How to Draw Krampus: Easy Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

Bring the legendary holiday folklore to life with this fun, intermediate-level drawing tutorial. Designed for young artists ages 8+, this guide requires only a pencil, eraser, and paper to master the iconic features of Krampus. Follow along to develop your character sketching skills and create your own mythical creature.

10 Steps

🎯 Final Result

Full-body colored drawing of Krampus, the mythical holiday creature.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Sketching the Facial Features

Close-up sketch of Krampus's eyes and nose showing a grumpy, narrow-eyed expression.

Draw the eyes, nose, and eyebrows. Use narrow slits for the pupils to give him a focused, grumpy expression. Teacher's Tip: Keep these features clustered tightly in the center of the head to emphasize his pinched, irritated personality.

Step 2: Defining the Head and Beard

Sketch of Krampus's head showing pointed ears and a rough, jagged beard shape.

Add pointed ears and a scruffy, jagged beard. Use the lower lip as an anchor point for the beard's start. Teacher's Tip: Use short, quick pencil strokes to create the texture of coarse fur rather than smooth lines.

Step 3: Adding Horns and Fur

Krampus sketch featuring large, curling horns and shaggy hair texture.

Draw the curling horns and shaggy hair around the head. Keep the horns smooth for now. Teacher's Tip: Think of the horns as two 'C' shapes curving outward from the top of the head.

Step 4: Sketching the Arms and Shoulders

Upper body sketch of Krampus showing shoulders, arms, and barrel straps.

Draw the arms, shoulders, and hands. Use the straps of the barrel to define the chest area. Teacher's Tip: Hands are complex, so draw them as simple mittens first, then refine the fingers later.

Step 5: Drawing the Lower Body

Sketch showing the torso and shaggy fur of Krampus's lower body.

Extend the straps to draw the shaggy lower body, ending at the knees. Teacher's Tip: Make the fur look 'wild' by varying the length of your lines—some long, some short.

Step 6: Adding Goat Legs and Hooves

Sketch of Krampus's goat-like legs and cloven hooves.

Draw the legs with a sharp, backward-bending angle typical of a goat, finishing with cloven hooves. Teacher's Tip: Exaggerate the bend in the knee to give the character a more dynamic, creature-like stance.

Step 7: Drawing the Barrel Sack

Sketch of a barrel-shaped sack carried by Krampus.

Draw the barrel-shaped sack. Use straight vertical lines for the wood and curved bands for the top and bottom. Teacher's Tip: Use a ruler for the vertical lines to keep the barrel looking sturdy.

Step 8: Adding the Bundle of Sticks

Sketch of a bundle of sticks held by Krampus.

Draw the bundle of sticks held in his hand. Make them look gnarly and uneven. Teacher's Tip: Vary the thickness of each stick to make the bundle look more realistic.

Step 9: Adding Final Details

Detailed sketch of Krampus with added texture lines on horns and fur.

Add texture lines to the horns, fur, and beard. Teacher's Tip: Use cross-hatching or small 'v' shapes to create depth in the fur, making the character look more rugged.

Step 10: Final Polish and Color

Finished, colored illustration of Krampus.

Review your drawing, erase any stray guide lines, and add your favorite colors. Teacher's Tip: Use dark, muted tones for the fur and bright, earthy colors for the wooden barrel to create contrast.