How to Draw Pikachu

Co-authored by Kyle Hall

Last Updated: September 10, 2022 Tested

Pikachu is a Pokémon fan favorite, known as the cute and loyal best friend and battle partner of Ash Ketchum. Drawing Pikachu is simple once you know where to start, whether you want to draw a full-size Pikachu or just its face. By taking it one step at a time, you can draw your very own impressive and electrifying Pikachu!

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Drawing Pikachu’s Face

1
Draw a circle and divide it into 4 sections for the outline of Pikachu’s head. To divide the circle into 4 sections, start by drawing a vertical line down the middle of the circle. Then, slightly above the halfway point of that line, draw a horizontal line from one side of the circle to the other.^{[1]
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- When you’re finished, the top sections should be smaller than the bottom sections.
- If you need help drawing a circle, trying using a compass or tracing something circular.
2
Draw long, pointed ears on top of the head. To draw the ears, start at one side of the head, slightly above the horizontal line. Then, draw a long curved line extending off the head at about a 55-degree angle. The length of the line should be almost equal to the diameter of the circle you drew. Next, starting at the end of the first curve, draw a second curved line back down to the head. Repeat on the other side of the head to make the other ear.^{[2]
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3
Draw Pikachu’s round cheeks and chin at the bottom of the head. To draw the cheeks, start with your pencil slightly below the horizontal line. Then, draw a line that curves away from the circle and then reconnects with the circle at the bottom, right where the vertical line and circle intersect. Repeat the same steps on the other side of the face so the ends of the curved lines meet at the bottom of the circle and form the chin.^{[3]
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4
Add the ear and cheek markings. For the ear markings, start with your pencil halfway along the side of one of the ears, and draw a downward curve that ends at the same point on the other side of the ear. Then, repeat with the other ear. To make the cheek markings, start at the point where the cheek curves away from the rest of the face, and draw an inward-facing curved line that ends at the bottom of the cheek, repeating on the other cheek.^{[4]
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- When you’re done drawing the cheek markings, they should look like ovals on Pikachu's cheeks.
5
Draw the eyes on the horizontal line running through the circle. To draw Pikachu's eyes, draw a large circle on each side of the vertical line so the horizontal line is going through the center of them. Make the circles closer to the outer edges of Pikachu’s face than the vertical line in the center of this face. There should be roughly enough room to fit 2 more circles in the space between the eyes, but don’t actually draw them. Next, draw a smaller circle near the top of each eye and shade in the space around them, leaving a small white down near the bottom of the eyes so it looks like light is reflecting off of them.^{[5]
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- Don’t worry if the eyes you draw aren’t perfect circles—they don’t need to be exact!
6
Draw Pikachu's mouth and tiny nose. To draw Pikachu’s mouth, start with your pencil on the vertical line, slightly below the halfway point between the chin and the horizontal line. Then, draw a wide, short “V” shape extending off the vertical line. The end of the “V” shape should fall along the same path as the inner corner of the eye. When you’re finished, repeat on the other side. To draw Pikachu’s nose, draw a small, upside-down triangle on the vertical line, slightly above the top of the mouth. Then, shade it in.^{[6]
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7
Erase the guidelines to finish your drawing. First, erase the parts of the original circle you drew that fall inside of Pikachu’s cheeks and ears. Then, erase the vertical and horizontal lines you drew to divide the face up into 4 sections. When you’re finished erasing these lines, your drawing is complete!
- If you want to color in your drawing, use red for the cheek markings, black for the ear markings, and yellow for Pikachu’s skin.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Sketching a Full-Size Pikachu

