How to Draw The Grinch | Easy Pencil & Color | VIDEO & How-To Pictures
Use the super easy step-by-step instructions below to learn how to draw The Grinch from Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas. 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 Grinch!
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To draw The Grinch step by step, follow along with the video tutorial below and pause the video whenever you need to. You may find it easier to follow the images and text below. The new lines are shown in red, and tips are explained. You may want to open the video in a new tab and use both art methods! Take your time and work at your own pace. You can even take breaks and come back to where you left off!
Intro: Start off with a pencil sketch. In the beginning stages, don’t press down too hard. Use light, smooth strokes for sketching so that it's easy to erase if you make a mistake.
Step 1: Start sketching The Grinch with a big oval a bit to the right of the middle of the page. This will be the basic shape for the Grinch’s head.
Step 2: Next, make a vertical line near the left side of the main oval and a horizontal line near the middle of the oval. When sketching the lines, curve them so they follow the contour of the oval. These will be construction lines that will help you place the Grinch’s features later on.
Step 3: Pencil in a curve on either side of the oval shape. The curve should start out on the tip of the horizontal construction line at the edge of the oval and curve outward. Then the curve should come down and meet the bottom of the oval. These are guides for the Grinch's cheeks.
Step 4: On top of the horizontal construction line, draw two rounded triangles for this cartoon character's eyes. The Grinch's eyes should be on either side of the vertical line, and make the left eye slightly smaller because of the perspective.
Step 5: Now sketch in the guide for the Grinch's Santa hat by sketching in a tilted triangle on top of his head.
Step 6: That's it for the initial sketch of the Grinch from Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! You have the basic Grinch shape, so now go in and tighten your Grinch drawing. From this point on, press harder with your pencil in order to get darker lines and a more defined sketch.
Step 7: Tighten the shape of the Grinch's eyes by making them darker. Add eyelids across his eyes and long eyelashes at the ends of his eyelids. Give this cartoon character circles for pupils and shade them in except for a small portion to represent glare. Make a few curved lines below each eye to represent the Grinch's wrinkles and bags.

Step 8: Make thick, furry curves on top of the Grinch's eyes for his eyebrows. Give the curves some jagged edges on top to represent tufts of hair. Add a couple of curves above the right eye to represent wrinkles and draw several vertical lines in between the Grinch's brows to show that he is furrowing his brow.
Step 9: Below the horizontal construction line, pencil in the Grinch's nose. It’s curved at the top with a rounded W-like line at the bottom. Below this cartoon character's nose, add a curved line for the crease on his upper lip.
Step 10: Now create the Grinch's mouth, which is a long wavy line that goes from one cheek to the other. Make it dip at the bottom and almost touch the bottom part of the main oval. Make a few smile lines on either end of the Grinch's mouth.
Step 11: Now draw the left side of the Grinch's face by using the guides. Connect the top part of the left eye to the eyebrow. Give the Grinch's cheek some jagged edges to make him furry. Then follow the Grinch's smile line and curve it upward to create his chin. Lightly pencil in a few more curves for a triple chin and a smaller vertical line for his neck.
Step 12: Draw the right side of the Grinch's face the same way. Don’t forget the tufts of hair on his cheeks!
Step 13: The Grinch's hat is tricky, so it’s divided into two parts. First add the base of the hat by using the bottom of the triangle as a guide. Make the base fluffy by adding overlapping, different-sized curves.
Step 14: Draw the top part of the Grinch's hat by warping the original triangle shape and then adding another section to the left to show that the hat bends downward. At the tip of the Santa hat, add a tuft of fluff that points down. It looks roughly like an upside-down drop of water.
Step 15: That’s it! You now have a nice sketch of the Grinch from Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas. You can stop at this quick drawing for a rough, sketchy look or go for a more finished look by continuing to the step below.
Step 16: For a more finished, inked look of the Grinch, carefully go over the final sketch lines with a pen or marker. Wait for the ink to dry, and then get rid of every pencil mark with an eraser. You now have a finished inked drawing of the Grinch! You can stop here or go to the final step to complete your rendering of The Grinch from Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Final Step: For a completely finished Grinch drawing, you have to color it. You can use markers, color pencils or even crayons! Coloring the Grinch is super easy! Just color his face green and the top part of his hat red. That’s it! You now have a completed drawing of the Grinch from Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
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