How to draw a koala - a free koala drawing guide
Learn to draw a friendly koala using simple shapes, step by step pencil sketching, shading, and adding details like ears, nose, and fur texture.
Photos of koala drawing examples
Step-by-step guide to draw a koala
How to Draw a Koala Cartoon Simple Beginners Tutorial
Step 1
Draw a light circle in the middle of the paper for the koala’s head.
Step 2
Draw a slightly smaller oval that overlaps the bottom of the head circle for the koala’s body.
Step 3
Lightly draw a vertical line and a horizontal line crossing the head circle to help place the face.
Step 4
Draw two big rounded ear shapes attached to the top sides of the head circle.
Step 5
Draw two small ovals for the eyes on the horizontal guideline and leave a tiny white dot inside each for a sparkle.
Step 6
Draw a large rounded triangle or oval in the center lower face for the koala’s nose.
Step 7
Draw a small curved line under the nose to make a friendly smile.
Step 8
Draw two curved arm shapes on each side of the body that look like the koala is hugging itself.
Step 9
Draw two short rounded foot ovals at the bottom of the body to make the koala’s legs.
Step 10
Add short curved pencil strokes around the edges of the head ears and body to show fluffy fur texture.
Step 11
Gently erase the vertical and horizontal guidelines and any stray sketch marks so the face looks clean.
Step 12
Trace over the final outline with a darker pencil or marker to make your koala stand out.
Step 13
Shade under the chin inside the ears and along one side of the body with light pencil strokes and softly blend them with a tissue or blending stump.
Step 14
Share a photo of your finished koala drawing on DIY.org.
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can I use instead of a blending stump or marker if I don't have them?
Use a folded tissue or a cotton swab to softly blend the light pencil shading under the chin and inside the ears, and trace the final outline with a darker pencil or colored pencil if you don't have a marker.
My koala looks out of proportion or messy—what should I try to fix it?
Keep your initial light circle for the head and the slightly smaller overlapping oval for the body, use the vertical and horizontal guidelines to place eyes and nose, erase stray sketch marks gently before tracing the final outline, and redraw any parts lightly if proportions still look off.
How can I adapt the activity for different ages or skill levels?
For younger children, pre-draw the light head circle and body oval and have them add simple ears, eyes, nose, and smile with a darker pencil (skip blending), while older kids can add detailed fur strokes, shading with a blending stump or tissue, and trace with marker before sharing on DIY.org.
How can we make the koala drawing more creative or polished before sharing it?
Personalize the sketch by adding a eucalyptus branch for the koala to hug, coloring the fur with colored pencils or watercolors after tracing the final outline, adding patterned ear patches or a background, and then photograph it to share on DIY.org.
Watch videos on how to draw a koala
How to Draw a Koala | Simple Animal Sketch
4 Videos
How to Draw a Koala | Simple Animal Sketch
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How to Draw a Cute Koala Step by Step 🖍️ | Easy Drawing for Kids
Facts about drawing and sketching for kids
✏️ Start your koala drawing with simple shapes — a large circle for the head, a smaller oval for the body, and two fluffy circles for ears.
🌿 Eucalyptus leaves are low in nutrients and contain toxins, so koalas sleep 18–22 hours a day to conserve energy.
🔬 Koala fingerprints are so similar to human fingerprints that they can sometimes be confused in forensic tests.
🐨 Koalas are marsupials that feed almost exclusively on eucalyptus leaves and can eat up to about 1 kg (2.2 lb) a day.
🎨 Use soft, short pencil strokes and light layering when shading to suggest fluffy fur and a friendly, rounded face.
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