Learn how to draw a great looking Totoro with easy, step-by-step drawing instructions, and video tutorial.
By following the simple steps, you too can easily draw a perfect Totoro.
Jump to the step-by-step instructions.
"Do you like spirits, mommy? Even fuzzy ones?"
- Mei Kusakabe, My Neighbor Totoro
Totoro is the title character of an animated 1988 fantasy film. My Neighbor Totoro follows the adventures of two young girls in rural post-war Japan who move into a new home.
Their friends include dust-like spirits called susuwatari, a cat-shaped bus, and the large rabbit-like spirit of the woods known as Totoro.
Spirits like Totoro have long been a staple of Japanese folklore and mythology, and the tradition continues in anime and manga.
Scroll down for a downloadable PDF of this tutorial.
Would you like to meet Totoro in person? You'll be greeted by a life-sized statue of the beloved character at the Studio Ghibli museum in Tokyo. A replica of the home in the film stands at Japan's EXPO Park.
You, too, can draw the cartoon Totoro. This easy, step-by-step cartoon character drawing tutorial will show you how.
All you will need is a pencil, an eraser, and a sheet of paper. You may also wish to color your finished drawing.
For more fun anime drawing tutorials, see How to Draw the Haku Dragon from Spirited Away or How to Draw Anime and Manga: Easy Step-by-Step Anime Tutorials.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Drawing Totoro
How to Draw a Great Looking Totoro for Kids, Beginners, and Adults - Step 1
1. Begin by drawing an overlapping circle and oval. The circle will help you to draw Totoro's head, and the oval his body.
Easy Totoro Drawing - Step 2
2. Use a series of overlapping curved lines to contour the character. Draw a wide semicircle over the original circle. Craft a rough oval from overlapping curved lines inside the original oval.
Easy Totoro Drawing - Step 3
3. Erase the original guide lines. Then, use overlapping curved lines to sketch Totoro's short, wide arms.
Easy Totoro Drawing - Step 4
4. Use short, straight lines that meet at sharp points to enclose narrow triangles at the end of the arm. These form the animal's claws. Then, use overlapping curved lines to craft Totoro's legs, feet, and toes. Finally, use short, straight lines to enclose a tiny triangle at the tip of each toe, indicating the toenail.
Easy Totoro Drawing - Step 5
5. Draw two circles spaced widely on the head. Draw two small circles within each. Shade one of the small circles to indicate the pupil.
Easy Totoro Drawing - Step 6
6. Continue to detail Totoro's face. Use curved lines to outline the pointed eyebrows, the nose, and the surprised mouth. Draw another curved line over the nose, and use several vertical lines to differentiate the teeth within the mouth.
Easy Totoro Drawing - Step 7
7. Outline Totoro's rabbit-like ears using a series of short, curved lines. Draw a curved line within the near ear to contour the inner ear. Then, draw three straight lines on each side of Totoro's face to indicate the whiskers.
Add More Details to Your Totoro Picture - Step 8
8. Use pairs of curved lines to draw several boomerangs or curved triangle shapes across Totoro's chest.
Complete the Outline of Your Totoro Drawing - Step 9
9. Texture Totoro's fur with patches of short curved lines.
Color Your Totoro Drawing
Color Totoro. He is greyish brown with a cream-colored belly.
Totoro Drawing Tutorial - Easy & Fun Printable Pages
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