How to draw a cute axolotl

Step 1 of 55Guide lines

Big shapes first

Mochi is placing the last pebble on her castle. Start light: a wide oval for her head, then a long one for her body, from behind her head out to the right.

Draw these lightly: they’re only there to help, and you’ll rub them out in step 42.

Step 2 of 55Guide lines

Tail and fin guides

Her tail: a curve from the oval's right end, round and back left to its tip. Then her fin: a curve rising from her back, leaning right, as tall as her head.

Draw these lightly: they’re only there to help, and you’ll rub them out in step 42.

Step 3 of 55Guide lines

Arm and leg guides

A line along her arm, reaching left to the top of the castle's place. Then one down the middle of each leg, from her body to where its toes touch the ground.

Draw these lightly: they’re only there to help, and you’ll rub them out in step 42.

Step 4 of 55Guide lines

The castle's guide

Now the castle, just as lightly: a dome from low on the far left, up level with her chin and down below her head. It keeps the rows even, and its top meets her hand.

Draw these lightly: they’re only there to help, and you’ll rub them out in step 42.

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Mochi's head

Now the real lines: over her head, left to right, leaving a gap at each end for gills. Then each side down round her cheek, the left first, stopping short under her chin.

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The eye on the left

The eye on the left: its outline, from the point at its lower right. Then the iris curve, a 9 with its loop at the top, a curve off its top right, one below.

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The eye on the right

The eye on the right, a little lower: a pointed oval from its left point, a round iris inside, a 9 with its loop at the top, a curve off its top left, one below.

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Her smile

Two tiny nostrils between her eyes. Then her wide smile from left to right, curling up at the end, a curve under its left half for her lip, and a short line inside it.

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Folds under her chin

Two folds under her chin: a curve below her lip, from left to right, then a short one inside her cheek on the right, from the top down.

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The upright gill

Six gills, like feathery leaves. The upright one on top of her head, at the left gap: its stalk up, round the tip and down, then a frilly line round it the same way.

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The left gill

Just below it, a gill leaning out to the left: its stalk from the lower base out round the tip and back, then the frilly line round it the same way.

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The low left gill

The low one on the left points straight out: its stalk from the upper base out round the tip and back underneath, then its frilly line the same way.

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The top right gill

Now the right side. The top gill leans up and right from the gap: its stalk from the upper base round the tip and down, then its frilly line the same way.

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The middle right gill

The middle gill reaches out to the right below it: its stalk from the top base along to the tip and back underneath, then the frilly line the same way.

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The low right gill

The low gill points out level with her chin: its stalk from the upper base out to the tip and back, then the frilly line along its top, round and back.

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Her reaching arm

Her arm reaches left along its guide: its top edge from under her chin, over her wrist and down round her fingertips. Then its underside, from her hand back to her chest.

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Her hand and the pebble

Inside her hand: a finger curling down from the top, a second curling left, and her thumb down. Then the round pebble she holds: its lower edge under her fingers, left to right.

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Her back and tail

From under the gills along her back, round the end of the body oval and down to the tail's tip. Then the tail's front edge back up, and the long loop inside it.

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The fin

The tall fin grows from her back, round its guide: from her back, up, over its round tip and down to her back again. Then a line inside it, the same way round.

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Lines in the fin

Three short lines inside the fin's left side, from the top one down, each from the inner line up towards the edge.

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Her side

Her side: one long line from the tail's front edge, on the right, along the middle of her body to under the gills.

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The front leg

The front leg, round its guide: down its left edge, round the first toe. Four toes in all: two more, each tucked under the one before, then round the fourth and up its right edge.

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Lines on the front leg

Two little marks on the front leg: a short line from the top of its left edge, up and out to the left, and a tick down onto the top of its right edge.

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The back leg

The back leg, round its guide: from her thigh's top, down its front, round the first toe. Five toes in all: three more, each tucked under the one before, then the fifth and up.

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Lines on the back leg

Three small marks on the back leg: a short line from the thigh's top out to the right, a crease up inside its back edge, and a faint line above the toes.

