How to Draw a Cartoon Alien (Easy Steps for Kids)
Draw this cartoon alien in 6 easy steps with a pencil and eraser. It takes about 15 minutes and works for ages 5 and up. Print the free step-by-step page below, or draw along with the video. The page comes from Kevin Coulston’s book How to Draw: Silly Aliens.

- Step-by-step drawing
- Ages 5+
- Grades K–2
- Easy
- About 15 min with the video
You’ll need
- Pencil and eraser
- Paper, or the printed page
- Crayons, markers or colored pencils
You’ll practice
- Breaking a drawing into simple shapes
- Following steps in order
- Adding your own details
How to Draw a Cartoon Alien: A Free Page from My Book “How to Draw: Silly Aliens”
If you love drawing funny, expressive characters from outer space, you’ll have a blast with today’s free page. This one comes straight from my book How to Draw: Silly Aliens — and it shows you exactly how to draw a cartoon alien in six simple steps!

This alien is one of my favorites. He’s got two long eye stalks, a round body, and a hilariously shocked expression — like he just saw something surprising in space! His design is full of personality and makes a great practice page for kids who enjoy drawing imaginative creatures. Whether you’re a beginner or just want a fun drawing challenge, this free step-by-step page is a perfect way to start.
Watch it being drawn
Watch the pencil draw it one step at a time, then grab a pencil and try it yourself.
About the Book: How to Draw: Silly Aliens
This free page is just one example of what you’ll find in How to Draw: Silly Aliens, a fun and imaginative drawing book packed with 50 original alien characters that kids can learn to draw in six easy steps. From cute little space explorers to funny, one-eyed creatures and wild multi-armed beings, each alien has its own distinct look and personality.
Every drawing in this book — including this shocked alien with two eye stalks — was hand-drawn by me, Kevin Coulston. I design each character to be approachable, funny, and full of expressive details that make drawing exciting for kids.
Like all of my How to Draw books, Silly Aliens is perfect for building creative confidence. The step-by-step process helps kids understand structure, shapes, and proportions while keeping the lessons fun and easy to follow.
Why Kids Love This Book
There’s something special about drawing aliens. Because they can look however you imagine them, kids feel free to experiment and get creative. How to Draw: Silly Aliens encourages that kind of creativity by showing kids that art doesn’t always have to be realistic — it can be goofy, colorful, and full of surprises.
Here’s what makes the book (and this free page) so much fun:
- Simple Step-by-Step Drawings: Every character is broken down into six easy steps that anyone can follow.
- Original Hand-Drawn Art: All of the aliens are 100% hand-drawn by me — no AI or pre-made art.
- Fun and Expressive Characters: Each alien has a unique design, from smiling space explorers to goofy creatures with extra eyes or tentacles.
- Perfect for Young Artists: Kids can learn how to draw a cartoon alien while developing important drawing skills like shape recognition, line control, and proportion.
By the end of the book, kids will have drawn 50 different aliens — each one more creative than the last — and they’ll feel proud of their progress.
Part of the How to Draw Series
How to Draw: Silly Aliens is part of my Art Books for Kids collection, which now includes over 80 titles. Each book is designed to make learning to draw simple and fun for kids of all ages.
In the How to Draw series, kids learn to draw characters step by step. In my Trace Then Color series, they can trace lines to practice control and then color their finished artwork. And in the Draw by Grid series, they learn how to balance shapes and proportions by sketching using grid guidelines.
View All 80+ Art Books for Kids
If your child enjoys this free page, they’ll love the full Silly Aliens book — and they can explore the matching Trace Then Color: Cartoon Aliens or Draw by Grid: Silly Aliens editions for even more space-themed fun.
A Closer Look at the Free Drawing Page
This free page walks you through how to draw a cartoon alien using my six-step drawing method — the same approach featured throughout the entire How to Draw: Silly Aliens book. You’ll start with a few simple shapes to outline the alien’s head, body, and eye stalks. Then, with each step, you’ll add more details until you’ve drawn the complete character.
By the final step, you’ll have a finished cartoon alien with wide eyes, a surprised mouth, and plenty of space-age charm. Kids can trace each step or draw freehand — either way, it’s designed to be clear, fun, and confidence-building.
Learn to Draw 50 Cartoon Aliens
Once your drawing is done, grab some crayons or markers and bring your alien to life. You can color him green, purple, orange, or even rainbow! There’s no wrong way to draw or color your alien — that’s what makes these silly characters so fun.
Free Activity Page (save and print):
Get Creative and Have Fun!
Now it’s time to grab a pencil and learn how to draw a cartoon alien! Start with the simple shapes, follow the steps, and don’t worry about making it perfect. The fun part is watching your alien come to life as you add each new detail.

