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Hobbies & crafts

How to draw a frog on a lily pad

Start with an oval lily pad and round body shapes for the frog, then add big eyes, folded legs, and webbed toes. Refine contours, add spots, and finish with ripples. Step visuals layer simple forms into the final pose.

15 clear steps·Illustrated guide
Finished drawing of a smiling frog perched on a lily pad with water ripples and subtle shading.
  1. 01

    Lightly block in your space

    Place smooth paper on a flat surface. With an HB pencil, sketch very lightly so lines are easy to adjust. Leave a margin so the water ripples have room around the lily pad.

    Paper ready for drawing with a hand holding a pencil, leaving space around the edges.
  2. 02

    Draw the lily pad oval

    Sketch a wide, flat oval near the center. Add a small V-shaped notch on one side of the oval to suggest the cut in a lily pad. Keep the oval smooth and slightly wider than it is tall.

    A wide oval with a small notch on the rim to form a lily pad.
  3. 03

    Place the frog’s body

    Inside the oval, draw a plump, upright oval for the frog’s body, centered slightly toward the back of the pad so there’s space in front for hands and toes.

    A tall oval for the frog’s body sitting on the lily pad.
  4. 04

    Add the head in front

    Overlap a smaller circle or rounded oval at the top front of the body shape for the head. Let it sit slightly forward, like the frog is looking toward you.

    A small head circle overlapping the body oval on the pad.
  5. 05

    Mark the big eyes

    On top of the head, draw two large circles that slightly rise above the head shape—one on the left, one on the right. Lightly add smaller circles inside for pupils, leaving a tiny highlight gap.

    Two big round eyes sitting atop the frog’s head with small pupils.
  6. 06

    Sketch the front legs and hands

    From the lower sides of the head, draw two narrow, bent tubes that curve down and forward for the front legs. At the ends, add small paddles for hands resting near the front edge of the pad.

    Bent front legs ending in small hands resting on the pad.
  7. 07

    Build the hind legs folded at the sides

    On each side of the body oval, draw a large rounded shape for the thigh. From each thigh, add a slimmer bent shape angling forward for the lower leg, ending near the front half of the pad for the feet.

    Big side thighs with bent lower legs pointing forward.
  8. 08

    Add webbed toes

    Give each front hand three short toes; each hind foot gets four longer toes. Draw rounded toe tips, then connect them at the base with shallow curved lines to suggest webbing.

    Front hands with three webbed toes and hind feet with four webbed toes.
  9. 09

    Shape the face and features

    Refine the head by smoothing where it meets the body. Add a gentle smile line and two tiny nostrils near the front of the snout. Lightly arc a crease above each eye for the brow ridge.

    Frog head with a subtle smile, nostrils, and soft brow arcs.
  10. 10

    Refine the body outline

    Trace a clean outer contour over your best lines: connect head to body, define the chest between the front legs, and smooth the curves of thighs and calves. Keep the silhouette clear and readable.

    A clean frog outline with connected head, body, and folded legs.
  11. 11

    Detail the lily pad

    Darken the pad’s outer edge. From the notch, draw a gentle central vein that runs toward the middle, then a few shorter side veins branching lightly. Add a slight wobble to the rim if you like.

    Lily pad with a central vein from the notch and subtle side veins.
  12. 12

    Erase guides and clean up

    Use a soft eraser to lift the construction ovals and stray lines inside the frog and pad, keeping your refined contour intact. Lighten any lines that still look heavy.

    Erasing extra guide lines to leave a clean frog and pad outline.
  13. 13

    Add spots and skin texture

    Place a few irregular spots along the frog’s back and thighs. Sprinkle smaller dots near the shoulders and hips. Leave the belly clearer so the markings feel natural and not crowded.

    Frog with scattered back and leg spots, belly mostly plain.
  14. 14

    Draw gentle water ripples

    Around the pad, add two or three thin, broken ovals to suggest ripples. Keep them wider than the pad and slightly open near the notch so they feel natural.

    Thin broken ovals around the pad indicating water ripples.
  15. 15

    Shade or ink to finish

    Lightly shade under the frog’s belly, beneath folded legs, and under the pad for a soft shadow in the water. If you like, trace final lines with a black fineliner, then add a touch of tone inside the pupils.

    Shaded frog and pad, optionally outlined in ink for a crisp finish.

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