Kawaii animals to draw and a tale of building confidence in my own abilities.
When I was about 12 years old, I was sitting in art class looking at an under the sea painting I had created. I thought it was amazing. The creatures were all Kawaii animals and it was one of my art works I will never forget. I was so excited to have created such a great picture, however the teacher was less than impressed.
My Art teacher had no appreciation for cute or cartoon style images. She wanted the students to do realistic, sketches and paint pieces that looked impressionist or real life.
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Why You'll Love This Craft
- Cutest Creatures Ever: Make your own adorable animals with big eyes, tiny smiles, and fun colors!
- Easy Shapes, Big Cuteness: Start with easy shapes—no tricky drawing needed!
- Create a Kawaii Zoo: Build a whole collection and make your own cute animal world!
No Appreciation for My Kawaii Animals
No matter how hard I tried I did not have the talent for "real life" paintings and my teacher held up my precious painting as an example of "what not to do." It broke me inside, and I genuinely thought my picture was rubbish. I was not good enough. I never would be good at art and so when I moved to New Zealand a few months later I chose not to study art anymore.
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In fact, I avoided all art right through my high school years, opting to do music and cookery instead. Interestingly enough I am a fantastic cook and the skills I learnt at school as well as in the home have come in really handy. However I never again practiced art in any shape or form.
I Won't Be Giving up Art
Recently, however since becoming a blogger I came to realize that drawing in a Kawaii style is something I still love. It's something I want to improve and develop, and I am sad that I have lost 20 years of skill development time due to one teacher putting me down and making me believe I was rubbish.
My Kawaii Anime Characters
I have been doodling for a while now, just a few months. In October I decided I want to develop this talent. I am a little scared. I have a long way to go and a lot of work to do to get good, but I have started creating my own set of Kawaii anime characters which I will draw and then paint onto lollipop sticks and stones.
Selling Kawaii Art
It would be a dream to make these creatures sellable to others. This could be a book, nursery resources or another product. Even though that teacher didn't believe in me, it is a possibility. Practice will only make me better.
Do You Like My Kawaii Animals?
So each day I am going to have some down time and just draw and paint. It may help me especially as i am feeling so unwell and sick at the moment. Here is my first Lollipop Kawaii Fox. I love it. I can't wait to create something new tonight.
Angela x
💡 Pro Tip: Use lollipop sticks or smooth stones as canvases for your Kawaii animal drawings to create unique and displayable art pieces.
🧑🎨 Expert Tips for Creating Kawaii Animals
- Start with Simple Shapes: Begin by drawing basic shapes like circles and ovals to form the body and head.
- Emphasize Big Eyes and Small Smiles: Kawaii animals often feature large, expressive eyes and tiny, subtle smiles.
- Use Soft Colors: Choose pastel or soft colors to enhance the cute and gentle appearance.
- Add Small Details: Incorporate small features like blush marks or tiny accessories to add personality.
- Practice Regularly: Consistent practice helps improve your drawing skills and develop your unique style.
- Experiment with Different Animals: Try drawing various animals to expand your creativity and challenge yourself.
💭 FAQs
Kawaii animals are cute, cartoonish creatures inspired by Japanese culture, often featuring oversized eyes, small noses, and simple shapes.
Begin with basic shapes like circles and ovals, then add simple features such as large eyes and tiny mouths. Practice with animals like cats, bears, or bunnies to build your skills.
Materials include paper, colored pencils or markers, glue, scissors, and optional items like googly eyes or felt for added texture.
Yes, there are tutorials and guides available online that provide step-by-step instructions for drawing and crafting kawaii animals.
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Check Out my Kawaii Animal Milk Bottles And Stones!
- Kawaii Pig On A Milk Bottle
- Kawaii Narwhal Painted Rock
- Kawaii Hedgehog On A Milk Bottle
These are great drawings. An inspiration to us who want to pursue art but don’t know where and how to start. Kudos!
Thanks. I have no idea where to start ...this is my starting point I guess ha ha!
How disappointing that a teacher would do that to you. We are all different and have different styles. Half of my family was/is artistic while the rest of us use our creativity in other ways. I'd never discourage my students or kids about their art. I'm glad you are back to it.
Yes I am disappointed thinking back but will use my experience to make sure this does not happen for my child!
So glad that you gave this one another go! I think your drawings are adorable. Art is always freedom of expression and there's no bad or ugly.
Thanks. I am going to work at it and develop this talent!
I really love the boxy art style. It really makes them feel like cartoons.
thanks. It was fun coming up with these!
What a horrible thing to say to a student! Make a bazillion dollars selling your adorable characters and then send a print to your art teacher.
They look cute. Could be turn into emojis or something. Love it!