Kawaii Birdies: Learn to Draw 80 Adorable Feathered Friends

by Jen Budrock

Learn to draw over 75 cute birds following the adorable artistic style of author Jen Budrock, founder of the blog Birdhism.

Welcome back to the world of kawaii, with this new drawing class of  Kawaii Birdies ! These birdies are so cute they can fit right in your palm. From their chubby bodies to the anatomy of their feathers to the beautiful colors of their plumage, there is so much to learn and love about the frequent fliers of our world. Thanks to Jen Budrock, bird conservationist and extraordinaire, this guide will teach you how to create little birds with big personalities on the page, and even give you some tips on what to do if you're thinking about bringing a real birdie home. 

Alongside a wide variety of birds spanning the old world and the new world, as well as domestic and wild species , this drawing class comes with a no holds barred on fun, as you'll discover in the chapters  Bird Activities, Bird Shenanigans, and Bird Dress Up . Learn to draw the cutest birdies doing all types of silly activities,
Find fun and helpful tips for creating your own birds with this easy-to-follow, step-by-step drawing class that beginners will love and experts can add to their resumes. Even after you've done all the tutorials, the back of the book is loaded with a Bird Order Directory and unique Inspiration and Coloring pages so that you can continue creating kawaii birdies. More than your standard how-to drawing guide, Kawaii Birdies will turn you into a certified bird lover. Grab your favorite art utensil, and explore the world of birds on the page today!

Genres: Nonfiction, Art, Drawing, Birds, Animals

144 pages, Paperback

Published May 21, 2024

Reviews

[Books_the_Magical_Fruit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is about as adorable as you can get. I’m something of an artist, myself, and I enjoy checking out drawing books from time to time. Here, Jen Budrock teaches you step-by-step how to draw birds in the “cute” style of kawaii. There are introductions to each bird and their different makeups, and then we get to do the fun stuff—practice drawing! Budrock makes the process easy, and there are birds by themselves as well as birds doing crazy or funny things (read: skateboarding, hot-tubbing, surfing, etc.). Also included are coloring pages and spaces to draw your own creations. All in all, a fun, educational book that everyone can enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group-Rock Point for the complimentary eARC. All opinions are mine alone.

(My personal favorite was Battle Birdie holding a giant cleaver! 😁 Hilarious!)

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Kawaii Birdies is a cute and fun how-to book all about birds. The instructions are short and sweet and easy to understand, and the birds themselves are so cute and fun to draw. I enjoyed the different ideas of ways to customise your drawings/art, too, and found the information helpful, especially for beginners. I'm hoping to get a few of these Kawaii drawing books for my daughter for Christmas as I know she'd have great fun with them.

[DesanaRose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really cute. The directions for drawing are very simple. The directions are provided step by step.
There are also a lot of variations of birds. I have something to do during boring work meetings that could have easily been an email.
Thank you Jen Budrock and NetGalley.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are all sorts of cute designs included in this how-to book! The instructions are very clear, and there are pictures included every step of the way. No portion of the process is missing. It was very easy to get started. An excellent edition to an artist's library.

[Yves V.H. [Slow reading] · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is actually a very cute book. It teaches you how to draw birds (adorable version but I think if you got the hang of it, you could use the same techniques but enhance it even more to make it realistic or develop your own style). I've been drawing since I was very young but couldn't draw any animal (unless you consider that 'm' in the sky when I draw any horizon but this book helped me somehow.

Thank you Netgalley for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily 💙

[Rin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to thank Jennifer Budrock, NetGalley & Quarto Publishing Group for an advanced look into this upcoming creative publication on drawing, Kawaii Birdies!

This ebook was a delight! I find Jen’s passion for helping birds like Cody on every page of this book; it just makes my heart sing! There is such a thoughtful yet scientific layout to the book. As someone who uses creativity as an outlet for an analytical mind seeing the two melded together in this book was a joy. A crash course in bird anatomy and the inclusion of a species directory created such a helpful tool for sampling characteristics to use in my own drawings. I find the method of how to use this book to be clear and intuitive. The drawing lines key is easy to understand and consistent through each activity in the book. The shenanigans section was utterly adorable, I have had such a hard time picking a favorite from this book! Anyone could use this book to make kawaii birdies, it’s just that well done! Thank you Jen for sharing your love of birds, creating Birdhism, and sharing this wonderful book with us! You’ve inspired me, I will be sure to spread the joy of these cuties, “put a bird on it”!

[Heather Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so happy I was able to review this book. As someone who loves to doodle in my free time, the adorable birds and bright colors caught my attention immediately.

The first thing I loved was the sheer variety of birds this book offers. From types of birds, to poses, and even breakdowns of anatomy - you will learn to draw a whole menagerie of truly “kawaii” flying friends!

