Learn step-by-step how to draw a colorful koi fish using simple shapes, patterns, and shading, practicing observation and drawing skills confidently.


Step-by-step guide to draw a colorful koi fish
How To Draw A Koi Fish
Step 1
Lightly draw a sideways oval for the koi's body.
Step 2
Add a small circle overlapping one end of the oval to make the head.
Step 3
Draw a gentle curved line from the head to the tail to mark the fish's centerline.
Step 4
At the opposite end draw a wide forked tail with flowing curved lines.
Step 5
Sketch two rounded pectoral fins near the head using soft curved shapes.
Step 6
Draw a wavy dorsal fin along the top of the body.
Step 7
Add a round eye and a short curved line for the mouth on the head.
Step 8
Lightly draw rows of overlapping semicircles on the body to suggest scales.
Step 9
Sketch large irregular patches across the body and tail where you want bright colors.
Step 10
Trace over your final lines with a black marker or darker pencil to make them bold.
Step 11
Colour the patches and scales using your colouring materials.
Step 12
Add light shading under the belly and behind the fins to make the koi look round and shiny.
Step 13
Share your finished koi fish creation 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 we use instead of a black marker or darker pencil to trace the final lines if we don't have them?
You can trace your final lines with a dark crayon, ballpoint pen, ink pen, or even a fine-tip felt pen as substitutes for the black marker or darker pencil mentioned in the trace-over step.
My tail and fins look stiff—how can I fix them so they look flowing like the instructions say?
If the tail or fins look stiff, lightly erase and redraw the wide forked tail with longer flowing curved lines using the gentle centerline from the head to the tail as a guide before you trace with marker.
How can I adapt this koi drawing for younger or older children?
For younger kids simplify by tracing a large sideways oval and adding a big eye, tail, and two pectoral fins to colour large patches, while older kids can add detailed overlapping semicircle scales and light shading under the belly for a round shiny look.
How can we make the finished koi more special or creative beyond the basic steps?
Enhance the koi by adding metallic paint or gel-pen highlights to the coloured patches and scales, painting blue-green water ripples around the fish, and then photograph and share your creation on DIY.org.
Watch videos on how to draw a colorful koi fish
🐟 Easy Koi Fish Drawing for Kids | Step by Step Art with Color Pencils 🎨
Facts about drawing techniques for kids
🐟 Koi can live a very long time—one famous koi named Hanako reportedly lived about 226 years!
🎏 In Japan koi are symbols of perseverance, courage, and good fortune, and they appear a lot in traditional art and festivals.
🏷️ There are many named koi varieties—like Kohaku, Sanke, and Showa—each with unique color patterns you can copy when coloring.
✏️ Most fish drawing lessons start with simple shapes (ovals for the body, curved lines for fins) so complex drawings feel easy and fun.
✨ Koi scales can look sparkly because of special pigment cells called iridophores that reflect light—perfect for practicing highlights when shading.