How to Draw a Rabbit for Kids

Step by step, this simple lesson will show you how to draw a cartoon rabbit, an animal that has appeared in many different animated cartoons.

Like most cartoon animals, drawing a rabbit in this style has a number of characteristics that set it apart from drawing in a realistic style.

First of all, most cartoon bunnies in animated works look quite anthropomorphic, meaning they have certain human-like features.

In addition, cartoon bunnies are generally much more simplified than realistic versions, with fewer details and textures.

In this lesson, we’ll show you how to draw a cartoon rabbit from the movie Bambi, but as usual, this lesson can also be applied to other characters and animated films.

How to draw a cartoon rabbit step by step

Step 1: Sketch the cartoon rabbit head shape

Almost any cartoon character is easiest to draw from top to bottom, starting with the head. So begin with the upper part of the cartoon rabbit and draw the head as a simple oval. The position and tilt of this oval will determine the direction and turn of the character’s head.

Step 2: Draw the cartoon rabbit torso and arms

Now let’s move on to the middle part of the cartoon rabbit’s body and draw the torso as a simple oval. Then, on the front part of the outlined torso, add short, rounded arms.

Step 3: Sketch the lower body and legs

Now sketch the lowest part of the torso as a large oval shape. After that, outline the legs, which should be noticeably larger than the arms. All preliminary lines in the cartoon rabbit drawing should be done using very light, almost invisible strokes.

Step 5: Sketch the cartoon rabbit face

At this step, sketch the anthropomorphic face of the cartoon rabbit. Using ovals, outline the eye and the area around it. With a curved line, draw the outline of the cheek just below the eye. Then sketch the contours of the nose, lips, and teeth. Finally, sketch a pair of elongated ears.

Step 6: Refine the eye and add the pupil

Starting from this step, gradually switch to darker, cleaner lines to finalize the cartoon rabbit drawing. Begin with the eyes and carefully draw the visible eye using a clear oval shape. After that, add a small round pupil inside and outline the oval marking around the eye.

Step 7: Draw the cartoon rabbit nose and mouth

Now move to the front part of the cartoon animal’s muzzle and carefully draw the nose. Then, directly below the nose, draw the characteristic mouth with the protruding front teeth. Carefully erase all construction lines from the face.

Step 8: Refine the long rabbit ears

Now finish drawing the cartoon rabbit’s head by outlining its characteristic ears. Try to use very smooth lines, without rough or jagged edges. Also draw the inner part of each ear and erase any remaining construction marks from the sketch.

Step 9: Refine the cartoon arms and hands

Gradually move a bit lower and, using smoother and darker lines, draw the cartoon rabbit’s arms in more detail. Try to convey the characteristic curve of the arms and add individual fingers for a more authentic look. Also, don’t forget to add the fur pattern on the chest.

Step 10: Finalize the lower body details

Following the example of the previous steps, smoothly outline the lower part of the cartoon animal’s torso, carefully erasing all unnecessary sketch lines in this area. Then draw the elongated rabbit legs beneath the torso and add individual toes.

Step 11: Complete the cartoon rabbit

Now that the main body drawing of the cartoon rabbit is complete, you can choose one of several options. You can color it using characteristic colors, leave the drawing as it is, or add academic-style shading. We chose the last option, but kept the shading academic while still fairly simplified.

Cartoon characters usually have a very charismatic and memorable appearance, and it’s important for an artist to know how to create such recognizable images.

In this lesson, we tried to show you how to draw a cartoon bunny with a strong and distinctive look. All the principles and methods shown above can now be used to draw any other cartoon bunny, or to create your own character from scratch.

Of course, all of these techniques and details work just as well for creating other characters, not necessarily a rabbit. Using the same approach, you can draw a cat, a dog, or any other animal in a classic animation style.