How to Draw a Dog Ball

In this tutorial, we will show you how to draw a dog ball. This is another tutorial in our series on drawing pets and everything related to them.

The foundation of this tutorial is our sphere drawing tutorial, where we explained in detail how to create a three-dimensional sphere by giving it a perfectly round shape and how to add hatching to make it look solid and three-dimensional.

The same principles are used in this tutorial, but with the addition that a dog ball has a specific texture and pattern and is rarely plain white like a plaster sphere.

We tried to simplify the difficult parts as much as possible. As a result, you only have to focus on the symmetry and accuracy of the shapes.

How to draw a dog ball step by step

Step 1: Mark the ball guides

To draw this dog ball, start with three intersecting lines. Add a short, smooth line at each end. Of course, you can draw the ball with auxiliary tools. However, drawing it freehand will greatly improve your skills.

Step 2: Outline the round ball

Check the accuracy and evenness of all the lines you drew earlier, then connect their ends to form a circle. This should not cause any difficulty if the lines and short strokes from the previous step are even and symmetrical.

Step 3: Clean the ball outline

Check the accuracy of all the lines. Use a mirror to spot any mistakes or uneven areas. After that, erase all the lines except the outer outline. You should end up with a circle that forms a good base for the dog’s ball.

Step 4: Add curved ball patterns

Now you can express your creativity. Draw any patterns, logos, or decorations you like. Slightly curving the patterns will make the drawing look more realistic. Think about the location of the shadows beforehand. As a result, you will create a dog ball with your own design.

Step 5: Shade the dog ball

Draw the shadows after determining the location of the light source. Add a shadow with broad, dense hatching. Identify the darkest areas and apply a second layer of crosshatching. Increasing the density of the shading will create a deeper shadow.

Step 6: Refine the finished drawing

Double-check the accuracy of all the shapes and outlines. After that, erase any remaining guide lines to make the dog ball drawing look finished. The drawing is now complete.

Volume is the most important thing if you want any spherical object to look realistic. So how do you achieve that sense of volume?

In the final steps of this tutorial, we showed exactly how to do it. But drawing a three-dimensional sphere once is not enough to master this skill.

In art schools and universities, students spend many hours practicing it. That is why we strongly recommend practicing the shadows several times while keeping the rounded form in mind.

You can do this not only with a plain sphere but also with real objects. For example, you can draw a ball and add hatching that follows its form to make it truly three-dimensional.

And if you want to learn how to create volume on other shapes and draw more toys for animals, visit our tutorial on how to draw a dog toy. There, we also show how to create volume, but on a more complex geometric shape.