GRID STEP. You can print out the base construction lines and start drawing on tracing paper, or you can draw the grid layout yourself using the following steps.1) Draw a rectangle that will define the conditional proportions and boundaries of the chosen drawing. 2) From the middle of the rectangle, draw one vertical and one horizontal line equally dividing the shape. 3) Draw a vertical line in the middle of the left half of the figure. 4) Draw a vertical line in the middle of the right half of the figure. 5) Now the grid consists of four identical horizontal segments. Each of these segments is divided in half by vertical lines.

STEP 1. Mark off the width and height of the picture. Draw two ovals for the head and body of the opossum. Draw a line, which will act as the center of its head. Add a line for the tree.

STEP 2. Draw the shapes of the animal’s body and neck. Add a smooth guideline for its tail.

STEP 3. Use guidelines to define places for the legs and mouth of the opossum.

STEP 4. Sketch the legs, feet, snout and ear of the animal.

STEP 5. Draw the eye, tail, ear, nose and toes of the opossum.

STEP 6. Work on the whole figure, paying special attention to detail.

STEP 7. Contour the opossum, trying to vary the thickness and darkness of the line. Add more detail and add the tree. Erase all guidelines.