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Her belly

Her chest, from under her arm down to the front leg, and her belly between the legs. Behind the back leg, two lines into her tail, the top one first.

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The far front foot

Her far front foot peeks out on the left of the front leg: two toes, then a short line between the legs, from her belly down.

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Stones on the left

The garden: five stones, far left. A round one, the tall rock, a little one in front, a small one right, the bigger one behind it, then two blades by the tall rock.

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A seedling

A seedling: up its stem's left from the stone, round both leaves, the left one's middle line, then the right one's middle line on down the stem's right side.

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Stones on the right

Four stones on the right, below the end of the castle's guide, from left to right: a flat one, a little one under it, a big one, one behind it.

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Grass by the flat stone

Grass behind the flat stone, five blades, each from its left foot up to its point and down: a short one leaning left, two tall ones, then two short ones bending right.

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Grass on the big stone

More grass above the big stone, left to right: a short blade, a tall one, one leaning right, each up and down, then a single curved line up from the gap between the stones.

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The bottom row

Now the castle, from the bottom up, inside its guide. The bottom row: five big pebbles, two on the left and three on the right, with a gap between for the doorway.

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Beside the doorway

The next row: eight pebbles, four on each side of the doorway, each one sitting on the pebbles under it, from left to right.

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Over the doorway

Nine pebbles from left to right, the middle ones meeting over the doorway to close its arch.

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Row four

Row four, a little narrower: seven pebbles from left to right, each tucked behind the ones below.

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Row five

Row five: six pebbles from left to right. Then a curve inside the one on the left and a tiny line inside the one on the right.

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Up to the top

The top: a whole pebble on the left, then the top one, a short line up and a curve round. Two short lines close the last two; a tiny line under her pebble.

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The ferns

Two ferns behind the castle's left side: the leaning one from its foot, up round its tip and down to the tall one, then the tall one from there, up, round its tip and down.

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The plant on the left

A young plant, far left: up its stem, round its top leaf, and that leaf's line. Then up the other side round the right leaf, its line, then the left leaf and its line.

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The plant on the right

A taller plant right of the castle: up the stem's left side into a leaf, up its right side, the bit between leaves. Then four leaves, lowest first, lines in the right and top ones.

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Erase the guides

Rub out the guides. Mochi, her castle and the garden stay.

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Go over her head

Now press harder, on Mochi's outline only: over the top of her head, then each side down to her chin. Her gills stay light and feathery.

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Go over her arm

Along her arm in one line: its top edge from under her chin, round her fingertips, under the pebble and back along its underside to her chest. Then the curled finger and her thumb.

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Go over her body

Along her back, over the fin, round the tail's tip and up its front edge. Then along her side to the gills; then chest and belly, and last the two lines into her tail.

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Go over the legs

Down the front leg, round its toes and up its other side, then the far foot and the line beside it. Then down the back leg's front, round its toes and up its back edge.

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Her head and arm

Shading now, with the light from above: a soft tone along the inner side of the gills, inside her open mouth and under her arm. Press a little more under her chin.

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Her chest and belly

A tone on her chest under her chin, down the front leg, and a patch on her belly just in front of the back leg, so her body turns away from the light.

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The fin

On the tall fin, a tone inside its inner line, down the right side, following its curve. Keep the outer edge white so the fin looks thin.

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Into the tail

A soft band along her side behind the back leg, where her body runs into the tail. It makes her look round.

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The tail's sweep

Then the tail's sweep: a tone inside the long loop near its tip, and along its bottom edge, so it curls in front of her.

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Her shadow

Her shadow on the pond floor, under her belly between the front and back legs, and behind the back foot. Keep its edges soft.

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Shading the castle

The castle: a tone in the gaps between pebbles and on their shadow sides, mostly on the low rows and stones, so each looks round. Then a light shadow along its foot.

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The doorway

Now the doorway: your darkest tone, built up stroke on stroke, so it looks deep.

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The darks

Last of all, fill her pupils solid, left of each 9's tail, leaving the round loops white for glints. Now she is looking right at you, proud of her castle.