How to Draw Jiji the Cat: Easy Step-by-Step Guide

Bring everyone's favorite magical black cat to life with this beginner-friendly tutorial. Designed for young artists ages 5 and up, this guide requires only a pencil, paper, and an eraser to master Jiji's iconic look. Follow along to develop your sketching confidence and create a character you'll love to color.

10 Steps

🎯 Final Result

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Sketching the Face and Eyes

Line drawing showing Jiji's large circular eyes, pupils, triangular nose, and curved mouth.

Start by drawing two large circles for the eyes, placing a narrow oval inside each for the pupils. Add a small rounded triangle for the nose and a wide, gentle curve for the mouth. Teacher's Tip: Keep your pencil pressure light so you can easily adjust the symmetry of the eyes before moving on.

Step 2: Defining the Mouth and Head

Drawing showing the addition of a tongue, teeth, and the rounded outline of the cat's head.

Add a small tongue and two tiny triangles for teeth inside the mouth. Then, draw a curved line on each side of the face to frame the head. Teacher's Tip: Use smooth, fluid motions to create the head shape; don't worry if it's not a perfect circle—cats have personality!

Step 3: Adding the Ears

Drawing showing the addition of large triangular ears with zigzag fur details inside.

Sketch two large, triangular ears on top of the head. Connect them with a soft curve and add a zigzag line inside each ear. Teacher's Tip: The zigzag line is a great way to practice 'fur texture'—keep the lines sharp and quick.

Step 4: Whiskers and Bowtie

Drawing showing the addition of whiskers on the cheeks and a simple bowtie under the chin.

Add three curved lines on each cheek for whiskers, making them slightly shorter as they go down. Draw a cute bowtie below the chin using three rounded shapes. Teacher's Tip: Whiskers should look like they are 'flicking' out from the face, so lift your pencil at the end of each stroke.

Step 5: Sketching the Chest

Drawing showing the addition of the cat's chest and upper foreleg with jagged fur lines.

Use a series of connected, jagged curved lines to form the chest and the top of the foreleg. Teacher's Tip: The jagged lines represent soft fur, so don't make them too uniform—a little variation makes it look more natural.

Step 6: Drawing the Legs

Drawing showing the addition of the foreleg and the folded rear leg with paw details.

Complete the foreleg with a long curve, then add the folded rear leg using a 'C' shape for the haunch and small curves for the toes. Teacher's Tip: Focus on the overlapping lines here to show depth between the front and back legs.

Step 7: Defining the Back

Drawing showing the addition of the back line connecting to the rear foot.

Extend a long, graceful curve from the bowtie to form the back, connecting it down to the rear foot. Teacher's Tip: This line defines the cat's posture, so keep it smooth to make Jiji look relaxed.

Step 8: Adding the Tail

Drawing showing the addition of a long, curved tail extending from the cat's back.

Draw a long, sweeping curve from the back and double it back to create a thick, expressive tail. Teacher's Tip: A curved tail adds movement to your drawing—try making it look like it's swishing!

Step 9: Final Touches

Drawing showing the final leg and paw added to complete the full body outline.

Finish the outline by sketching the remaining front leg and paw using overlapping curves. Teacher's Tip: Double-check your lines and erase any stray marks before you start coloring.

Step 10: Coloring Your Jiji

Final colored drawing of Jiji the cat with a black body and a red bowtie.

Fill in your Jiji with a deep black, leaving the eyes bright and clear. Color the bowtie a vibrant red to make it pop. Teacher's Tip: Use a black marker for the body to get a solid, bold look, and use a light touch with a red crayon for the bow to keep it smooth.