1
Draw a rounded, vertical rectangle for the outline of Pikachu’s head and body. Make the rectangle about twice as tall as it is wide. Also, try to draw it on the right side of your paper so you have enough space on the left side to draw Pikachu’s tail later on.^{[7]
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2
Divide the rectangle up into 6 sections. First, draw a vertical line down the center of the rectangle. Then, draw a horizontal line through the center. Finally, draw a second horizontal line through the halfway point between the first horizontal line and the top of the rectangle. When you’re finished, you should have 6 sections—4 on top and 2 on bottom—that you can use as guides for your drawing.^{[8]
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3
Draw the shape of Pikachu’s head in the top half of the rectangle. Starting with your pencil at the center of the top of the rectangle, draw a downward curved line that tapers in as it approaches the top horizontal line. Then, right before you reach the horizontal line, curve the line you’re drawing back out and draw a vertical, outward-facing curve to make Pikachu’s cheek. End the line at the central horizontal line so it’s slightly inward from the side of the rectangle. Repeat on the other side to finish the outline of Pikachu’s head.^{[9]
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4
Draw the outline of Pikachu’s body in the bottom half of the rectangle. To draw the body, start with your pencil at the bottom of one of the cheeks in the top half of the rectangle. Then, draw a vertical, outward facing curve down to the bottom corner of the rectangle. Next, draw a horizontal, upward curve from that point to the vertical line. When you’re done, repeat on the other side of the rectangle.^{[10]
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5
Draw Pikachu’s long, pointed ears extending off the top of the head. Starting with your pencil near the top of Pikachu’s head, slightly down one side, draw a long, vertical curved line that’s about as tall as the head. Then, from the end of that line, draw a vertical curved line back down to the head. When you’re finished, the ear should look like a tall, narrow oval that comes to a point at the end. Repeat on the other side of the head to make the second ear.^{[11]
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- Pikachu can move its ears independently of one another, so feel free to draw the ears at different angles. If you want to draw one of the ears sticking out to the side while the other is straight up, just make the curved lines extending off Pikachu’s head horizontal instead of vertical.
6
Add Pikachu’s arms and feet. To draw the arms, start by drawing a large “U” shape near the top of one side of Pikachu’s body, angling it at around a 65-degree angle. Make it so the open top part of the “U” shape is pointing away from the center of the body. Then, repeat on the other side to make the second arm. For Pikachu’s feet, start with your pencil at the bottom corner of the rectangle. Then, draw a short, slightly curved line extending out from the corner that’s at about a 45-degree angle with the bottom of the rectangle. Next, from that point, draw a straight line back toward the body that slightly curves upward at the end. Repeat on the other side.^{[12]
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- After you draw the arms, you can draw 5 small triangles at the ends for Pikachu’s claws.
- To give Pikachu toes, draw a short line inside each foot that’s parallel to the upper edge.
7
Draw Pikachu’s eyes, nose, and mouth. To draw the eyes, draw 2 large circles resting on top of the horizontal line running through the center of the face. Then, draw a smaller circle at the top of each one for the pupils. Next, make the nose by drawing a small upside down triangle where the horizontal and vertical lines intersect in the center of the face. To draw the mouth, start with your pencil on the vertical line, slightly below the bottom of the nose. Then, draw an upward, horizontal curve away from that point so the end falls along the same path as the inner edge of Pikachu’s eye. Finally, repeat on the other side to finish the mouth.^{[13]
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- When you’re finished, shade in Pikachu’s tiny nose and both eyes, except for the pupils.
8
Add the cheek and ear markings. Starting just below the horizontal line running through the center of the face, draw a large circle off to the side of Pikachu’s face that’s nearly touching the edge of the cheek. Then, repeat on the other side to make the second cheek marking. For the ear markings, start with your pencil about halfway up one side of the ear. Then, draw a straight line to the other side of the ear that’s angled upward at a 45-degree angle. Repeat on the other ear.^{[14]
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- Pikachu’s ear markings should look like short, triangular tips that are slanted at the bottoms.
9
Draw 3 stacked rectangles as guidelines for Pikachu’s tail. Starting with your pencil at the bottom of Pikachu’s left hip, draw a vertical rectangle next to the body that ends near the top of the arms. Then, draw a second vertical rectangle that’s above and to the left of the first one so the corners are overlapping. Finally, draw a large horizontal rectangle on top of that one, with the top of the horizontal rectangle lining up with the horizontal line that runs through the center of Pikachu’s face. Make the width of the final rectangle about the same as the width of Pikachu’s head.^{[15]
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- Don’t worry about making these rectangles perfect—they’re just guidelines that will make it easier to draw Pikachu’s tail.
10
Draw Pikachu’s zigzag tail over the guidelines you drew. The guidelines should still represent the basic shape of the tail, but go back in and draw tapered lines over them that come to a point at the end and are angled in a zigzag shape. When you’re done, draw a horizontal zigzag line across the center of the lowest rectangle guideline you drew.^{[16]
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- Make sure each line in Pikachu’s tail is angled somewhat so the tail has its iconic zigzag shape.
11
Erase any unnecessary lines to complete your drawing. Start by erasing any excess guidelines you drew for the tail. Then, erase the rounded rectangle you drew to outline the head and body, as well as the vertical and horizontal lines running through your drawing. After all the guidelines are gone, you’re done!^{[17]
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- To color in your drawing, use yellow for Pikachu’s skin, red for the cheek markings, black for the ear markings, and brown for the base of the tail.

Community Q&A

Question

How do you draw a Pikachu face?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

Drawing Pikachu's face isn't as tough as you might think! First, start by drawing a vertical line down the middle of the circle. Then, slightly above the halfway point of that line, draw a horizontal line from one side of the circle to the other to form 4 equal sections. Draw long, pointed ears on top of the head and then draw Pikachu’s round cheeks and chin at the bottom of the head. Add the iconic ear and cheek markings, and then draw the eyes on the horizontal line running through the circle. Draw a short "V" shape on each side of the vertical line where Pikachu's mouth goes, and then a small upside down triangle to form his nose. Erase the guidelines and you're left with a smiling Pikachu!
Question

How do you draw Pikachu's body?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

Focus on keeping it simple. Start with a rounded, vertical rectangle for the outline of his head and body. The, divide the rectangle into 6 equal sections. Draw the shape of Pikachu’s head in the top half of the rectangle and the outline of his body in the bottom half of the rectangle. Add arms by drawing a large "U" shape at an angle near the top of one side of Pikachu's body, then draw another one on the other side. For the feet, draw a short, slightly curved line extending out from the corner that’s at about a 45-degree angle with the bottom of the rectangle and then draw one on the other side. That'll leave you with a Pikachu body and from there you can add a head and tail to complete the drawing.
Question

How do you draw Pikachu's tail?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

No Pikachu is complete without its famous lightning bolt tail! Fortunately, it's actually pretty easy to draw. Starting with your pencil at the bottom of Pikachu’s left hip, draw a vertical rectangle next to the body that ends near the top of the arms. Add a second rectangle that's above and to the left of the first one, and then another on top of that. he guidelines should still represent the basic shape of the tail, but go back in and draw tapered lines over them that come to a point at the end and are angled in a zigzag shape. Finish the tail by drawing a horizontal zigzag line across the center of the lowest rectangle you drew.