How to Draw Dango (Easy Step by Step)
Dango are chewy Japanese rice dumplings, and this one has three round, smiling balls on a stick with a little leaf beside it. It is built from just circles, two short rounded stick ends, and a pointy oval, so it is a great first drawing for beginners. Each ball gets its own face, which makes it easy to give your dango a lot of personality.
- Easy
- 10 minutes
- 7 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawingIn this article (7 sections)
How to draw dango step by step
How to Draw Dango · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: Guide shapes
Lightly sketch these 3 ovals. They only show where the big parts go, so press softly. You will erase them at the end.
Step 2: The top ball
Start near the upper right of your page and draw a big round circle. This is the first sweet rice dumpling.
Step 3: The middle ball
Draw a second circle of the same size just below and to the left of the first one. Let it gently touch the first circle.
Step 4: The bottom ball
Add a third circle of the same size below and to the left of the middle one. Now you have a diagonal row of three balls.
Step 5: The stick ends
Draw a short skinny rounded rectangle poking out past the top ball, and another poking out past the bottom ball. They line up like one stick running through all three balls.
Step 6: Happy faces and joins
Draw two little dots and a small smile on the bottom ball. Give the middle ball two dots and a small open mouth, and the top ball two curved happy eyes and a smile. Then add short slanted lines where the balls touch.
Step 7: The leaf
Off to the lower right, draw a pointy oval like a lemon shape with a point at each end. Finish with one straight line down the middle for the vein.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your dango? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a taiyaki fish cake or how to draw a juice box next.
Tips for drawing dango
- Draw the three circles about the same size and in a diagonal line. If one comes out smaller, that is fine, because real dumplings are not perfect either.
- Let the circles touch or just barely overlap so the balls look stacked on the stick. Draw the two stick ends after the circles so they poke out neatly.
- For the faces, use small dots for eyes and a tiny curve for the mouth. Try a different face on each ball to give every dumpling its own mood.
Free dango coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this dango 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 dango drawing
Try pink, white, and green for the three balls, the classic hanami dango colors, and make the stick light brown. For a creative twist, give the leaf a different shade of green, or leave the balls all one color.
Dango fun fact for kids
Dango is a traditional Japanese sweet made from rice flour. Three dumplings on a stick is a very common way to serve it, and people often enjoy it while looking at cherry blossoms in spring.
Questions about drawing dango
What shapes do I need to draw a dango?
You need three circles, two short rounded rectangles for the stick ends, and a pointy oval for the leaf. Small dots and curved lines make the faces.
How do I make my dango look cuter?
Keep the mouths small and put the eyes a little apart. Curved happy eyes with a little smile, like the top ball, look especially sweet.
How do I draw circles that look round?
Draw a light oval first, then trace over it with a firmer line. Moving your whole arm instead of just your fingers helps the curve stay smooth.
