Draw a One Line Bird
Draw a bird using one continuous line without lifting your pencil, experimenting with shapes, sizes, and simple details to improve steady hand control.
Step-by-step guide to draw a one line bird
Step 1
Place your materials on a clean flat surface where you can draw comfortably.
Step 2
Sit in a comfortable chair at the table so your arm can move freely.
Step 3
Sharpen your pencil so the tip is ready for smooth lines.
Step 4
Practice drawing one continuous shape on scrap paper three times like a circle a teardrop and an S-shape.
Step 5
Pick a starting point on your drawing paper and mark it with a small dot.
Step 6
Slowly draw a bird using one continuous line from your starting dot without lifting your pencil.
Step 7
Add a simple eye a beak or wing loops while keeping your pencil on the paper the whole time.
Step 8
Draw a second one-line bird and change the size or tail shape to try a different steady-hand challenge.
Step 9
Use your eraser to gently remove any stray pencil marks that are not part of your continuous line.
Step 10
Colour your favorite one-line bird using your colouring materials to make it bright and fun.
Step 11
Share your finished creation on DIY.org
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can we use if we don't have a sharpened pencil, eraser, or colouring materials?
Use a fine-tipped pen or felt-tip marker instead of a sharpened pencil, a clean scrap of paper or kneaded eraser to remove stray marks, and crayons or washable markers for colouring.
My line keeps breaking or I keep lifting the pencil—how can I fix that?
Practice the three continuous shapes on scrap paper from the instructions, slow your hand and rotate your drawing paper to a comfortable angle, and try drawing larger birds so it's easier to keep one continuous line.
How can I adapt this one-line bird activity for younger children or older kids?
Give younger children thicker crayons and larger paper and have them trace a single teardrop or S-shape, while older kids can add small eye and beak details, make tiny second birds, or time themselves for the steady-hand challenge described.
How can we extend or personalize the activity after finishing the one-line bird?
Turn your favourite coloured one-line bird into a series by drawing multiple birds with different tail shapes and sizes, add backgrounds or collage with your colouring materials, and photograph the best piece to share on DIY.org.
Watch videos on how to draw a one line bird
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Facts about drawing and fine motor skills for kids
⏱️ Try timed 30–60 second one-line bird challenges to make practice playful and boost confidence.
🐦 Birds are great one-line subjects — their outlines are simple but full of character, so small changes make big differences.
🖊️ One-line drawings (continuous line drawings) let your pencil flow without lifting, perfect for steady-hand practice.
🎨 Pablo Picasso famously made many single-line animal sketches, some drawn in just a few seconds.
🧠 Practicing continuous-line art improves hand-eye coordination and helps your brain plan smooth movements.
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