Introduction
Drawing Donkey Kong is truly a work of art. While this beloved character may look intimidating to draw, there are some basic steps you can follow to get him just right. Sure, you’ll need some patience and practice, but with a few helpful tips, you’ll have Donkey Kong ready in no time. From nailing down his body proportions, to figuring out his facial features, to mastering his signature red tie, learn how to draw Donkey Kong with ease and finesse.
Sketching the Basics
Start off by sketching the basic shapes of Donkey Kong’s body. Draw a large oval for his belly, two round circles for his feet and hands, and two additional circles connected to the oval that form the two halves of his back and his head. As you’re forming these basic shapes, keep in mind that the size of the circles should be the same but that Donkey Kong’s belly should be slightly larger. Before you move on, use a ruler to add two straight lines extending from each side of his head in order to create the shape of his ears.
Adding Minor Details
Now that the basic structure of Donkey Kong is in place, it’s time to start adding in some of the details. Start small by sketching in the eyes and facial features. For his eyes, draw two almond-shaped circles that are slightly angled. Then, draw a nice big smile with the corresponding nose and simple curved dashes for the eyebrows. Moving down to his chest, draw the famous red tie with a loosely shaped rectangle and an inverted triangle on top. Draw the tie closely connected to his belly.
Polishing Details
Next, draw the furry texture of Donkey Kong’s belly and back by lightly sketching out small circles. Make sure these circles are all odd sizes and some even overlap with each other. After that, you can go in and draw some of the other small details, like his hands and feet. Draw out two four-fingered hands and two three-toed feet with their corresponding nails and fur lines. Finally, you can lightly shade underneath Donkey Kong’s belly, back and head to bring him to life.
Final Touches
The very last step to draw Donkey Kong is to make sure he appears in motion. Draw a curved line to indicate his arm swing, add a fuzzy cloud-like haze to emphasize the movement of his furry back, and draw a few small air bubbles coming out of his nostrils for the final touch. Make sure the air bubbles are slightly curved in the middle with circular tips. When you’re finished, take a step back, admire your work, and show it to your friends!
