Let's be real for a second. You want to draw, but looking at a high-definition Charizard with its anatomical complexity and fire effects is basically a recipe for immediate burnout. It's intimidating. Most people quit art because they try to run before they can crawl, especially in the Pokémon fandom where the designs have become increasingly jagged and over-complicated since the 3DS era. Honestly, if you're looking for easy to draw pokemon, you need to look at the "circle-logic" behind the early generations. Ken Sugimori, the original lead designer, had a very specific, rounded style that focused on silhouettes rather than grit.
Starting with simple shapes isn't "cheating." It's fundamental. If you can draw a circle and a bean, you can basically draw half of the Kanto Pokedex.
The Secret Geometry of Easy to Draw Pokemon
The mistake most beginners make is focusing on the eyes first. Big mistake. You've gotta look at the "mass" of the creature. Take Voltorb. Okay, it's a joke, right? It’s a ball. But Voltorb is actually the perfect lesson in perspective and shading. If you can make a circle look like a sphere by adding a curved "horizon line" through the middle, you’ve just mastered the basis of 3D form.
Then there's Jigglypuff. It’s basically a marshmallow with ears. The trick with Jigglypuff is the "dynamic curve"—the way the body slightly squashes when it sits. If you look at the official art from Pokémon Red and Blue, the proportions are actually quite loose. This gives you, the artist, a lot of wiggle room. You don't need a steady hand to make a Jigglypuff look like a Jigglypuff. You just need to get that round, balloon-like essence right.
Why Gen 1 is Your Best Friend
There is a reason why artists still go back to the classics. Early designs had to be readable on a tiny, non-backlit Game Boy screen. This meant bold outlines and simple shapes.
- Ditto: It’s a literal blob. There are no wrong lines with Ditto. If your hand shakes, it just looks more "Ditto-ish." It is the ultimate confidence booster for anyone who thinks they "can't draw a straight line."
- Diglett: A thumb coming out of the ground. The hardest part is the dirt at the bottom, and even that is just a series of scribbles.
- Oddish: A blue sphere with some leaves. The leaves are just elongated triangles.
People overthink it. They really do. They think they need a $2,000 Wacom tablet and a dozen custom brushes to draw a Pokémon, but some of the best fan art on Twitter is done with a ballpoint pen on a napkin. It's about the charm, not the pixel-perfect accuracy.
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Moving Beyond the Circle: Adding Character
Once you’ve nailed the "ball" Pokémon, you'll want to try something with a bit more personality. This is where Snorlax comes in. Snorlax is basically a series of nested ovals. You’ve got the big oval for the belly, a slightly smaller one for the head, and two little triangles for ears.
The beauty of Snorlax is that he’s supposed to be lumpy. If one side is a little bigger than the other, he just looks like he’s leaning. That’s the "human" element of drawing. Professional animators like those at OLM, Inc. (the studio behind the Pokémon anime) actually use these simple "key shapes" to keep the characters consistent across thousands of frames. If the pros use circles and squares to build Pikachu, why shouldn't you?
Pikachu is actually a bit trickier than people realize. Modern Pikachu is very lean, almost athletic. But "Fat Pikachu" from 1996? That’s an easy to draw pokemon masterclass. He’s a potato with ears. If you can draw a russet potato, you can draw 90s Pikachu. The tail is just a series of jagged "Z" shapes. Don't worry about the angles being perfect. Electricity is messy. Your lines can be too.
The Mental Block of "Good" Art
We need to talk about the "ugly" phase of a drawing. Every artist, even the ones working on the latest Scarlet and Violet designs, goes through a phase where the drawing looks like hot garbage. When you're looking for easy to draw pokemon, you're looking for a quick win to bypass that mental block.
Drawing something like Wooper is a great way to handle this. Wooper has no arms. It has a giant head and a small tail. It’s almost impossible to mess up because its design is so minimalist. When you finish a Wooper in three minutes and it actually looks like the character, your brain gets a hit of dopamine. That's the secret sauce. That’s what keeps you coming back to the sketchbook the next day.
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Avoid These Traps Early On
I see a lot of people trying to draw Lucario or Mewtwo on day one. Stop. Seriously.
- Too many joints: Every joint (elbows, knees, ankles) is another opportunity for the proportions to go wrong.
- Complex eyes: Eyes with pupils, highlights, and iris gradients are tough. Stick to the "dot" eyes (like Ditto or Castform) or the "simple slit" eyes.
- Detailed textures: Avoid Pokémon with fur, scales, or intricate patterns like Arcanine or Gyarados. Stick to the "smooth" skins.
Practical Steps to Master Pokémon Art
Don't just stare at a screen and try to copy it. That’s passive. You want to be active.
First, get a cheap sketchbook. Not an expensive one—expensive paper makes you afraid to make mistakes. Use a pencil, but don't use an eraser for the first ten minutes. Just let the lines be messy. Trace the basic shapes of a Gastly. It’s a circle with some smoke. The smoke is just wavy lines.
Second, try drawing from memory. This sounds scary, but it forces your brain to identify the "iconic" parts of the design. What makes a Kirby? A circle and red shoes. What makes a Pokéball? A circle and a button. What makes a Spheal? A ball with tiny flippers. Spheal is quite literally the peak of easy to draw pokemon design. It is a spherical seal. If you can draw a beach ball, you have already finished 90% of a Spheal drawing.
Third, change the expression. Once you can draw a basic Pikachu face, try drawing a sad one. Or a confused one. Or one that just ate a lemon. This is how you move from "copying" to "creating."
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Resources for Growing Your Skills
If you want to see how these characters are actually constructed, look for the "Pokémon 151" art book or search for "model sheets" from the anime. Model sheets show the characters from the front, side, and back. They often include "construction guides" that show the underlying shapes.
You’ll notice that even the complex ones like Charizard start with a circle for the head and a pear shape for the body. But for now, stay away from the dragons. Stick to the blobs. The blobs are your friends. They are the foundation of everything you will eventually draw.
Start with a page of Dittos. Change their shapes. Make a tall Ditto, a wide Ditto, a Ditto that looks like a pancake. This teaches you "line weight" and "volume" without the stress of "doing it wrong." Once you've filled a page with Dittos, move on to Electrode. Then maybe a simple bird like Rowlet—who is, you guessed it, basically a circle.
The goal isn't to be the next great manga artist by tomorrow afternoon. The goal is to enjoy the process of putting pen to paper. Pokémon designs are world-class examples of "less is more." Use that to your advantage. Keep your sketches loose, your shapes simple, and your expectations low. The improvement will happen on its own while you're busy having fun with a bunch of round, colorful monsters.
To get started right now, grab a pen and find a picture of a Shellder. It’s two shells and a tongue. Ignore the "spikes" if they're too hard—just draw the shells. You'll realize pretty quickly that these legendary designs are just clever combinations of the same shapes you learned in kindergarten.