How to Draw a Koi Fish
Learn step-by-step how to draw a colorful koi fish using simple shapes, patterns, and shading, practicing observation and drawing skills confidently.
About this tutorial
Learn step-by-step how to draw a colorful koi fish using simple shapes, patterns, and shading, practicing observation and drawing skills confidently.
What you need
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Lightly draw a sideways oval for the koi's body.
- 2
Step 2
Add a small circle overlapping one end of the oval to make the head.
- 3
Step 3
Draw a gentle curved line from the head to the tail to mark the fish's centerline.
- 4
Step 4
At the opposite end draw a wide forked tail with flowing curved lines.
- 5
Step 5
Sketch two rounded pectoral fins near the head using soft curved shapes.
- 6
Step 6
Draw a wavy dorsal fin along the top of the body.
- 7
Step 7
Add a round eye and a short curved line for the mouth on the head.
- 8
Step 8
Lightly draw rows of overlapping semicircles on the body to suggest scales.
- 9
Step 9
Sketch large irregular patches across the body and tail where you want bright colors.
- 10
Step 10
Trace over your final lines with a black marker or darker pencil to make them bold.
- 11
Step 11
Colour the patches and scales using your colouring materials.
- 12
Step 12
Add light shading under the belly and behind the fins to make the koi look round and shiny.
- 13
Step 13
Share your finished koi fish creation on DIY.org.
Fun facts
How do you draw a koi fish step-by-step?
To draw a koi fish step-by-step, start by sketching a gentle oval for the body and a teardrop shape for the tail. Add a small circle for the head and mapping lines to place fins and eyes. Refine fins with flowing curves, draw scale patterns using overlapping arcs, then erase guiding lines. Ink or darken outlines, add shading along the belly and near fins, and finish with bright colors and highlights for a shiny look.
What materials do I need to draw a colorful koi fish?
You’ll need basic drawing supplies: plain drawing paper, a pencil, eraser, and sharpener. Add a black fineliner or marker for outlines and colored pencils, markers, or watercolors for color. Optional extras: a blending stump or cotton swab for shading, a white gel pen for highlights, and reference photos of koi to study patterns and colors.
What ages is this koi fish drawing activity suitable for?
This activity suits a wide range: preschoolers (4–6) can trace basic shapes and color with supervision; elementary kids (7–10) can follow step-by-step shapes, add simple scales, and practice shading; older children and teens (11+) can explore detailed patterns, advanced shading, and color blending. Adjust complexity, tools, and adult help to match each child’s fine motor skills and attention span.
What are the benefits and variations of drawing a koi fish?
Drawing a koi fish improves observation, fine motor control, pattern recognition, and color-mixing skills. It boosts patience and confidence as kids complete layered steps. Variations include changing poses, creating a pond background, making a collage with colored paper, or trying watercolor washes for scale shimmer. Use non-toxic, age-appropriate supplies and supervise younger children with scissors or paints for safety.
Watch & Learn
Need 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.