How to Draw a Kitsune (Easy Step by Step)
Learn to draw a Kitsune, a Japanese fox spirit with fluffy tails, using easy step-by-step instructions. You'll build your drawing from simple shapes like ovals, triangles, and pointed leaves.
- Discover how to draw a Kitsune, a Japanese fox spirit.
- Use basic shapes like ovals, triangles, and leaf shapes as building blocks.
- Create fluffy, fanned-out tails for your Kitsune drawing.
- Follow an easy, step-by-step guide to complete your artwork.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
A kitsune is a fox spirit from Japanese stories, and this one is extra fun because it has lots of fluffy tails fanned out like a flower. The drawing is built from ovals, triangles, and pointed leaf shapes. Once you can draw those, you can draw the whole kitsune.
- Medium
- 15 minutes
- 8 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawing
In this article (7 sections)
How to draw a kitsune step by step
How to Draw a Kitsune · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: Guide shapes
Lightly sketch this oval. It only shows where the big parts go, so press softly. You will erase it at the end.
Step 2: The round head
Trace the guide oval to make a wide, rounded head. Draw the curve across the top and the curve along the bottom, and leave a small gap on each side.
Step 3: Pointy ears
Draw two tall triangles sitting on top of the head, one on each side. Start each ear at the edge of the head, go up to a point, and come back down to meet the head.
Step 4: Face and tummy
Close the gaps on the sides of the head. Add two small dots for eyes, a tiny dot nose, a wiggly 'w' mouth, and a little teardrop on the forehead. Then draw a rounded tummy under the chin with two short curved lines hanging down from it.
Step 5: Paws and toes
Draw two big ovals at the bottom, one on each side of the tummy, for the front paws. Tuck two small ovals between them for the toes.
Step 6: The tall middle tail
Behind the head, draw a tall pointed leaf shape that rises high above the ears. Add a curvy line across it near the bottom to make a stripe.
Step 7: Upper side tails
Draw a long leaf shape leaning out from each side of the head, with the tips pointing up and out. Add a short curved stripe near each tip, then a short whisker line on each cheek.
Step 8: Lower side tails
Finish with two wide leaf shapes pointing sideways, one on each side, like open fans. Start each one near the tummy and sweep out to a point.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your kitsune? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a sea serpent or how to draw a baby dragon next.
Tips for drawing a kitsune
- Draw the head first and keep it light, because the ears and tails all connect to it. If the head is in the right spot, everything else falls into place.
- The side tails are the trickiest part. Think of them as long leaves and start each one near the head, then sweep out to a point.
- Try to make the tails on the left and right about the same size. Draw one side, then copy its angle on the other side.
Free kitsune coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this kitsune coloring page at full size and print it. It is the same drawing you just learned, with clean lines ready for crayons or markers.
How to color your kitsune drawing
Orange and white are classic fox colors, with darker orange on the tail tips. For a creative twist, color each tail a different color of the rainbow, or make it a magical fox with glittery purple tails.
Kitsune fun fact for kids
In Japanese folklore, a kitsune can grow more tails as it gets older and wiser, and the most powerful ones are said to have nine tails.
Questions about drawing a kitsune
What shapes do I need to draw a kitsune?
You need an oval for the head, two triangles for the ears, and long pointed leaf shapes for the tails. The paws are just ovals, big ones on the outside and small ones in the middle.
How do I make my kitsune look cuter?
Keep the eyes small and set them wide apart, and give the head a big, round shape. A tiny wavy mouth and a short whisker line on each cheek add a lot of charm.
How many tails should a kitsune have?
In stories, a kitsune can have anywhere from one to nine tails. This drawing has five, but you can add more leaf-shaped tails to fan out even wider.
