How to Draw Pikachu
Master drawing Pokémon's iconic mascot, Pikachu, from head and facial features to expressive ears, lightning-bolt tail, and vibrant marker coloring.
- Read the tools, materials, safety notes, and steps below for free.
- Tap Start Camera Coach when you want hands-free voice help.
- Allow camera and microphone. Point your phone at the work; the coach watches your progress and tells you the next step.
🧰 Required Tools & Equipment
- ✓ Black fine-tip permanent marker
- ✓ HB graphite pencil
- ✓ Vinyl eraser
- ✓ Dual-tip coloring markers or colored pencils
- ✓ White gel pen
📦 Materials & Supplies
- ✓ Heavyweight drawing paper (80-100 lb / 120-160 gsm)
- ✓ Blotter sheet (scrap paper)
⚠️ Safety Checkpoints & Warnings
- • Ensure adequate room ventilation if working with alcohol-based markers.
- • Place a blotter sheet under your drawing paper to avoid marker bleed onto tabletop surfaces.
- • Keep a loose grip on markers and pencils to reduce hand and wrist strain.
📋 Step-by-Step Guide (6 Steps)
Draw the Head and Body Silhouette
Begin near the center of the paper by drawing an upside-down 'U' shape with slightly bowed-out cheeks for Pikachu's head. Continue downward from the cheeks to form a soft, rounded pear-shaped body that tapers slightly outward at the bottom. Keep pencil strokes light and fluid so adjustments can be made easily before final inking.
- • A smooth egg-like or rounded pear silhouette is centered on the paper.
- • The upper head section connects seamlessly into chubby, outward-curving cheeks.
- • Drawing the head too narrow or angular rather than soft and rounded.
- • Pressing too hard with the pencil, leaving deep grooves on the paper.
Add the Facial Features
Place two large, solid black circles across the middle of the face for the eyes, leaving two tiny white highlight dots inside the top corner of each. Sketch a tiny inverted triangle nose centered between the eyes, then add a wide 'W'-shaped cat mouth directly beneath it. Complete the face by drawing two large circular cheek pouches on the lower outer edges of the face.
- • Eyes look lively with reserved white circular highlights.
- • Cheek circles rest symmetrically on the lower curve of both cheeks.
- • Placing the eyes too close together or uneven in height.
- • Forgetting to preserve the white reflection circles inside the dark pupils.
Construct the Pointed Ears
Extend two long, angled oval ears upward from the top corners of the head, tilting them slightly outward at diagonal angles. Draw an angled diagonal line across the top third of each ear to delineate Pikachu's signature black ear tips. Ensure one ear can point slightly higher than the other to give Pikachu an alert, expressive stance.
- • Two tall, rabbit-like pointed ears angle symmetrically from the upper head.
- • Divider lines clearly separate the upper tip segments of both ears.
- • Making the ears too stubby or rounded at the tips.
- • Drawing ears straight vertical like antennae instead of relaxed diagonal angles.
Draw Front Paws and Hind Feet
Sketch two small, short arms extending forward from the upper chest, ending in tiny zig-zag finger scallops for paws. Along the bottom base of the body, draw two flattened oval feet pointing outward with subtle toe marks on each end. Keep the limbs stubby and close to the body to maintain Pikachu's cute proportions.
- • Paws rest naturally on the torso or point forward in an active pose.
- • Feet create a stable flat base for the character to sit or stand.
- • Drawing arms and legs too long or muscular.
- • Misaligning feet so the character appears tilted or off-balance.
Create the Lightning-Bolt Tail
From the lower right back of the body, draw a sharp, zig-zagging line resembling a jagged staircase that widens toward the top end. Double back on the stroke with parallel jagged lines to create thickness, ending with a broad, flat rectangular top. Add a small jagged zig-zag line near the narrow base where the tail connects to the back to mark the brown base color.
- • Tail visibly widens from a narrow base into a bold, broad jagged tip.
- • Segment marker lines are in place near the tail base.
- • Drawing the tail thin and uniform all the way up without widening.
- • Rounding off the zig-zag corners instead of keeping sharp angles.
Ink, Color, and Add Highlights
Trace all pencil outlines using the black fine-tip marker and erase remaining graphite once ink dries. Fill the main body, ears, and tail with a warm, bright yellow marker or pencil, keeping strokes in a uniform direction. Color the cheek circles bright red, the ear tips solid black, the mouth pink/dark red, the tail base warm brown, and finish with a white gel pen dot on each eye and cheek for extra shine.
- • Clean black line art with no visible graphite smudges beneath.
- • Vibrant yellow coverage with crisp red cheeks, black ear tips, and brown tail base.
- • Applying wet marker over fresh ink before it fully dries, causing bleeding.
- • Leaving streaky, multidirectional marker lines across large yellow body areas.
Credit: inspired by an original tutorial by Art for Kids Hub — watch the original on YouTube.
Don’t have everything?
- No Fine-tip black marker? Black ballpoint pen or sharpened black colored pencil
- No White gel pen (for highlights)? Correction fluid (white-out) dabbed lightly on a toothpick