Penguins might be the friendliest thing you can draw. An egg shape, two little flippers, a white tummy, and suddenly there’s a small person in a tuxedo looking up at you. They’re perfect for Christmas cards, winter classroom displays and doodling in the margins on a cold afternoon.
So I’ve made 12 free penguin templates for you in one printable PDF: an emperor penguin standing tall, a fluffy chick, a waddling penguin, a rockhopper with a wild crest, two penguins side by side and more. Trace them, colour them, or use them to learn the shapes, and then scroll down for an easy step by step.
Quick answer: to draw a penguin, start with a tall egg for the body and a circle for the head, add two slim flippers and two flat feet, then a white face patch and tummy, the eyes and a short beak. The 12 free penguin templates below come as a 15-page A4 PDF (cover, 12 templates, a how-to page and a Patreon page) plus a zip of the 12 PNG pages. Personal and classroom use are fine, not for resale. Get them with the form just below.
Get the 12 free penguin templates
For personal, educational and creative use. You may sell the things you make by hand with it, but please don’t share or resell the file itself.
Print at 100% on A4 (or “fit to page” on US Letter), then scroll down for the step by step and a closer look at every template.
Table of Contents
How to Draw a Penguin, Step by Step
Quick answer: egg and circle, one smooth outline, flippers, feet, face patch and tummy, eyes and beak, then colour. Pencil first, ink last.
You don’t need any drawing experience for this. Use a soft pencil and press lightly, because the first shapes are guides you’ll rub out later. Each step adds one new thing, and the guide below shows every stage.
Step 1: an egg and a circle
Draw a tall egg shape for the body, a little narrower at the top, and a circle overlapping the top for the head. Press lightly: these are guide shapes. That height is what makes a penguin look like a penguin and not a round bird.
Step 2: one smooth outline
Join the egg and the circle into one smooth outline, then rub out the bit where they overlap.
Step 3: the flippers
Add a slim flipper on each side, like a narrow leaf hanging down from the shoulders.
Step 4: the feet
Add two flat feet peeking out at the bottom, pointing slightly outwards. Penguins stand on their heels, so the feet only just show.
Step 5: face patch and tummy
Draw the white face patch on the head (a heart shape works well for a cute penguin) and a big oval for the white tummy.
Step 6: eyes and beak
Add the eyes with a speck of white left in each, and a short pointed beak. For a chick, keep the beak tiny.
Step 7: colour it in
Colour the back, flippers and head in black or a very dark blue-grey and leave the tummy white. A soft blue-grey shadow down one side of the tummy makes it look round, and the feet and beak look lovely in orange.
More Penguins to Draw, Step by Step
Once you’ve drawn one penguin, try these. They use the same starting shapes, so they’re a gentle next step.
A fluffy penguin chick
A waddling penguin
A penguin in a woolly hat
Want templates to practise on? Grab the 12 free penguin templates here and they’ll be in your inbox in a minute.
All 12 Penguin Templates at a Glance
Here’s the whole set on one page so you can see what you’re getting. Every template is a full A4 page with a big, clear outline and plenty of white space, so it’s easy to trace, cut out, colour or paint.
How to Use These Penguin Templates
Quick answer: print at 100% on A4 or “fit to page” on Letter, use printer paper for colouring and 160 to 200 gsm card for cutting, and trace with a window or a light pad.
Print size and paper
Each template fills an A4 page. On US Letter, tick “fit to page” and you lose almost nothing. Plain printer paper is fine for colouring and tracing; for cut-outs and ornaments, use thin card so the pieces don’t flop.
Trace or transfer
Tape the template to a bright window and lay your paper on top, or use an LED light pad at the kitchen table. To transfer onto thicker paper, scribble soft pencil over the back of the template, flip it, and go over the lines.
Colouring and painting
Penguins are mostly black and white, so the fun is in the details: a yellow-orange neck on the emperor, yellow crest feathers on the rockhopper, a slate-blue back on the little blue penguin. Watercolour pencils are lovely for soft grey shadows, and a white gel pen adds a sparkle to the eyes.
1. Emperor Penguin Standing
The classic: a tall emperor penguin standing with its flippers down and its head turned to one side. It’s the best one to start with because the shapes are so clear. Leave the tummy white and add a yellow-orange patch at the neck for an instant “that’s an emperor”.
2. Penguin Head and Shoulders
A big close-up of a penguin’s head and chest, with a long beak and the cheek patch. Great for card fronts and paper plate penguins, and a lovely one for practising feathery texture.
3. Fluffy Penguin Chick
A round, fluffy chick, all down feathers and tiny beak, with a pale face mask. Colour it soft grey with a white face and it melts hearts every time.
4. Penguin Waddling (Side View)
A penguin mid-step, seen from the side, leaning forward on a little line of snow. It’s a good one for learning how a penguin’s body curves from beak to tail.
