In this quick tutorial you'll learn how to draw a Koi Fish in 8 easy steps - great for kids and novice artists.
The images above represent how your finished drawing is going to look and the steps involved.
Below are the individual steps - you can click on each one for a High Resolution printable PDF version.
At the bottom you can read some interesting facts about the Koi Fish.
Make sure you also check out any of the hundreds of drawing tutorials grouped by category.
How to Draw a Koi Fish - Step-by-Step Tutorial
Step 1: Let's draw a koi fish! Start by drawing a semi-circle for the head.
Step 2: Draw the fins on either side of the head by tracing them like triangular shapes but without the pointy end! Add a little circle in the front fin for detail.
Step 3: Draw the rest of the koi fish tracing the lines back so that they create a small body.
Step 4: Now, trace a line across the back of the fish and draw a sharp fin. Here's a hint: there are many pointy tips on this fin!
Step 5: Next, draw the back fin, making this one more of an oval shape. Finish up the body by tracing lines that will make it pointy at the end.
Step 6: From the pointy end, trace a line that continues up, then make a deep U shape and finish the tail off by tracing the line down again to connect to the rest of the body.
Step 7: At the head, draw a circle for the eye, and trace some whiskers at the front of the face.
Step 8: Finish off the drawing with the scales by tracing tiny semi-circles all along the body. There's your koi fish! Did you know that some koi fish have been known to live to be 100 years old?
Interesting Facts about Koi Fish
Koi fish came about a few hundred years ago when the Asian carp fish bred with the German carp fish. They are originally from Japan. The word “koi” is the Japanese word for “carp.” Koi fish come in a variety of colors including blue, green, red, white, black, and yellow.
Did you know?
- Koi fish grow to be up to three feet long.
- Koi fish can live to be about 25 to 35 years old. Some have been known to live to be 100 years old.
- The small intestines of koi fish act as their stomachs. They do not have actual stomachs!
- During spawning season, koi fish produce thousands of eggs. They eat each other’s eggs if they are left out in the open.
Many people have koi fish as pets, and they keep them in what are called koi ponds. Koi ponds must be well maintained and large enough for the fish, so that they can live healthily. Koi fish love to eat just about anything. If you have koi fish as a pet, you can feed them things that you eat, such as lettuce and bread.
How To Draw A Koi Fish – Step-by-Step Tutorial