In this tutorial, I'll show you an easy-to-draw phoenix design that you can you use for a phoenix logo or a more detailed illustration. I'll tell you how to draw a phoenix step by step, from scratch, using beginner-friendly techniques.
The phoenix is a legendary bird famous for its unique ability: it's said that after it dies, it's reborn from its own ashes, so it's functionally immortal. The phoenix is associated with sun and fire, and in some sources it regains its life specifically after burning itself to death. It's usually pictured as a big bird with red, orange, and yellow plumage, or with flames for feathers.
In modern times, phoenixes come in all shapes and sizes—so it may be difficult to draw one without having any idea how to start. So for my inspiration, I've used this beautiful phoenix logo design from Envato Elements. I really like its fiery "mane" and the tail feathers, and I'm going to incorporate them into my own phoenix drawing.
What You Will Learn in This Easy, Simple Phoenix Drawing Tutorial
- How to draw a phoenix bird step by step
- How to create an easy, simple phoenix drawing
- How to create a phoenix logo design
- How to draw a phoenix the easy way
What You Will Need
This phoenix drawing tutorial is medium-independent, which means you can draw it with whatever tools you want. Just make sure to keep the lines in the first stages light and subtle, so that they're easy to cover with darker lines in the final stage.
1. How to Sketch a Simple Phoenix Pose
Step 1
To make sure our phoenix looks dynamic, we need to start the drawing with a couple of dynamic gesture lines. First, draw the main "rhythm" of the body, including the basic direction of the tail.
Step 2
Add the general curve of the wings—no details or anatomy yet, just their position and direction.
Step 3
Add the curve of the neck.
2. How to Draw a Phoenix Step by Step
Step 1
Let's start adding the details of the body. First, draw the chest between the wings—make it big if you want to make the chest muscular/fluffy, and narrower if you want a slimmer type of phoenix.
Step 2
Add the lower part of the torso, smaller than the chest.
Step 3
Add more curves to the tail—this will make it look more magical.
Step 4
Add the oval of the head. The smaller it is, the larger the bird will look.
Step 5
Let's start constructing the wings now. Start with the arm and the forearm, ending them at the wrist. Keep the arm much shorter than the forearm.
If you want to learn more about drawing wings, check out this tutorial:
Step 6
Add the hand now—or, actually, a single finger.
Step 7
Add the rhythm of the primary feathers. Draw about six of them, starting with a long one (attached to the tip of the "finger") and then making each one shorter than the previous one.
Step 8
Add the rhythm of the secondary feathers. They should be similar in size. As for their angle, first they should be parallel to the last primary feather, and then they should become closer to being parallel to the torso.
Step 9
Add the alula—the bird thumb. Making it stick out like this will add more detail to the shape of the wings.
Step 10
Add very simple legs. If you want a simple phoenix drawing, you can skip them, too.
Step 11
To make our phoenix more decorative, you can add more feathers around the tail. Having different types of tail feathers is actually pretty common among birds of paradise!
3. How to Add More Details to a Simple Phoenix Drawing
Step 1
The basic silhouette of our phoenix is done, so let's now add more flesh to this skeleton! Draw the beak at the front of the head. Feel free to use any beak shape you find fitting for this species.
Step 2
Add the eye. The smaller it is, the larger the bird will appear.
Step 3
Mark the location of the cheek—this will be helpful for adding the feathers in this area.
Step 4
If you want your phoenix to have a lot of flame-shaped feathers, you can now add the general curve of them.
Step 5
Add the wide tips to each of the curved tail feathers.
Step 6
Let's make the wings more detailed now. First, fill the space between the arm and the forearm.
Step 7
Cross the primary feathers with two arcs to mark the areas of the covert feathers.
Step 8
Do the same with the secondary feathers.
Step 9
Add the joints to the feet now, finishing each toe with a claw.
4. How to Finish the Easy-to-Draw Phoenix
Step 1
Let's add the final details to our phoenix drawing now! Feel free to get creative here—you don't have to follow my instructions exactly. First, outline the details of the head.
Step 2
Add the feathers on the breast.
Step 3
Draw the details of the feet now. Keep them simple!
Step 4
Outline the fluffy lesser coverts. They don't have to be very detailed—just make sure to keep them spread out in the hand area.
Step 5
Outline the lower part of the torso.
Step 6
Outline the tail now—you can make the tips ragged and flame-like.
Step 7
Outline the other tail feathers, too.
Step 8
Draw the second row of the covert feathers. Loosely follow the rhythm defined by the lines beneath.
Step 9
You can now outline the big, primary feathers. You can make them slotted for a more appealing look—just be careful to make the narrower part shorter and shorter as you get closer to the secondary feathers. Start with the longest feather, and then go towards the body, strictly following the rhythm defined by the lines below.
Step 10
Add the secondary feathers. Keep following the rhythm.
Step 11
To make the phoenix look more magical, you can add special marks in various areas of its body.
Step 12
Now it's time to take a darker tool and accentuate all the lines that you want to keep. If you used a pencil for the sketch, erase these lines as well. To make this line art more attractive, use lines of various thicknesses—for example, thicken the areas where two lines meet.
Good Job!
Now you know how to draw a phoenix bird step by step! Here's how I colored it digitally in Sketchbook Pro:
5 Top Phoenix Logo Ideas From Envato Elements
If you need more phoenix design inspiration, check out these amazing phoenix logo designs from Envato Elements!
Majestic Phoenix Emblem [AI, EPS, PDF, PSD, PNG]
Here's a phoenix bird logo that looks both modern and detailed. You can see the wings and feathers on the head, but the design is still simple enough to not be distracting.
Detailed Phoenix Logo [AI, EPS, JPG, PDF, PNG, PSD]
This phoenix emblem will be great for a sport or an e-sport team logo—it's nicely symmetrical and full of emotion. It also looks pretty detailed, despite being quite clean and simple.
Realistic Phoenix Logo [AI, EPS]
This logo will be great for your team as well! It's very detailed, down to the various colors and shading on each feather. And yet it's still fully vector—so you can use it for any size and purpose!
Phoenix Company Logo [AI, EPS, PDF, JPG]
If you need a phoenix logo design for your company, you may need something clean and simple, and yet distinctive. This logo is exactly that! It doesn't have a lot of details, but the shape of the fiery bird is easily recognized.
Modern Phoenix Logo [EPS, AI]
If you need a modern phoenix logo, try this logo! It's very minimalistic, and yet you can clearly say what it pictures by looking at the colors and the flame-like feathers.
Recommended Tutorials
Now you know how to draw a phoenix the easy way, but don't go yet! We have plenty of other easy drawing tutorials you may be interested in:
