How to Draw Ariana Grande Step by Step (Cute Chibi Fan Art)

One swoosh of a high ponytail and most fans already know who you're drawing. That single shape does nearly all the work, which is why this portrait is friendlier to beginners than it looks. Below I'll walk you through how to draw Ariana Grande step by step as a small chibi with big eyes, a tiny winged flick of liner, a happy smile and an oversized lavender hoodie. It's a simple fan-art practice drawing, so nobody expects a photo likeness.

Blue shows what's new in each picture. Older lines turn gray, and the pale guides vanish after the inking step.

Quick overview
⏱️ Time: about 30 minutes to sketch and ink, plus 15 to color
🎯 Level: easy, fine for ages 8 and up
✏️ Steps: 12
🎀 You'll draw: a chibi Ariana Grande with her high ponytail, a pastel hoodie and a small cloud

Pencils and Pastels for a Chibi Ariana

• An HB pencil for the light guide shapes
• A soft eraser that won't smear graphite
• A black fineliner or felt-tip pen for the final lines
• Colored pencils or markers: light tan and two browns for skin and hair; lavender and purple for the hoodie; pink and rose red for the face
• Plain printer paper or a sketchbook page

If you don't own lavender, a light layer of purple over white paper gives almost the same soft pastel.

How to Draw Ariana Grande Step by Step

Step 1: Sketch a big head circle and a center line

Chibi characters have oversized heads, so make this circle fill a good part of the page, slightly left of center. The ponytail will need room on the right. Drop a vertical line through the middle and press so lightly you can barely see it.

💡 Tip: Leave a hand's width of empty paper to the right of the circle for the ponytail.

Step 2: Add the eye line and the body guides

Draw a horizontal line a little below the middle of the circle. In chibi faces the eyes sit low, and that's what makes them look young and sweet. Next, put a tiny circle on top of the head, just right of center, for the hair tie. From it, sweep one long curve that climbs, bends over the top and falls down the right side. Finish with two short neck lines, a wide shoulder arc and a flat oval on the left for the cloud.

💡 Tip: Draw the ponytail curve in one quick motion; slow strokes come out shaky.

Step 3: Draw the round chibi face

Start on the eye line and trace the lower half of the circle, pulling it down into a soft, rounded chin. I stop at the eye line on both sides because the hair will cover everything above it. A pointed chin would make her look older.

💡 Tip: Check that the chin lands exactly on the center line before moving on.

Step 4: Outline the sleek pulled-back hair

Her hair is combed smoothly back, so the outline is simple. Draw a dome just outside the top of the circle, then bring each side down to the eye line, ending in a soft point by the cheek. Inside, add a rounded hairline that arches over the forehead. Leave a small gap at the top where the tie circle sits.

💡 Tip: Keep the hair dome close to the head. Sleek hair hugs the shape instead of puffing out.

Step 5: Draw the high ponytail and the hair tie

This part makes the drawing read as Ariana. Draw the tie first as a short rounded band, tilted so it slants down to the right. From behind it, follow your guide curve with two lines: wide near the top and narrowing all the way to a pointed tip beside the shoulder. The inner line tucks behind the side of her head.

💡 Tip: The ponytail is thickest just after the bend at the top, not at the tie itself.

Step 6: Add the neck and the oversized hoodie

Go over the two neck lines from under the chin. Then draw sloping shoulders out to both sides and finish with a straight line along the bottom. For the hood lying around her neck, make a thick rounded band on each side whose ends meet in a V low on the chest.

💡 Tip: Make the hood band chunky; a thin one looks like a T-shirt collar.

Step 7: Draw the strings, seams and a cloud

Two short drawstrings hang from the hood near the V, each ending in a tiny rounded tip. Add a gently curved seam on each shoulder and one fold line inside each half of the hood. Over on the left, turn the flat oval into a puffy cloud: three or four bumps on top and a nearly flat bottom.

💡 Tip: Make the middle bump of the cloud the biggest so it looks soft and full.

Step 8: Draw big eyes with a winged flick

Place two tall ovals on the eye line, one on each side of the center, with about one eye width between them. Add a big round highlight near the top and a smaller one lower down. Then draw a thick, curved lash line over each eye. At the outer corner, finish it with a small triangle pointing up and out. That flick hints at her well-known winged liner.

