How to Draw an Axolotl (Easy Step by Step)
The axolotl is a friendly, smiling salamander, and it is easy to draw because it is mostly ovals and curves. You will build it from a wide oval head, a rounded body with a curly tail, and six leaf-shaped gills. Add a little arm, two tiny feet, two dots for eyes and a smile, and your axolotl is ready.
- Easy
- 15 minutes
- 8 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawingIn this article (7 sections)
How to draw an axolotl step by step
How to Draw an Axolotl · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: Guide shapes
Lightly sketch these 2 ovals. They only show where the big parts go, so press softly. You will erase them at the end.
Step 2: The head
Draw a big wide oval near the top of your page for the head. Make it wider than it is tall, like an egg lying on its side.
Step 3: Body and curly tail
Under the head, start a line just below the left side of the head and curve it down and around the bottom. Keep going to the right and curl it up into a little tail hook. Then draw a short curve from under the right side of the head down to the tail tip.
Step 4: Feathery gills
Draw three long leaf shapes on each side of the head, like pointy ovals. Start each one at the edge of the head and fan them out: one up high, one in the middle, one low.
Step 5: Little arm
On the left side of the body, draw a small round bump for an arm. It starts and ends on the body line, like a tiny half circle.
Step 6: Tiny feet
Along the bottom of the body, draw two little U shapes for feet. Make them hang just below the belly line, side by side.
Step 7: Eyes
Draw two small round dots in the middle of the head, side by side. Leave a good gap between them.
Step 8: Happy smile
Below the eyes, draw a small smile like a gentle U shape. Start under one eye and curve down and up to end under the other.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your axolotl? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a red panda or how to draw a sloth next.
Tips for drawing an axolotl
- Draw the six gills as pointy ovals that all start at the edge of the head. Fan them out, one high, one in the middle and one low on each side, so they look like feathers.
- Draw the head first, then start the body just below it so the two parts connect smoothly.
- Keep the eyes small and set apart, and put the smile below them. The empty space on the face is what makes it look sweet.
Free axolotl coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this axolotl 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 axolotl drawing
Pink is the classic axolotl color, so try a soft pink body with deeper pink gills. For a creative twist, give your axolotl rainbow gills, or draw bubbles and pond plants all around it.
Axolotl fun fact for kids
Axolotls can grow back lost body parts, including legs and parts of their tails. They come from Mexico and live their whole lives in water, keeping their feathery gills even when they are grown up.
Questions about drawing an axolotl
What shapes do I need to draw an axolotl?
You need one big oval for the head and a rounded body that curls into a tail. Six pointy ovals make the gills, and a few small curves make the arm and feet.
How do I make my axolotl look cuter?
Make the head big compared to the body, and keep the eyes small and far apart. A small, gentle smile and rounded gills help a lot.
Why does an axolotl have feathery things on its head?
Those are its gills, which it uses to breathe underwater. They stick out on both sides of its head, three on each side.