5. Penguin With Flippers Out
Flippers wide, like he’s about to hug you, or just very pleased about the snow. Big shapes and lots of character, so it’s perfect for a classroom door or a welcome sign.
6. Penguin Looking Up
A penguin tipping his head back to look at the sky. Draw a few snowflakes above him once you’ve traced it, and you’ve got a ready-made winter card.
Enjoying these so far? All 12 are in the one PDF. Grab the free penguin templates here and they’ll be in your inbox in a minute.
7. Penguin From Behind
The back view: a smooth back, a little pointed tail and feet poking out underneath. It’s fun to pair with one of the front views for a “coming and going” picture.
8. Rockhopper Penguin With Crest
The punk of the penguin world, with spiky crest feathers above the eyes. Colour the crest bright yellow and keep the rest black and white; it’s the one children always pick first.
9. Little Blue Penguin
The smallest penguin of all. Give its back a soft slate blue for a gentler change from black and white.
10. Penguin Lying on Its Tummy
Penguins slide on their tummies across the ice, and this one is mid-slide on a patch of snow. Add a few speed lines behind him and a little snow spray at the front.
11. Two Penguins Side by Side
Two penguins standing together, one slightly taller, heads turned towards each other. A sweet picture for a Christmas card, a friendship card or a little “us” drawing.
12. Penguin Standing on a Small Rock
A penguin perched on a rock, looking out. The rock gives you a bit of texture to play with: try grey with blue shadows and a little snow on top.
Template Specs at a Glance
| Templates | 12 penguin designs, one per page |
| Pages in the PDF | 15 (cover, 12 templates, a how-to page and a Patreon page) |
| File types | PDF, plus a zip of the 12 templates as PNG files |
| Size | A4 portrait; prints on US Letter with “fit to page” |
| Resolution | 300 dpi (2480 x 3508 pixels per page) |
| Licence | Personal and classroom use; not for resale |
You’re welcome to use them at home, in your classroom, in a homeschool group or at a craft session. Please don’t sell the files or share them online as your own. If you’d like to share them, send people to this page instead.
Did You Know? Penguins Live in the South
Quick answer: almost all penguins live in the Southern Hemisphere, from Antarctica to South Africa, New Zealand and South America, so you’ll never see a penguin and a polar bear together in the wild.
That’s a fun fact for a winter display: polar bears live in the Arctic, penguins in the south. If you’re making a snowy wall, give each its own side. My polar bear templates are a good match for the Arctic half.
More Winter Drawing Ideas
- My penguin templates post has printable penguin cut-outs for crafts.
- The free snowman templates make perfect penguin friends for a winter display.
- Stuck for what to draw next? Try my winter drawing ideas or winter things to draw.
- My Christmas drawing templates are ready for December.
- New to drawing animals? Start with how to draw animals for beginners.
Want More Penguins?
The full Penguin Parade set arrives on Wednesday 18 November: 36 penguin drawing templates, including detailed showpiece pages, and none of them repeats the free pages.
Grab the free templates above and you’ll hear about it in my newsletter the week it’s ready.
In the meantime, you’ll find all my printables in my Payhip shop.
Love Making These? Join Me on Patreon
If you love printing, drawing and making, come and join me on Patreon. It’s where my weekly watercolour template sets go out to members: printed outlines with painted references, so you can see where the colour goes, plus Procreate stamps and palettes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you draw a penguin step by step?
Draw a tall egg for the body and a circle for the head, join them into one outline, then add two slim flippers and two flat feet. Draw a white face patch and a big oval tummy, add the eyes and a short pointed beak, and colour it in.
How do you draw a cute penguin for kids?
Make the head big, use a heart shape for the white face, and keep the beak and feet tiny. Big round eyes with a speck of white make it extra cute. Template 3, the fluffy chick, is a great one for young children.
What shapes make a penguin body?
An egg for the body, a circle for the head, two slim leaf shapes for the flippers and two flat triangles for the feet. Almost every penguin drawing starts from those four shapes.
What is the difference between an emperor and a king penguin when drawing?
Both have yellow-orange patches. Emperors are bigger and chunkier, with a pale yellow patch that fades into the chest; king penguins are slimmer, with brighter orange “ear” patches and a longer, more slender beak.
Can I use these penguin templates in my classroom?
Yes. Personal and classroom use are both fine, so print as many as you need. Please don’t sell the files or share them online as your own.
Final Thoughts
Twelve penguins, one PDF, no cold fingers. Start with the emperor, then let the rockhopper loose with a yellow pen. If you’d like the templates, pop your email in at the top of the post and they’re yours.
For more drawing ideas, come and find me on YouTube (subscribe here) and on Pinterest, where I save all my winter craft ideas.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase. I only recommend things I’d happily use myself.
Happy drawing!
Dee x
Last updated 9 November 2026.
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- Free Printable Penguin Templates
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