Secondly, I am an educator and am always looking for books I can leave in my classroom for early finishers. How to draw books are always a favorite, because it combines reading and creativity. Reading this book through an educator’s lens, I was focused on how accessible it would be for the middle school students I teach. My consensus was that they’d be able to follow along very well, and the style of art is right up their alley.

For anyone with basic drawing doodle skills to skilled artists, I think this extremely visually appealing book will be a win for everyone!

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely adorable! I was impressed at how educational this book turned out regarding bird anatomy/identification. The intro material shows different beak, wing, foot, and tail types and discusses purposes, i.e. which beaks are for nut-eaters versus insect-eaters. There is also a chart separating birds by their scientific classifications.

As an artist, I found the tutorials easy to understand and replicate. Birds are once again identified by their proper names, so I learned the difference in features between drawing a chickadee versus a sparrow, for example. Even though each species is drawn in a specific pose, an intermediate artist could easily mix-and-match countless combinations.

As a librarian, I worry a bit about the "draw and color your own!" pages at the end, but it is great for a personal purchase!

[Mandy Kool · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Kawaii drawing book for anyone’s collection.

I am obsessed with birds and love drawing them, so this title was right up my alley. There are 80 different birds to try your hands at with easy step by steps.

The front has variation styles to try and practice and the back has some birds to color.

Overall, I am incredibly impressed with this one! It’s fantastic.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple. Doable. Adorable.
I already doodle while notetaking, but now my notes are about to be covered in birdies.
Buying a personal copy and one for the library. Kids and adults will love this one.

[Ag · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might be THE most adorable and THE cutest drawing lessons book out there!
The Kawaii birdies are super adorable!
The drawing lessons are good too, really good. I’d say the book is suitable for most levels of drawing experience, even for beginners. The lessons are bite-sized and easy to follow, each step is clearly outlined and there are ideas on how to customize your art.
The book would be the most perfect gift to any young, budding artist or anyone who wants to try their hand at drawing.

[Flora · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good step-by-step on how to draw really cute little cartoon birds. I particularly liked that instructions are also given for birds dressed in certain ways or doing certain activities.

As always I like the step-by-step books that show each progressive step in a different color.

5 stars. Really cute.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Description
Explore the amusing personalities of 80 birds by drawing them in the adorable artistic style of author Jen Budrock, founder of the blog Birdhism.

Welcome back to the world of kawaii, with this new drawing class of Kawaii Birdies! These birdies are so cute they can fit right in your palm. From their chubby bodies to the anatomy of their wings to the beautiful colors of their plumage, there is so much to learn and love about our fair-feathered friends. Thanks to Jen Budrock, advocate and all-out bird nerd, this guide will teach you how to create little birds with big personalities on the page, and even give you some tips on how to go about bringing a real companion bird home.

In a two-spread Bird Order Directory, learn the order in which each species included in the book belongs. With a wide variety of birds spanning the old world and the new world, as well as domestic and wild species, this is just the surface of the expansive world of birds. In true Birdhism style, this drawing class comes with a no holds barred on fun, as you'll discover in the chapters Birdie Activities, Birdie Shenanigans, and Birdie Dress-Up. Learn to draw the cutest birds doing all types of silly activities, including:

Cuddling
Stealing
Peekabooing
Pouting
Camping
Baking
Surfing
Battling
And so much more!

Find fun and helpful tips for creating your own birds with this easy-to-follow drawing class that beginners will love and experts can expand their resumes with. Even after you've done all the tutorials, the back of the book is loaded with unique Inspiration and Coloring pages so that you can continue creating kawaii birdies wherever you are. More than your standard how-to drawing guide, Kawaii Birdies is guaranteed to turn you into a certified bird lover. Grab your favorite art utensil, and explore the world of birds in this art class today!

My thoughts:
KAWAII indeed! These simple but fun prompts and instructions on how to draw these sweet little birds throughout this book are adorable. The author has step by step photos with cute sketches and drawings of birds scattered on each page. What a great gift for a young artist, a bird lover, or lover of all things Kawaii.




I received this book from NetGalley for this review. I was under no obligation to give a positive review. All opinions are on my own. I am disclosing this per the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Carmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy from Rock Point through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve been a huge fan of Jen’s artwork after following them on their Instagram, Birdhism, a while ago. I was very excited to get an advanced copy of this book, and I will definitely be buying a copy when it’s released! Inside, you will find a little about Jen and their bird activism as well as what kawaii means. Then there’s a section on tools before you get to a great note on what this book is for. I love that they encourage their readers to continue drawing even when their abilities don’t meet their personal expectations. It’s great that so many artists are encouraging their readers to keep trying and remind everyone that drawing is a skill that takes time to level up.

