This free Rainbow Kitsune art project guides kids through drawing a stylized nine-tailed fox from Japanese folklore using simple shapes, symmetry, and vibrant rainbow markers — with an optional glittery finish. Students practice pencil guidelines, symmetrical drawing, and color theory while learning about a beloved creature from Japanese mythology. A free downloadable lesson plan is available below.
A kitsune is one of the most beloved figures in Japanese folklore, a magical fox with the power to shapeshift, trick, or protect, depending on the story. The most powerful kitsune are said to have nine tails, each one earned over centuries of wisdom and age. You’ll find kitsune in ancient folktales, modern anime, video games, and artwork across Japan and other east Asian cultures, which makes this a fantastic project for connecting art to world mythology and storytelling.
In this lesson, kids will draw a stylized kitsune using pencil guidelines and symmetry, then give it color with bold markers and a rainbow of tail colors set against a dramatic dark background. A little glitter at the end gives it that special sparkle.
So grab your Sharpie, your markers, and maybe a little glitter, and let’s draw!
What you'll need:
- 9×12 white Sulphite Paper
- Pencil
- Fine or Ultra-Fine Sharpie
- Markers
- Glitter Glue (optional)
- Loose Glitter (optional)
Rainbow Kitsune Art Project
Fold your paper in half vertically to create a symmetry guideline.
Using light pencil lines, draw two triangle ears, an oval head, and an oval body.
Sketch the almond-shaped eyes, small nose, and curved mouth on the face.
Add a fluffy chest, four legs, and rounded paws with small curved toe lines.
Draw nine large flowing tails behind the fox, then outline everything in Sharpie and erase your pencil lines.
Grab your favorite markers, or another supply of your choice, and color the fox body orange and white, with darker orange on the ears and paws.
Color each tail a different color of the rainbow.
Fill the background with dark blue, purple, or black.
As an optional sparkly bonus, add glitter glue stars to the night sky and a sprinkle of glitter on the forehead diamond.
Allow to dry fully, then add any final touches you’d like.
To try this project out with a video, click below to go our YouTube channel.
Step-by-step directions in a downloadable pdf are below!
Click the banner below to download the FREE lesson plan.
We would love it if you’d share your art project results!
Don’t forget to tag us at @soulsparklettes on social media if you do this kitsune art project with your kids or students – we love to see what you create!
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