How to Draw Pokémon: Pikachu | Step-by-step Cartoon Tutorial

We use a pencil, pen, paper, and markers (other coloring materials are good, too).

Pikachu (at least the one in the show) is always around because he stays out of Pokeballs, and I think that's what makes it unique!

In this short lesson, you'll be able to sketch, ink, then color Pikachu. Make sure you watch the video to get a more detailed explanation of the process.

1. Start drawing our electrifying Pikachu using very basic shapes for its main body parts to get the proportions right. The overall structure of its body is a rhombus shape (a fancy term for a crooked rectangle). Use that rhombus shape as a guideline for drawing in the curves of Pikachu's body.

2. Draw sausage shapes for its arms and add its fingers (or paws?) which are drawn with tiny triangles or zig-zag lines.

3. When you're done with the basic shapes, you can start drawing the details.

Look at a reference photo and pay attention to the smaller details of its face, tail, ears, and body; it has red spots like circle blushes on its cheeks, and a couple of stripes on its back, ears, and tail.

4. There really isn't much detail to Pikachu but, when you're done drawing them, you can start inking. I use a brush pen for inking the outlines. Vary the thickness (line weight) of each line to make it look better.

Make sure you take your time and be careful with every stroke; you won't be able to erase any of the mistakes when inking.

You can erase the sketch lines you've drawn after the ink is dry. 

5. As you know, its main color is yellow; so go ahead and fill its whole body with that color (leaving the smaller spots/details like eyes, mouth, the red spots on its cheeks, the stripes on its tail, back, and ears). Then add the rest of the base colors (reds, browns)!

6. Fill in the shadows. Think of each major shape in 3D and how it casts a shadow depending on where your light source is. Do the same for the highlights.

7. And now you're done! Join our private Facebook group, and show us what you made here. We would all love to see!

Make sure to watch the whole video to see all of this in action, step-by-step. Subscribe to the YouTube channel to get more videos every week.

Which Pokemon do you want me to draw next? Be sure to comment it on YouTube!