💡 Tip: Put both highlights in the same spot on each eye, or she'll look cross-eyed.

Step 9: Add the brows, nose and smile

Her brows are soft arches sitting a short way above the lash lines. Draw each one as a single smooth curve, a little higher at its middle. The nose is just a tiny hook below the eyes. For the smile, draw a gently curved top line and a deeper U underneath, with a small tongue curve near the bottom. Two flat ovals on the cheeks become the blush.

💡 Tip: Keep the smile narrower than the gap between the eyes, so it stays sweet instead of wide.

Step 10: Sketch the hair strands

A few lines make the hair look smooth and shiny rather than flat. On the head, draw curves that sweep up from the hairline toward the tie, like hair pulled back with a brush. On the ponytail, run three long lines that follow its curve. I stop them short of the edges.

💡 Tip: Fewer strands look sleeker. Six on the head and three on the ponytail are plenty.

Step 11: Ink the lines and erase the guides

Trace every keeper line with your black pen. Go slowly around the eyes, since the lash lines and wing flicks are small and wobbles show up there first. Once the ink is dry, erase the head circle, the center and eye lines, the ponytail curve and the other guides.

💡 Tip: Give the ink a full minute before erasing; marker smudges are almost impossible to fix.

Step 12: Color your Ariana Grande

Use light tan for the face and neck, with a slightly darker tan under the chin. The hair and ponytail are dark brown, and a light brown streak on top suggests shine. Color the hoodie lavender and the hood a deeper purple. Pink goes on the hair tie and cheeks, rose red inside the smile, and the cloud stays white.

💡 Tip: Leave the shine streaks for last, then press lightly so the dark brown doesn't swallow them.

Ponytail Problems and Other Easy Fixes

• A short, stubby ponytail. It's her signature, so let it rise above the head and fall well past the chin.
• Tying the ponytail at the back of the head. Keep the tie on the very top. A low tie loses the look straight away.
• Wings that are too long. A huge eyeliner flick turns cute into dramatic. Keep each triangle small.
• Exaggerated features. This is a friendly fan portrait, not a caricature. Normal sized nose and mouth, placed on the guides.
• Hair that sits on top like a hat. Bring the sides down to the eye line so the hair wraps the face.

Fresh Ways to Style Your Chibi Ariana

Ariana Grande is an American singer and actress, and her sleek high ponytail is easily her best-known look. That's why I built this drawing around it. My version is a simple fan-art practice drawing, not an official image, and it isn't connected to or approved by her. Once you've finished it, try a pink or mint hoodie, swap the cloud for a microphone, or let the ponytail swing the other way. If the big head and tiny body style appeals to you, the chibi drawing tutorial is a good next stop, and how to draw hair step by step helps with long, wavy hair.

Free Ariana Grande Coloring Page and PDF Steps

Rather draw away from the screen? The coloring page has the inked chibi, a small colored example and a key that names every color. The PDF guide puts all twelve steps on a few printable pages.

📱 On a phone? Tap a download button, then open the file and choose Share → Save to Files or Print. On a computer, the PDF opens or saves straight to your Downloads folder.

Pin the Ponytail Tutorial for Later

Ariana Chibi Done? Draw a Princess Next

Here is another character you can draw step by step.

• Princess Drawing: The princess drawing step by step ends with a lavender ball gown, a golden crown and a little star wand.

Ariana Grande Drawing Questions From Fans

What is the easiest way to draw Ariana Grande?

Draw her as a chibi and focus on the high ponytail. A round face, big eyes and that one long hair shape are enough for fans to recognize her.

How do I draw Ariana Grande's ponytail?

Put the hair tie on the very top of the head, then draw a curve that rises, bends over and falls down one side. Make it widest after the bend and taper it to a point.

Can kids draw this Ariana Grande chibi?

Yes. Children around 8 can follow it, and younger ones can leave out the hair strands, the hood folds and the winged flicks.

How long does this drawing take?

Plan on about half an hour for the pencil and ink, then another 15 minutes or so for coloring.

Keep that first circle light, give the ponytail one confident sweep, and your chibi Ariana will come together faster than you expect. 🎀

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