A raccoon sitting with its tail curled forward

Practice a raccoon with clear forms and selected overlaps. Add small ears, a blunt muzzle and two front paws. Keep their contours clear where they overlap the body. Shape the eye mask and a few broad tail bands. Keep gray close to the chin and haunch rather than shading the entire coat.

A way into the drawing

1. Round the body and haunch

   Sketch the seated body as a tall rounded mass with a bent haunch at one side. Curve the tail forward beside the feet.

2. Place the face and paws

   Add small ears, a blunt muzzle and two front paws. Keep their contours clear where they overlap the body.

3. Choose the dark markings

   Shape the eye mask and a few broad tail bands. Keep gray close to the chin and haunch rather than shading the entire coat.

A small thing to tryKeep the pale gaps between tail bands wide enough to preserve the tail’s curve.