Hello Kitty is one of the most popular and recognizable characters in the world. Her origin story differs, however, from that of most popular “cartoon” characters.

Hello Kitty didn’t begin with a television series, comic book, or movie. Instead, she was a marketing tool for the Sanrio Co. of Japan. Sanrio’s founders realized that everyday products sold better when they featured cute characters; therefore, Hello Kitty became the poster child for kawaii, or Japanese cuteness. This little kitty was originally marketed to young girls on school supplies, but her appeal has grown to include teenagers and adults as well. Today, Hello Kitty can be found on everything from clothing to bumper stickers to diamond jewelry.

Since her development in 1974, Hello Kitty has been the star of numerous books, two Japanese theme parks, video games, and a number of animated and live action television series. Hello Kitty’s full name is Kitty White, she hails from London, and she is described as being five apples tall. Hello Kitty loves to bake cookies, and she lives in an imaginative world with her mother, father, twin sister, and a number of other adorable characters.

Would you like to draw your very own Hello Kitty? Now you can, by following this easy, step-by-step drawing tutorial. You will need only a pencil and a piece of paper. You may also want to use an eraser to correct any mistakes, and colored pencils, markers, or crayons to color you finished drawing.

Each step of this simple drawing guide is accompanied by an illustration. New lines added in each step are highlighted in blue, whereas lines from previous steps are shown in black. Some lines, called guide lines, will need to be erased as you go along.

If you liked this tutorial, see also the following drawing guides: Minnie Mouse, Mermaid Ariel, and Fairy.

Watch 'How to Draw Hello Kitty' Video Tutorial

Step-by-Step Instructions for Drawing Hello Kitty

Begin by drawing a large circle.

Draw two rounded triangles on the top of the circle to form the ears.

Erase the guide lines from beneath the ears.

Draw a circle below one ear. From each side of the circle, extend a curved line to enclose an irregular shape. This will form Hello Kitty’s bow.

Erase the guide lines from within the bow.

Draw an irregular, enclosed shape below and overlapping the head. The shape will resemble an oval with a flattened bottom edge.

Within the shape, draw a long, curved line parallel to one side. Extend a curved line horizontally from this line to the opposite side of the shape. Then, extend two curved lines downward from the middle of the horizontal line.

Erase the guide lines from around the body.

On one side of the body, just below the head, draw an oval. Allow a curve to extend from the bottom of the oval, forming the thumb.

Draw a curved line on the opposite side, extending from the head to mid-body. Again, allow the curve to form the shape of the thumb.

Draw a curved line below the neck, and another across each arm.

Erase the guide lines from the arm.

Draw two curved, parallel lines across the body.

From the lines, extend a wavy, flowing curved line. This enclosed shape will form Hello Kitty’s dress.

Erase the guide lines from the legs and dress.

Draw two curved, parallel lines across each leg.

Draw another curved line across the bottom of each leg.

Draw two circles and an oval in the middle of the face to form the eyes and nose. Shade the circles.

Using curved lines, draw whiskers extending from each side of the face. Enclose an irregular oval shape on each side of the knot of the bow.

Color Hello Kitty. Don’t forget that her favorite color is pink!