5 Easy Steps to Draw Dora the Explorer

Dora the Explorer

Dora the Explorer is a beloved children’s cartoon character who has captured the hearts of young viewers worldwide. Her adventurous spirit, friendly personality, and signature red backpack have made her an iconic figure in the world of animation. If you’re a fan of Dora and want to learn how to draw her, this comprehensive guide will provide you with step-by-step instructions and helpful tips.

To begin, gather your drawing materials, which include a pencil, eraser, colored pencils, markers, or crayons. Find a comfortable spot with good lighting and plenty of space to work. Start by sketching a simple outline of Dora’s head, body, and limbs. Use light, gentle strokes to create the basic shape, and don’t worry about making it perfect at this stage. Once you have the outline, you can add details such as Dora’s facial features, hair, and clothing.

As you progress, pay attention to the proportions of Dora’s body and the placement of her features. Her eyes should be large and expressive, her nose should be small and round, and her mouth should be wide and smiling. Her hair should be long and flowing, and her body should be slender and athletic. Remember to use smooth, fluid lines to create a sense of movement and energy in your drawing. Finally, add color to your drawing, using bright and vibrant shades to bring Dora to life. With a little practice and patience, you’ll be able to create a beautiful and unique drawing of Dora the Explorer.

Materials Needed for Drawing Dora

Essential Drawing Tools

The foundational materials for drawing Dora are those that provide the lines and shapes that make up the character. These include:

A Pencil

A graphite pencil with a HB or 2B grade is suitable for creating initial sketches, as it provides a balance between darkness and erasability. Softer pencils (e.g., 4B) can produce darker lines, while harder pencils (e.g., H) can create lighter, more precise lines. Consider experimenting with different pencil grades to find the right level of darkness and tone for your drawing.

An Eraser

A soft, pliable eraser is essential for gently removing unwanted lines and mistakes. Choose an eraser that doesn’t tear or smudge the paper, allowing you to make corrections without damaging the drawing’s surface.

Drawing Paper

A smooth, high-quality drawing paper provides a stable and responsive surface for your lines. Choose a paper with a medium grain that allows for both smooth shading and crisp lines. Avoid using glossy paper, as it can reflect light and make it difficult to see your work.

Additional Optional Materials

While the essential tools are sufficient for drawing Dora, additional materials can enhance the experience and results:

Colored Pencils or Markers

Add vibrant colors to your Dora drawing using colored pencils or markers. Choose shades that match the character’s vibrant outfit and accessories.

Blending Tools

A tortillon or blending stump can be used to smooth transitions between colors and create softer shading effects.

Ruler or Protractor

If precision is desired, a ruler or protractor can be used to ensure straight lines and accurate angles.

Step 1: Sketching Dora’s Head

To begin drawing Dora’s head, start by sketching an oval for the basic shape. Then, divide the oval into thirds both vertically and horizontally, creating a grid of nine squares. This grid will help you position Dora’s facial features accurately.

Step 2: Sketching Dora’s Eyes and Hair

Within the upper third of the oval, draw two circles for Dora’s eyes. The eyes should be positioned slightly above the horizontal middle line and roughly one-third of the way in from each side. Draw the pupils and eyelashes within the circles.

For Dora’s signature hairstyle, draw two large, thick ovals on the top of the head, extending slightly over the forehead. These ovals represent the protruding sides of her hairstyle. Then, sketch a line connecting the two ovals at the back of the head, signifying the hair’s back section.

Within each of the large ovals, draw two smaller, curved lines to represent the hair’s inner sections. Finally, add a small ponytail at the back of the head, drawn as a curved line with a dot at the end.

Dora’s Facial Features	Positioning on the Grid
Eyes	Upper third of the oval, slightly above the horizontal middle line and one-third in from each side
Hair Ovals	Top of the head, extending over the forehead, connected at the back
Inner Hair Lines	Within the large hair ovals, curved lines to represent inner hair sections
Ponytail	Back of the head, curved line with a dot at the end

Step 2: Drawing Dora’s Facial Features

Step 3: Adding Dora’s Hair, Hat, and Headband

Begin with the top of Dora’s head and work your way down.
Start by sketching a semicircle to represent the top of her hair. From there, draw two curved lines that extend downward and slightly outward to form the sides of her hair.