Once you’ve drawn your alien, have fun adding your own twist — maybe give him a jetpack, a laser blaster, or a spaceship in the background. Every artist has their own imagination, and this page is a great place to let that creativity shine.
If you enjoy this activity, be sure to check out How to Draw: Silly Aliens for the full collection of 50 weird, funny, and totally original alien characters. It’s a great way to practice drawing and spark your imagination.
Draw it 3 ways
Every FirstArtBooks theme comes in three formats. Trace it, draw it step by step, or copy it square by square: the more ways kids draw a character, the better they know it.
- How to Draw
Draw it step by stepYou’re on this pageSee all How to Draw books - Trace Then Color
Trace Then Color an Alien CyborgSame theme · Ages 3+See all Trace Then Color books - Draw by Grid
Draw a Silly AlienThe same character · Ages 7+See all Draw by Grid books
Finished? Draw the scene next
- Add a background: draw a space station window full of stars.
- Write one line under your picture to finish this story:
Mission control called and said…
That’s a picture book page. Draw two more and you have a whole story.
Draw it, then write about it
Give your cartoon alien a name and a job. What makes it happy, and what makes it grumpy? Write two or three sentences.
Directed drawing and writing worksheets for this lesson: Cartoon Alien Directed Drawing and Writing Worksheet, with a kindergarten, 1st grade and 2nd–3rd grade writing page.
Print a draw-and-write sheet: a box for the drawing and lines for the story. Primary lines (K–2) · Regular lines (grades 2–5)
Want to make it a whole story? Try the comic story starter or fold a mini-book in Story Studio.
Common mistakes and quick fixes
- The head and body are the same size.
- Many cartoon aliens have a big head and a small body. Make the head bigger than you think.
- The extra eyes are crowded.
- Space the eyes evenly across the face, and make them all the same size, or make one huge on purpose.
- The antennae look like hair.
- Give each antenna a thin stalk and a round ball on top.
- Pressing hard from the very first step.
- Use light, sketchy lines first. You can erase them easily and go over the lines you keep at the end.
More in 10 common drawing mistakes kids make.
Talk about it
For the grown-up: ask one or two of these while your child draws. There are no wrong answers.
- Which planet is this alien from, and what is the weather like there?
- What would you show an alien first if it visited Earth?
- What shapes can you find in your drawing?
- What would you change if you drew it again tomorrow?
More ideas in 25 questions to ask kids about their art.
Questions about this drawing lesson
What age is this cartoon alien drawing lesson for?
Ages 5 and up (about grades K to 2). Younger kids can follow along with a grown-up, one step at a time.
How long does it take?
About 15 minutes, including time to pause the video. Kids who add their own details or a background often keep going longer.
What supplies do you need?
Pencil and eraser; paper, or the printed page; crayons, markers or colored pencils.
What size does it print?
US Letter (8.5 by 11 inches). Use Print this page or Download PDF above. On A4 paper, choose “Fit to page” in the print settings.
Can kids draw the cartoon alien without printing the page?
Yes. Draw on any paper and copy one step at a time from the screen, or pause the video after each step. Classroom mode shows one step at a time, full screen.
For teachers: grade, timing and standards
Grades K–2, about 15 minutes. Step-by-step drawing, easy level. The video does the teaching: press play and let students draw along.
National Core Arts Standards (visual arts)
- VA:Cr2 Organize and develop artistic ideas and work: students build drawing skills by following a sequence of steps.
- VA:Cr3 Refine and complete artistic work: students add their own details, expressions and color to finish the character.
See every lesson by standard, plus the math in grid drawing, on the arts standards map.
Copies: print as many as your class needs. Use classroom mode above to show one step at a time on your board. More in the teacher resources, the Aliens & Space hub and our no-prep sub plans.
Get the free Alien and Space Drawing Pack
9 printable alien and space pages to draw, trace and color, sent with your welcome email. After that, Kevin’s newsletter brings new free pages and book news.
Take the idea into a book
Want more characters to draw, trace or color? Explore these related books and see which approach fits your next creative session.

How to Draw: Silly Aliens
By Kevin Coulston
Explore this book →
Trace Then Color: Cartoon Aliens
By Kevin Coulston
Explore this book →
Draw by Grid: Silly Aliens
By Kevin Coulston
Explore this book →More like this: all 11 free alien drawing lessons and pages →
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