This cartoon witch is more cute than scary. She has a big round head, shiny eyes, a tall hat with a curled tip and a little purple dress. Rob from Art for Kids Hub draws her side by side with his daughter, so you get to see a grown-up version and a kid version of every step. Both look great, which is the whole point.
You need a black marker, a sheet of paper and something to color with. The video uses oil pastels. Plan on about 15 minutes for the drawing and another 10 to 15 for the color.
How to draw a cartoon witch that looks cute, not creepy
The trick is proportion. The head is the biggest part of the body and the dress is short and wide. Big eyes with a white shine dot do most of the work. Keep the nose tiny and the smile wide. If you have drawn any of the other chibi-style characters on this site, the head is the same U shape. Our guide on how to draw a face goes deeper on eye placement if you want a more grown-up witch.
Markers, pencils or pastels?
Rob and his daughter go straight in with a black marker. That keeps kids from erasing forever and makes the coloring pop at the end. If you are nervous, sketch it lightly in pencil first and trace over it. A fine point marker is thick enough to read from across a classroom and thin enough for eyelashes.
Oil pastels give that bright, waxy fill you see in the video. Crayons work the same way. Colored pencils take longer but give you more control around the buckle and the eyes.
Color ideas for your witch
- Classic: purple hat and dress, green face, orange hair, black band, collar and shoes, yellow buckle. That is the video version.
- Night sky: black hat and dress with a silver or gold buckle and bright red hair.
- Friendly: skip the green skin, use a peach face and pink cheeks, and try a teal or orange dress.
Halloween cards, parties and classroom art
A finished witch makes a quick Halloween card. Draw her on folded cardstock and write a message inside. For a party, set out paper and markers and let each kid draw one while you play the video. Cut out the colored witches and tape them to a window for instant decor. Add a cartoon bat flying past her hat, or a friendly ghost at her feet, and you have a full scene.
Common witch drawing problems
- The hat looks flat. Make the brim line wider than the head and let it dip a little. A straight ruler line looks stiff.
- The dress is lopsided. Draw both side lines first, then check that they end at the same height before you connect the hem.
- No room for the shoes. Start the head higher up the page. The hat and dress take more space than you expect.
- The hair covers the face. Keep the zigzags outside the U shape of the head.
Want a spookier sidekick? Try our skeleton drawing next, or go back to basics with how to draw.