Rather than the tutorials going from easy to hard, they are set up in the following sections: old world, new world, domestic, and wild birds. Then we get to drawing bird poses, which made me want to try drawing various birds sleeping on various things. I love that there’s tutorials on how to draw the birds with so many different objects, such as boxes and surfboards. It really helps artists of all levels see how important basic shapes play into drawing, especially circles, which is a basic shape used to start sketching out just about everything one might want to draw.

This was an excellent book for people of all ages that’s cute, fun, and encouraging. I also love that there are a few pages for drawing that have encouraging birds in the corners. It’s such a nice touch. Plus, there’s few coloring pages at the very end, which is exciting for anyone who likes coloring books. It’s such a great book that may bring more attention to this wonderful artist.

[73pctGeek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley, I was able to read a digital ARC of Kawaii Birdies by Jen Budrock.

After a short intro of the artist, there's a brief explanation of kawaii which is followed by notes on tools how to use the book. Pages of simple outlines showing the shapes of various anatomical parts, like wings, crests, beaks etc follow, before a directory of facial expressions and a quick guide to colouring.

A couple of pages categorising the various orders of bird follow, with a little bird drawn for each type. And they are adorable! So, so cute. The artist has really nailed the kawaii factor.

Most of the rest of the book is short one-page tutorials on how to draw specific types of bird, so they actually look like the type of bird you're aiming for. A section at the end shows how to draw the birds in adorable poses, or with fun or cute accessories. The final section consists of four double spread colouring pages full of little birdies to colour.

Just flipping through this book is so much fun. It made me want to try drawing some myself, and I shall be giving it at try. Budrock makes it look easy. Admittedly there might be a bit of the a draw-the-rest-of-the-owl vibe, but how un-cute could they turn out?

Full disclosure, I really like birds, I love kawaii art, and I'm terribly biased in favour of kawaii animal characters that have little x's for buttholes. Those x' s make this an automatic 5 stars from me.

[Ink · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kawaii means "cute" in Japanese and is commonly applied to Chibi art or anime, as well as a whole range of mascots and advertising. In Kawaii Birdies, Jen Budrck takes the reader through the steps to create their own Kawaii Birdies (and there is a lot of inspo for the Kawaii Birdie examples (look out for that Turfted Titmouse and relate to the Blue Pacific Parrotlet!)

The Lines key is very helpful as are the core shapes. Included also is a short section on basic wing anatomy which is very useful when posing your birdie, and all written in a way that all ages and abilities can engage in this adorable genre of art. I found the directions very easy (and enjoyable) to follow and teh instructions clear and concise (as well as having a subtle humour underlying the designs and narrative)

Once you have learned the basic shapes and anatomy, there are sections on different types of Birdie, character/ emotes, even dressing your birdie and setting them in scenes. Finally, pages to practice your drawings and colouring pages

All in all a delightful book and the series is a great springboard for drawing your own kawaii world!

Thankyou to Netgalley, Quarto Publishing Group and Jen Budrock for this adorable ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

[The Bookish Chimera - Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

“A bird has no fear of the branch breaking. Trust your wings. Believe in yourself.”

I’m not an artist. I can barely hold a pen (or a stylus) and I often feel frustrated with art books as things that apparently are obvious for the author aren’t for me (and, sometimes, the opposite too…).
This book makes an exception. I might have liked more details about… details but the fact that they are listed at the beginning of the books is very helpful already to train and recognize them. I like how the table of contents was based on the zoological classification (and the kawaii wing anatomy), adding a bit of education to that fun book.
The book is simple (is the best of ways), with just as many steps as I needed to manage to draw something that actually looks like a bird. The “activity” section, where birds are acting like birds was my favourite, even if it’s still out of my range for now.
I really enjoyed that arc, and definitely try to follow most of the tutorials. I was great for the eternal adult beginner that I am, but will also be great for kids.

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute book for those who want to draw kawaii birds. It is in the format of draw these shapes and then erase these lines, which is my least favorite way to draw. The birds are divided into sections like old world, domestic and farm. Some of them look a lot like the birds and others really don’t, since kawaii makes everything chubby and round, and some bird species are just not. There are some real normal bird depictions and then it goes into lots of the typical kawaii drawing book stuff like here’s a bird in a burrito and a different bird in a cupcake and a bird with a giant butcher knife. I personally have no desire to draw birds dressed up oddly as food or doing weird things, but I know I’m not the target audience. The book will be a big help for those who want to make these kinds of scenes.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.

[Ava Courtney Sylvester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally, my favorite birds in a book!

This book is a must-buy for anyone looking to bring a little cuteness (and a lot of bird) into their life. There's everything from a guide to turning anatomically correct features into a kawaii cute-ified version to a pick-and-choose series of faces and moods. There are even sections for activities and shenanigans to draw your birds partaking in, like nesting, perching, pouting, and stealing keys off a keyboard.

