Use the super easy step-by-step instructions below to learn how to draw the Roadrunner from Warner Bros.' Looney Tunes cartoons. Follow along with the video, or use the images in this article. By the end of this tutorial, even beginners will have a completed drawing of the Roadrunner!

Love drawing? Keep your artistic streak going and stay "tooned" for more free art lessons by:

• Bookmarking the EasyDrawingTutorials.com homepage for updates
• Subscribing to the EasyDrawingTutorials YouTube channel
• Visiting How2DrawAnimals.com for free animal tutorials
• Visiting How2DrawManga.com for free manga tutorials

This page contains Amazon affiliate links. If you choose to purchase through these links, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

RELATED TUTORIALS

Materials You’ll Need

Before starting, gather these basic drawing supplies:

• Pencil (an HB lead pencil is best for light sketches)
• Eraser
• Black ink pen or marker
• Drawing paper
• Colored pencils or markers

Sketch Guidelines

Building a solid initial sketch is key to getting your character's proportions right. Draw these simple shapes first before adding the details on your Roadrunner. Make sure to sketch lightly at first so it is easy to erase mistakes.

Step 1: Head, Neck, and Torso Base

• The Head Guide: Lightly sketch a circle at the top right of your page. Mark the height and width boundaries with small dashes, then connect them with curved lines.
• Facial Axis: Draw a horizontal line straight across the center of the head circle to act as a layout guide for the facial features.
• The Neck and Torso: From the base of the head, drop a long line that curves slightly to the left at the bottom. At the end of this line, draw a smaller circle roughly half the size of the head for the body.

Step 2: Back, Tail, and Leg Blur

• The Lower Back: Extend a small, sideways "U-shaped" arc out from the left side of the torso circle.
• The Tail Guide: Draw a long, sloping line upward and outward from the lower back. Make it slightly longer than the neck guide, and add a short horizontal line at the very tip.
• The Speed Blur Wheel: Below the body, sketch a very large oval to represent the spinning legs. Create this by drawing two circles side-by-side (a larger one on the right and a smaller one on the left) and connecting their outer edges.

Step 3: Facial Features and Head Crest

• The Eye and Pupil: Sketch a slightly tilted vertical oval near the right edge of the head circle. Add a smaller oval inside the bottom-right for the pupil and shade it in. Place a short eyebrow line directly above.
• The Beak: Draw a short line curving upward on the right side. Underneath it, sketch a longer, wide "U" shape that reaches back inside the head circle and ends with a horizontal smile line. Finish the upper beak shape along the horizontal axis line.
• The Feathered Crest: Draw a sloping line over the forehead extending to the left into dynamic, curved feather shapes. Draw a short curve for the back of the head inside the circle that connects back up to the feathers.

Step 4: The Body, Motion Blur, and Dust Cloud

• The Torso and Wings: Sketch a thin oval shape inside the body for the wing, and add three small, thin arcs on the left side for feathers. Trace over the neck guide with a parallel line to give it thickness, and darken the outer body edges.
• Tail Feathers: Darken the sloping tail guide, adding large, distinct feather shapes stacked along the path. Make them smaller as they approach the body.
• Motion Blur and Dust Cloud: Darken the outer limits of the running oval wheel using thin lines. Add loose, concentric internal lines to indicate rotation. To the left, sketch a billowing dust cloud using multi-sized, overlapping curved lines that sit flat on the ground.

The Finishing Touches

Now it's time to ink the body, capture the illusion of high velocity, and bring your Roadrunner to life with color!

• Ink the Drawing: Carefully trace your final lines with a black ink fine-liner pen. Keep the leg lines loose or broken to maintain the speed illusion. Erase all underlying pencil lines when dry.
• Coloring: Fill in the body feathers with vibrant blue, use deep purple or orange accents on the wings, a bright yellow for the beak, and leave the speed blur light or semi-colored to show motion.

Final Tips for Drawing Cartoon Characters

Improving your drawing skills takes practice and patience. Keep these techniques in mind:

• Sketch lightly before committing to final lines so mistakes are easy to erase.
• Use construction shapes to maintain correct proportions across the head and body.

With consistent practice, drawing characters like the Roadrunner becomes much easier and enjoyable!

RELATED TUTORIALS

Thanks for visiting! Subscribe to the EasyDrawingTutorials YouTube Channel for a new tutorial every week.

To learn how to draw animals, visit How2DrawAnimals.com.