Inside these lines, draw a series of short, parallel lines to create the texture of her hair. Pay attention to the direction of hair growth and vary the length of the lines to give it a natural appearance.

For Dora’s hat, draw an elongated oval shape on top of her head, with a slightly curved brim. Add a tiny buckle or button in the center of the hatband.

To complete the look, draw a thin headband around Dora’s forehead. It should be a simple line, slightly curved to follow the shape of her head.

Here are some additional tips for drawing Dora’s hair, hat, and headband:

Tips	Explanation
Use light strokes and gradually build up the lines.	This helps create a sense of depth and volume.
Experiment with different hair textures.	Dora’s hair is typically wavy, but you can try different curls or straight lines to personalize your drawing.
Pay attention to the angle of the hat.	The hat should be tilted slightly forward to create a sense of movement.

Step 3: Adding Details to Dora’s Head

4. Eyes and Eyebrows

Begin by drawing two large ovals for Dora’s eyes. The ovals should overlap slightly in the center. Within each oval, draw a smaller black circle for the pupil. Add a white highlight to the side of each pupil to give Dora’s eyes a lively expression.

Left Eye	Right Eye

Next, draw two curved lines above each eye for Dora’s eyebrows. The eyebrows should be slightly arched and slightly tilted outward.

Step 4: Drawing Dora’s Body

Begin by sketching the outline of her body using curved lines. Draw a large oval for her head and a smaller, elongated oval for her torso. Connect the head and torso with a short, curved neck.

5. Defining Dora’s Limbs and Hands

Dora’s arms should be drawn as two curved lines extending from her torso. Extend the lines to create her hands, which should be simple ovals with two lines for fingers.

For her legs, draw two straight lines extending from her torso. Connect the lines at the bottom with two short, curved lines to form her feet. Add two curved lines to each foot to represent her shoes.

To give Dora her signature backpack, draw a large, kidney-shaped oval on her back. Add two straps extending from the top of the backpack to her shoulders.

Additional Details

To enhance the drawing, consider adding additional details:

Draw Dora’s iconic hat as a simple triangle with a curved brim. Add a line in the center of the hat for the feather.
Add facial features like eyes, a nose, and a mouth. Give Dora her signature red hair by adding a few short strokes on the top of her head.
Draw a small monkey, Boots, perched on Dora’s shoulder.

Step 5: Adding Color to Dora’s Clothes

Once you’ve outlined Dora’s clothes, it’s time to bring them to life with color. To do this, grab your favorite colored pencils, markers, or crayons and let your creativity flow.

Dora’s Shirt

Dora’s signature orange shirt is easily the most important part of her outfit. Use a bright orange color to fill it in and make sure to leave a white space for the pocket. For extra detail, add a couple of lines to represent the collar and buttons.

Dora’s Pants

Dora’s pants are a more subdued shade of orange. Color them in using a lighter orange color and don’t forget to include the belt. You can add some yellow buttons to make them pop.

Dora’s Vest

Dora’s vest is a dark blue color. Use a deep blue marker or colored pencil to fill it in and leave a small space at the bottom for the belt.

Dora’s Backpack

Dora’s backpack is a vibrant red color. Color it in using a bright red and don’t forget to add the purple straps and yellow stars.

Dora’s Shoes

Dora’s shoes are a bright yellow color. Fill them in with a yellow crayon or marker and add a black dot for the laces.

Additional Color Suggestions

Element	Color
Pocket	White
Belt	Yellow
Buttons (pants)	Yellow
Strap (backpack)	Purple
Laces (shoes)	Black

Step 6: Coloring Dora’s Hair

6.1: Outline the Hair

Using a black or brown colored pencil or marker, carefully outline the shape of Dora’s hair. This includes the bangs, ponytail, and the strands framing her face. Pay attention to the curved lines and try to keep the lines smooth and consistent.

6.2: Base Color

Using a light brown or golden-brown colored pencil or marker, fill in the base of Dora’s hair, starting from the roots. Be sure to avoid coloring over the areas you outlined earlier.

6.3: Shading and Highlights

To add depth and dimension to Dora’s hair, use a darker brown or black pencil or marker to create shadows in the areas where the hair bends or curves. For the highlights, use a lighter brown or golden-brown pencil or marker to create streaks of light on the top and side of the head.

