principles from our tutorial on drawing a girl.

How to draw Batgirl step by step

Step 1: Sketch Batgirl’s head and body

Begin with a simple stick figure for Batgirl. Sketch an oval for the head and a line for the spine. Along this line, outline the chest and pelvis. Use simple lines to sketch the arms and legs. Mark the legs spread apart, with a slight bend at each knee. Sketch the arm on the right bent upward at the elbow and the other extending down beside her body.

Sketching Batgirl's oval head, spine, chest, pelvis, and limb positions.

Step 2: Add volume to Batgirl’s figure

Draw two intersecting guidelines on the head to position the facial features. Next, sketch a cylinder for the neck. Sketch the torso, which narrows at the waist and widens at the hips. Use simple geometric shapes to outline the arms and legs and give the figure volume. Build the limbs with tapered cylindrical forms and mark the knees with circles. Outline the fists as small angular shapes and sketch the feet beneath the ankles.

Building Batgirl's torso and limbs with simple shapes and adding facial guidelines.

Step 3: Sketch the mask and costume

Add the basic details, starting with the facial features and mask. Mark the two pointed ears above the head. Next, outline the hair and the long cape behind Batgirl’s back. Draw large curved sections along the cape’s lower edge. Finish by sketching the bat logo on her chest and adding the costume details. Indicate the belt, pointed boot tops, and three fins on each glove.

Outlining Batgirl's facial features, mask, hair, cape, chest emblem, and costume details.

Step 4: Define Batgirl’s face and mask

Use dark, clear lines to refine the details. Start with the head and carefully draw the eyes, nose, and mouth. Outline the lips beneath the nose and add the curved jawline. Next, refine the outlines of the head and mask. Draw pointed eye openings and the angular lower edge of the mask across the cheeks and nose. Erase all unnecessary guidelines from Batgirl’s head.

Defining Batgirl's eyes, nose, mouth, and mask with dark, clear outlines.

Step 5: Refine the torso and emblem

Draw the outlines of her neck and long, curly hair. Separate the locks with wavy lines and curl their ends outward above the shoulders. Then trace the torso along the curves of her body. Carefully refine the chest emblem and draw the upper part of the cape over her shoulders. Add the belt’s circular buckle at the center of her waist.

Refining Batgirl's curly hair, torso, chest emblem, and cape over her shoulders.

Step 6: Draw the arms and gloves

Continue from the shoulders and carefully outline the arms, following the muscle shapes beneath the costume. Next, draw the fists and glove details. Separate the curled fingers of the raised fist with short diagonal lines and outline the thumb across them. Trace the glove cuffs below the elbows and sharpen the three narrow fins along each forearm. Remove the unnecessary guidelines from the arms before moving on to the legs.

Drawing Batgirl's arm contours, clenched fists, and glove details with darker lines.

Step 7: Trace the cape and legs

First, trace the outlines of the long cape. Follow its sweeping curves and scalloped hem, then add long fold lines descending from the shoulders. Then continue the torso contours down through the hips and legs. Refine the jagged tops of Batgirl’s boots near the knees and draw the narrow heel on the foot turned to the side. Define the muscles and knees, and erase all remaining guidelines.

Tracing Batgirl's long cape and refining the contours of her hips and legs.

Step 8: Add dark comic book shadows

Use dark, high-contrast shadows for a classic comic book style. Outline the shadow shapes first, then fill them with solid black. Darken the central part of the cowl, the area beneath the chin, and the underside of the cape. Add curved patches beneath the chest and along the abdomen and thighs. Use simple hatching for the lighter shadows.

Adding solid black shadows and lighter hatching to the Batgirl drawing.

Comic-book characters are most often depicted in different movements on the page. Try depicting these movements while keeping in mind what we showed in the steps of this tutorial.

It is also important to remember that this is not the heroine’s only costume. Over the years, there have been many different versions and variations. Using references from the internet, try drawing a different emblem and changing some of the costume elements.