How to Draw a Unicorn Emoji
This lesson will show you how to draw a unicorn emoji and how to create the heads of these mythical creatures using two simple methods.
How to Draw a Unicorn Emoji: Introduction
Earlier, we already learned how to draw a unicorn and how to draw a unicorn face. This lesson will show you how to draw a unicorn emoji, which is essentially a stylized version of a unicorn head designed in the emoji format. The goal of this tutorial is to help you create a simplified and recognizable drawing that resembles the cute mythical creature often seen in messaging apps and keyboards.
Before starting this tutorial on how to draw a unicorn emoji, it’s important to note that unicorn emojis can look different depending on the device, operating system, or app. Each platform has its own visual interpretation, with varying degrees of realism and unique stylistic choices. Because of this, the version you draw might differ slightly from what you see on your phone or computer, which is perfectly fine.
In this lesson, you’ll be drawing the unicorn emoji as it appears in iOS, one of the most commonly used emoji styles worldwide. However, you can easily change some elements – like the shape of the horn, the eye style, or the mane – to match a different version or to create your own design. These adjustments can make your drawing feel more personalized or closer to your preferred platform.
At the coloring stage, you can choose to apply flat, solid colors to give your unicorn emoji drawing a clean and simple appearance. Alternatively, you can add light shading and highlights to give the drawing more dimension. This way, your unicorn emoji drawing can either stay minimalistic or look more three-dimensional – whichever version you prefer.
Unicorn Emoji Drawing Tutorial
Materials
- Pencil
- Paper
- Eraser
- Coloring supplies
Time needed: 35 minutes
How to Draw a Unicorn Emoji
- Sketch the basic shape of the emoji head.
Begin this tutorial on how to draw a unicorn emoji by sketching the outline of the head. Sketch a large curved shape to form the head. The shape should resemble a sideways bean or teardrop, with a wide top and a slightly curved, narrower bottom to represent the mouth area.
- Draw the neck of the unicorn emoji.
From the bottom right part of the head shape, draw a long curved line that sweeps downward and moves back to the head, forming the neck of the unicorn emoji. This shape should look like a elongated arc attached to the head.
- Draw the unicorn’s eye and nostril.
First, place a circle near the upper middle part of the head for the eye. Inside the eye, you can later add a smaller circle for the highlight when coloring. Below the eye, near the front of the muzzle, draw a small oval to represent the nostril.
- Add the ears at the top of the head.
Now, sketch the first ear closer to the front – use two curved lines that meet at a point to form a soft triangle. Then add a second ear just behind it. You can make it slightly smaller and offset to the side to make the head look more dimensional. Both ears should point upward and have a smooth, rounded look.
- Sketch the front part of the mane.
Now add the front portion of the unicorn’s mane, which sits between the ears and falls slightly over the forehead. Use short, curved strokes to form several small hair tufts or bangs between and in front of the ears. These curves can be drawn as soft, connected wave-like shapes that resemble a fringe.
- Add the back part of the mane.
Continue by drawing the back part of the unicorn’s mane. Start near the base of the ears and draw flowing, curved lines that extend along the back of the neck. Add several sections that form a soft, wavy pattern. Use rounded lines with smooth points at the tips to give the mane a fluffy appearance.
- Draw the unicorn emoji’s horn.
Place the horn of the unicorn centered between the ears, slightly tilting forward. Use two straight, slightly diagonal lines that meet at a point to create a long, narrow triangle. This horn should be longer than the ears. After the horn is added, the drawing becomes instantly recognizable as a unicorn emoji.
- Add details to the horn and outline the snout.
Draw curved stripes along the unicorn’s horn to give it texture and a candy-like spiral effect. These stripes should follow the shape of the horn and curve around its surface. After finishing the horn details, sketch a smooth line to define the snout. Then, detail the ears by drawing additional lines inside them.
- Color the unicorn emoji drawing.
Color the horn with a rainbow gradient – red at the base, followed by orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple toward the tip. Use a light gray or lavender color for the unicorn’s head, and fill in the snout and inner ear with a soft pink or light purple shade. Color the mane a vibrant pink or violet.
Simple Unicorn Emoji Drawing Tutorial
This tutorial on how to draw a unicorn emoji uses a simplified method with a different step sequence and a final look. Compared to the first unicorn emoji drawing tutorial, this one has fewer construction lines, a more direct approach to building the shape. The final drawing features the recognizable iOS-style emoji with a bright pink head, vibrant rainbow horn, and clean, cartoon-like face
To follow this tutorial on how to draw a unicorn emoji, begin by outlining the head and snout with one continuous curved line. Add the neck using a smooth line that extends downward. Draw two upright ears at the top of the head, then add the jawline below.
Sketch the flowing mane with several curved segments that follow the shape of the head and neck. Place the horn between the ears and draw a spiral-shaped eye using a circle with a swirl inside. Add the nose line and mouth area, then draw curved stripes along the horn. To complete this tutorial on how to draw a unicorn emoji, color the head light pink, the mane hot pink, the horn in rainbow colors, and the eye in light blue.
Conclusion
This lesson taught you how to draw a unicorn emoji and how to draw the head of this creature, since in many operating systems the unicorn is represented as a head-only emoji. The skills you gained from this unicorn drawing tutorial will be useful not only for drawing other mythical creatures but also for creating various emoji-style illustrations.
Let me know in the comments which of the two unicorn emoji drawing methods worked best for you and how satisfied you are with your final result. Are you already following me on social media platforms like YouTube and Pinterest? If so, feel free to visit my Pinterest page and share your finished drawing in the comments under the unicorn emoji pin.
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