6.4: Mixing Colors

Darker Shades	Lighter Shades
Black + Brown	Brown + Yellow
Brown + Red	Brown + Orange

To create a more realistic effect, try mixing different shades of brown and yellow or red to create a variety of hues in Dora’s hair.

6.5: Blending

Use a blending tool, such as a cotton swab or a blending stump, to smooth out the transitions between the different colors. This will create a more seamless and natural look for Dora’s hair.

6.6: Final Touches

To finish, use a white or light gray pencil or marker to add highlights to the very tips of Dora’s hair. This will give the hair a shiny and lustrous effect.

Step 7: Refining the Outline and Adding Shadows

Once the outline is complete, you can start refining it and adding shadows to give Dora some depth and dimension.

8: Add Shadows and Highlights

To create realistic shadows and highlights, consider the light source in your drawing. Observe how light interacts with different parts of Dora’s face, clothing, and accessories. Use darker shades to define the areas where the light is blocked, such as under her hat, chin, and near her hair. Conversely, apply lighter shades to the areas that are directly exposed to the light source, such as the top of her head, nose, and the highlighted parts of her clothes.

To achieve a smooth transition between shadows and highlights, use a soft brush or blending tool. This will help create a gradual and realistic effect. Pay attention to the subtle variations in tone to give the drawing a three-dimensional quality.

Here’s a table summarizing key areas to consider when adding shadows and highlights:

Feature	Shadow Area	Highlight Area
Face	Under the hat, chin, near the hair	Top of head, nose, highlighted cheekbones
Clothing	Under the backpack straps, hood, creases in the fabric	Top of the backpack, exposed parts of the shirt, belt buckle
Accessories	Inside the backpack, under the belt	Top of the backpack, backpack straps, belt buckle

Step 8: Creating a Background for Dora

Now that Dora’s outlines are complete, let’s add some depth and context to her world by creating a background. This will enhance the visual appeal of your drawing and make Dora come to life.

Background Elements

Element	Description
Jungle Canopy	Draw a lush canopy of green vines and leaves above Dora’s head, creating the illusion of a jungle setting.
Ground Vegetation	Add plants, flowers, and grass below Dora’s feet to provide depth and visual interest.
Rocks	Incorporate rocks or stones into the background to give the scene a rugged and natural feel.
Animal Companions	Include Dora’s animal companions, such as Boots or Tico, to enhance the story and add realism.
Path	Draw a path or trail leading away from Dora to suggest that she is on an adventure.

When drawing the background, consider the following tips:

Use a variety of colors and shades to create a vibrant and visually appealing environment.
Pay attention to perspective and depth by making objects farther away appear smaller and less detailed.
Don’t overcrowd the background; leave some negative space to balance the composition.
Experiment with different background styles until you find one that complements the character and story.

Step 9: Completing the Drawing and Adding Final Touches

To complete Dora’s drawing and give it a polished finish, follow these meticulous steps:

10. Meticulously Shading and Coloring Dora


Finely shade Dora’s hair, eyes, and clothing to create depth and dimension. Use light, feathery strokes to shade the hair and eyebrows, creating a delicate texture. Add warm, earthy tones to her skin, blending the colors seamlessly for a natural look. Apply vibrant colors to her clothing, using different shades to define creases and folds. Darken the eyelashes and eyebrows to enhance their expressiveness. Add highlights to her eyes and teeth to make them gleam with life.

Finely shade Dora’s hair, eyes, and clothing to create depth and dimension.

Use light, feathery strokes to shade the hair and eyebrows, creating a delicate texture.

Add warm, earthy tones to her skin, blending the colors seamlessly for a natural look.

Apply vibrant colors to her clothing, using different shades to define creases and folds.

Darken the eyelashes and eyebrows to enhance their expressiveness.

Add highlights to her eyes and teeth to make them gleam with life.

Dora How To Draw

Dora the Explorer is a popular children’s cartoon character who has been featured in a TV series, movies, and video games. She is known for her adventurous spirit and her love of learning. Many children enjoy drawing Dora, and there are many resources available online to help them learn how to do so. One popular method is to break down the drawing into simple steps, starting with the basic shapes that make up Dora’s body and face. Once the basic shapes are in place, children can add details such as her hair, clothes, and backpack. With a little practice, children can learn to draw Dora quickly and easily.