A red cardinal on a snowy branch is one of the most loved winter pictures there is. That pointed crest, the little black mask, the bright red against white snow: it’s Christmas card magic. And the good news is that a cardinal is mostly simple shapes. Get the crest and the mask right and everyone will know exactly what it is.
So I’ve made 12 free cardinal templates for you in one printable PDF: a cardinal perched side-on, a big head with crest, a female cardinal, a cardinal in flight, one fluffed up against the cold, one on a pine sprig and more. Trace them, colour them or paint them, and scroll down for an easy step by step.
Quick answer: to draw a cardinal, sketch an oval body and a small round head with a tall pointed crest, add a thick cone-shaped beak and a black mask around it, then a folded wing, a long tail and a twig. The 12 free cardinal templates below come as a 15-page A4 PDF (cover, 12 templates, a how-to page and a last 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 cardinal 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 Cardinal, Step by Step
Quick answer: oval and circle, crest, beak and mask, wing, tail, feet and twig, then colour. Light 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 oval and a circle
Draw an oval for the body, tilted a little as if the bird is leaning forward on a branch, and a small circle for the head. Keep the head smaller than you think: cardinals have neat little heads and plump chests.
Step 2: the crest
From the top of the head, draw a pointed tuft sweeping backwards, like a little flame. Join everything into one smooth outline and erase the guide shapes. Make the crest tall and confident; a short one just looks like a messy head.
Step 3: beak and mask
Draw a short, thick, cone-shaped beak, wide at the base, and the black mask that wraps round the beak and the eye. Erase the face line under the beak.
Step 4: the folded wing
Draw the folded wing as a long shape along the side of the body, with a few feather lines at the tip.
Step 5: the long tail
Add a long tail coming off the back. It’s longer than most beginners expect, about the length of the body.
Step 6: feet and twig
Add small feet gripping a twig.
Step 7: colour it in
Colour the male bright red with a slightly deeper red on the wing, the mask black and the beak orange-red. A female is a warm buff-brown with red tinges on the crest, wings and tail.
More Cardinals to Draw, Step by Step
Once you’ve drawn one cardinal, try these. They use the same starting shapes, so they’re a gentle next step.
A cardinal’s head
A cardinal on a snowy twig
A female cardinal
Want templates to practise on? Grab the 12 free cardinal templates here and they’ll be in your inbox in a minute.
All 12 Cardinal 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 Cardinal 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
Red is a tricky colour, because one flat red looks like a cut-out. Use two reds: a bright one for the chest and head, and a deeper crimson for the wing and tail. Watercolour pencils are lovely for this because you can blend the two reds with a damp brush, and a white gel pen puts the light back in the eye. To paint, print onto watercolour paper and drop the deeper red into the wing while it’s still damp. My watercolor robin tutorial uses the same approach.
1. Cardinal Perched (Side View)
The classic cardinal pose, side-on on a branch, crest up and long tail down. If you only colour one, make it this one.
2. Cardinal Head With Crest
A big close-up of the head, crest and mask, with that thick cone beak. It’s the best template for practising the mask, and it makes a striking card front.
3. Cardinal on a Bare Twig
A cardinal on a thin winter twig with no leaves. Add a few snowflakes, or a line of snow along the twig, for an instant winter scene.
4. Female Cardinal
Female cardinals are a soft warm brown with red tinges on the crest, wings and tail. They’re often overlooked, but they’re beautiful to colour in gentle tones.
5. Cardinal Flying
Wings open, tail fanned. A lovely one for practising feathers, and it looks wonderful cut out and hung as an ornament.
6. Cardinal From the Front
Facing you on a twig, plump chest and the mask framing the beak. It has a lot of personality, so it’s a favourite with children.
Enjoying these so far? All 12 are in the one PDF. Grab the free cardinal templates here and they’ll be in your inbox in a minute.
7. Cardinal on a Fence Post
A cardinal sitting on top of an old wooden post. The wood grain is fun to colour in warm browns and greys.
8. Cardinal Eating a Seed
A cardinal holding a seed in that thick beak. A sweet one for anyone who loves watching the bird feeder.
9. Cardinal Fluffed Up in the Cold
Round and plump, feathers puffed out for warmth. It’s one of the cutest in the set and perfect for winter cards.
10. Young Cardinal
A juvenile with a softer, shorter crest. Young cardinals are browner than the adults, so colour it brown with a few patches of red coming through.
11. Cardinal Looking Back
A cardinal glancing back over its shoulder. The twist of the head makes it a nice step up once you’ve done the side view.
12. Cardinal on a Pine Sprig
A cardinal on a sprig of pine needles: red against green, the most Christmassy combination there is.
Template Specs at a Glance
| Templates | 12 cardinal 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.
Why Are Cardinals Linked With Christmas?
Quick answer: northern cardinals stay put through the winter in eastern North America, so a bright red bird against the snow became a favourite Christmas card picture. Many people also see a cardinal as a sign that a loved one is close by.
You’ll often hear the old saying “when cardinals appear, angels are near.” Whether or not you believe it, it’s one reason a cardinal drawing makes such a gentle gift at Christmas for someone who’s missing a person they love. A coloured cardinal in a simple frame says a lot without needing any words.
More Winter Drawing Ideas
- My watercolor robin tutorial is the British cousin of this post, with a free robin template to paint.
- For more birds to draw, try my bird drawing ideas or watercolor birds.
- My Christmas drawing templates have lots more festive outlines.
- For card ideas, see my Christmas card drawing ideas.
- More snowy subjects: my winter drawing ideas.
Want More Cardinals?
The full Cardinals & Winter Songbirds set arrives on Saturday 21 November: 36 winter bird 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 cardinal step by step?
Draw an oval body and a small round head, add a tall pointed crest, then a short thick beak and a black mask round the beak and eye. Finish with a folded wing, a long tail and feet gripping a twig, and colour it in.
What is the difference between a male and female cardinal?
Males are bright red all over with a black mask. Females are a warm buff-brown with red tinges on the crest, wings and tail, and a softer grey mask. Both have the crest and the orange-red cone-shaped beak.
What colours do I need to colour a cardinal?
Two reds (a bright one and a deeper crimson), black or a very dark grey for the mask, an orange-red for the beak, and a brown for the branch. For a female, add a warm tan or buff colour.
Why are cardinals linked with Christmas and remembrance?
They stay through the winter, so they’re one of the few bright birds you see against the snow, which made them a Christmas card favourite. Many people also see a cardinal as a sign that a loved one who has passed is near.
Can I use these cardinal templates in my classroom?
Yes. Personal and classroom use are both fine. Please don’t sell the files or share them online as your own.
Final Thoughts
Crest up, mask on, and two reds instead of one. That’s the whole secret to a cardinal that looks like a cardinal. 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 11 November 2026.
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