Position yourself so you have a good view of the animal you will be drawing. Place your picture directly in front of you if you are using one.
Draw the largest part of the animal first. It is easiest to draw an animal from the side, but that is optional. Break down the largest part of its body into one simple shape. If you are drawing a tiger, the body will somewhat resemble a horizontal rectangle. A frog would look like a wide oval sitting on its side. A bird may start off with a pear shape.
Add the head. Most animal heads will be a circle with many various lumps and bumps for the eyes. Break the head down into the simplest shape possible and place it on the body shape you just drew. Do not worry about lines overlapping; this is a good thing. They will help you with placement, and you will "clean up" later.
Add ears and eyes to be sure the placement looks correct. Add a tiny bit of shading to indicate that the shape is indeed an eye. Next, carefully look at the leg placement. Note where the lines will be. The tiger will have more lines on the front of the body where the legs are visible, and the hind legs will have less lines due to the fact that the legs are further away and less visible.
Add any other details now, like a tail, ears or whiskers. Take the corner of your eraser and slowly and gently clean up the overlapping lines, so you reveal a realistic looking animal. Add a few shadows to the underside of the belly, the folds of the legs and where the light is shading the face. Be sure to note where the light is hitting the shapes and indicate that with shading.