If you're looking to learn to draw, this book can help you with simple, step-by-step instructions for each bird species (including plenty you probably haven't heard of!) and a brief introduction to physical and digital tools and techniques, too.

Every cute thing you can imagine a bird doing or being (including a surfer or a cupcake), this book will have it, teach you to draw it, and celebrate you as you do it!

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The bird is the word? No, the bird is the illustration. This book has so many positively delightful little birdies to draw and doodle. Some are shy birds who prefer gaming (maybe Angry Birds?) and some are self-love birds who like to hot tub (and may be spilling the tea!). There are basic blue birds and exotic pink birds. The directions are easy to follow and it doesn’t have to be perfect to still be cute. So if you’re drawing together as a flock or alone as an empty nester, you won’t be disappointed with the options within.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book will help you learn how to draw cute cartoony birds using simple shapes. It's a good "learn how to draw" style title with a wide variety of birds. It distinguishes itself from some other drawing books with the inclusion of a section of birds in dynamic poses doing fun things. You can draw your parakeet surfing or as a DnD style bard. There's also a fun 'dress-up' section of birds in costumes. Some of my favorites is the Battle Birdie, a tufted titmouse wielding a butcher knife and the teatime birdie, a Warbling White-eye with cuppa and kettle.

If you like cute birds and silly comics this is a great pick for you.

[maiaisreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

My niece loves to draw. I just love to do it with her. KAWAII BIRDIES by Jen Budrock has been fun for the both of us. So I can say it's fun for all ages.

We had an enjoyable and educational experience learning how to draw birds! The clear instructions definitely made it easy to follow along. The variety of cute birds were certainly inspiring to draw. We appreciate the tips to draw the different parts of the birds, for example tail and beak shapes.

Cute (kawaii) birds indeed! I recommend it for beginners like us.

Rating: 5 ⭐

Pub date: 07 May 2024

Thank you Rock Point and #netgalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Diane Hernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kawaii Birdies are a Japanese artform that is easy to learn, at least with the help of this book.

The author begins with two simple circles. Soon, the reader will find pages of details to add from noses to wing shapes. A full-color pictorial of different types of birds is also included. I think anyone with a set of colored pencils will be drawing beautiful Kawaii Birdies after finishing this book. Just in case you can’t wait, there are also several coloring pages of the birds in the back just needing your coloring expertise. 5 stars!

Thanks to Rock Point LP and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

[SketchyNewEngland · Rating 5 out of 5]

There were so many great ideas in this book! I can’t wait to get started drawing some cute birdies now. This book helped me understand basic wing structure and the shapes that create the body of the bird. It also provided lots of inspiration for creating your own designs. I loved the section at the end where the birds were pictures with little props, that’s when things get really fun and the personality of the characters shine.
Thank you for the eARC! I can’t wait to get started drawing!

[Bunny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of all the kawaii drawing books I've picked up, this is the one I was worst at.

I've been including pictures of the drawings I made in my reviews, just to show how much fun I was having. And while YES, I did have fun with this, there is no way I am sharing the pictures of the doodles because they ARE BAD.

JUST TAKE MY WORD FOR IT.

Still recommend. Hopefully you have better art skills than I do. As would anyone above the age of 1, pretty much.

[J. d'Merricksson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kawaii Birdies by Jen Budrock is one absolutely adorable drawing book. It gives a brief introduction to kawaii, tools, and tips for colouring your birdies. There are also sections looking at individual parts such as wing and beak styles. Then comes the fun part- learning to draw myriad marvellous birdies! You’ll find Old and New World birds, both wild and domestic, getting up to all kinds of mischief.

This is perfect for budding and established artists of any age!

[Sarah B · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most adorable book! We are big fans of drawing books in this house and both my 10 year old and I love to give these types of drawings a go. The instructions were super clear and cute and so many options.
Initially my daughter was afraid she couldn’t do it, but the detailed step by step made it simple and gave great results.
Would definitely recommend

[Anna Makowska · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute and adorable manual for drawing cartoon-stylized birds in various poses, from common pigeon and rooster, to exotic parrots. The instructions are clear and the examples varied and colorful. Drawings aren't complicated to perform. Recommended for children ages 5-10 who are learning to draw and are looking for fun, short, motivating exercises.

[Kiara]

I’m having so much fun working through the tutorials in this book! All of the birds are super cute and I love how there are tutorials that would work with various skill levels, so a beginner like me doesn’t feel intimidated. I’ve really been leaning into checking out drawing books this year and I can’t wait to get my own copy of this one!

[Bibliophileverse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some very nice and cute drawings. I love to doodle and Kawaii doodles are too cute to draw. These designs are definitely going to help me in taking my art to a further step. The graphics is cute with step by step drawing instructions. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an opportunity to read and review the book.