Look at a red cap and a bushy mustache. You know exactly who it is. Honestly, it’s kind of wild how a handful of pixels from 1985 evolved into some of the most recognizable imagery in human history. Whether it’s a professional concept piece from Nintendo’s internal teams or a quick sketch a kid doodles on the back of a math test, drawings of Super Mario carry a weirdly specific weight in our culture. They aren't just fan art. They are a visual language that explains how we think about play, joy, and the evolution of digital design.
Most people think of Mario as a 3D model now. They see the high-definition textures in Super Mario Odyssey and think that's the "real" version. But the truth is, the soul of the character lives in 2D. Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of the plumber, didn't start with a computer program. He started with a pen.
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The Rough Sketches That Built an Empire
Back in the early 80s, the limitations were brutal. You had a tiny resolution to work with. Miyamoto famously gave Mario a mustache because it was easier to see than a mouth on a 16x16 pixel grid. He gave him a hat because drawing realistic hair that moved was a nightmare.
What’s fascinating is how the official drawings of Super Mario from the NES era look almost nothing like the in-game sprite. If you look at the Japanese box art for the original Super Mario Bros., drawn by Miyamoto himself, Mario looks a bit squatter. His proportions are slightly off. He’s wearing a blue shirt with red overalls—a color scheme that would eventually flip-flop over the years. These early illustrations weren't just marketing; they were a "promise" to the player. The game showed you a few blocks of color, but the drawing told your imagination that this was a living, breathing adventurer.
The Yoichi Kotabe Transformation
If you want to talk about why Mario looks the way he does today, you have to talk about Yoichi Kotabe. He’s a legend. Kotabe came from an animation background—he worked at Toei Animation and had a hand in classics like Heidi, Girl of the Alps. When he joined Nintendo, he took Miyamoto’s rough ideas and refined them into the "official" style we recognize now.
Kotabe’s drawings introduced the "squash and stretch" principle to the Mushroom Kingdom. He gave Mario those expressive eyes and the specific curve of the nose. Before Kotabe, Mario’s look was a bit inconsistent. Afterward, he had a brand. This is why when you look at fan art or professional sketches today, they almost all trace their DNA back to those late-80s style guides.
Why Everyone Loves Sketching the Plumber
There is a reason why "how to draw Mario" is one of the most searched tutorials for aspiring artists. It's the geometry. Mario is basically a collection of circles and ovals.
- The nose? A big oval.
- The head? A slightly flattened circle.
- The belly? Another circle.
Basically, he’s built like a cartoon character from the 1930s, similar to Mickey Mouse. This makes him accessible. You don't need to understand complex anatomy or hyper-realistic shading to produce a recognizable drawing of Super Mario. It’s an entry point into art.
But don't be fooled. Getting him right is actually incredibly difficult. Professional artists often talk about the "uncanny valley" of Mario. If the mustache is too thin, he looks creepy. If the eyes are too close together, he looks angry. He’s a balance of friendliness and "heroic determination."
The Evolution of Fan Art and Internet Culture
The internet changed everything. We moved from kids drawing in notebooks to digital painters using Procreate and Photoshop to reimagine the Mushroom Kingdom in terrifyingly realistic detail. Have you seen those "realistic Mario" drawings? The ones where he has actual skin pores and greasy hair? They’re haunting.
Yet, the community keeps coming back to the core designs. On platforms like DeviantArt or ArtStation, you’ll find thousands of interpretations. Some people lean into the "Strikers" style—that gritty, ink-splattered look from the Mario Strikers soccer games. Others go for the soft, watercolor aesthetic of Yoshi’s Island.
It’s a testament to the character's versatility. You can drop Mario into a noir detective setting or a high-fantasy epic, and as long as he has that hat and those gloves, the brain accepts it.
Technical Breakdown: How the Pros Do It
When Nintendo’s artists sit down to create new drawings of Super Mario for a game like Wonder, they follow strict internal rules. It's not just "make him look cute."
- Line Weight: Notice how official art usually has a thick outer border but thinner lines for internal details like the overalls or the ears. This makes the character pop against busy backgrounds.
- The "C" Curve: Mario is rarely standing perfectly straight. He’s usually in a state of motion. His body forms a "C" or an "S" curve. This implies energy. Even in a static drawing, he looks like he’s about to jump.
- Color Palette: It’s strictly primary colors. Red, blue, yellow (for the buttons). It’s high-contrast and psychologically linked to "safety" and "fun."
Honestly, it’s a masterclass in character design. Most modern game characters are over-designed. They have too many belts, zippers, and glowing bits. Mario is just... Mario.
The Role of Concept Art in Modern Gaming
We often forget that for every 3D model we see on screen, there are hundreds of 2D sketches that didn't make the cut. During the development of Super Mario Odyssey, the art team experimented with all sorts of hats before settling on Cappy.
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The art books, like The Art of Super Mario Odyssey, show us a glimpse into this world. You see drawings of Mario in different outfits—some that are incredibly detailed and others that are just quick silhouettes. These sketches are where the "feel" of the game is discovered. If a movement doesn't look good in a 2D drawing, it probably won't feel good in 3D.
Beyond the Page: Mario in the Fine Art World
It’s not just for gamers anymore. Pop artists have been using Mario for decades. He’s the Andy Warhol soup can of our generation.
Artists like Ron English or KAWS have messed with Mario’s iconography to make points about consumerism and nostalgia. Why? Because the image is universal. When you create a drawing of Super Mario and then distort it, you’re playing with the audience's childhood memories. It’s a powerful tool.
I’ve seen street art in cities from Tokyo to Paris featuring the plumber. Usually, it’s the 8-bit version because it’s easy to replicate with tiles or stencils. But occasionally, you see a full-blown mural that looks like it belongs in a gallery.
Common Mistakes When Drawing Mario
If you're trying to sketch him yourself, you’re probably going to mess up the proportions at first. It happens to everyone.
- The Head Size: Most people make the head too small. In the "official" proportions, Mario’s head is about 1/3 of his total height. He’s a "chibi" character by design.
- The Mustache Placement: It doesn't sit on his lip; it sits right under his nose. There’s almost no gap.
- The Ears: They are huge. They’re usually level with the eyes and nose. If you make them human-sized, he looks like a guy in a costume rather than the character.
Getting these little things right is what separates a "that's a weird plumber" drawing from a "that's definitely Mario" drawing.
Actionable Steps for Improving Your Mario Art
If you actually want to get better at this, or if you're just a fan who wants to appreciate the craft more, here is what you should do next.
Study the 1990s Style Guides Search for "Nintendo Style Guides PDF" online. These were internal documents sent to partners (like lunchbox makers or t-shirt printers) to make sure they didn't ruin Mario’s look. They are goldmines for understanding the geometry of the character.
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Focus on the Silhouette Take a black marker and just draw the outline of Mario. If you can’t tell it’s him just from the shadow, your proportions are off. A good drawing of Super Mario should be recognizable even if you remove all the colors and facial features.
Experiment with "Expression Sheets" Don't just draw him smiling. Draw him surprised. Draw him tired. Draw him "Game Over" frustrated. This is how the masters at Nintendo keep the character feeling fresh after forty years.
Mario isn't just a mascot. He’s a design philosophy. Every time someone picks up a pencil to draw him, they are participating in a four-decade-long conversation about what makes a character iconic. It's about simplicity, silhouette, and a little bit of magic.
Next time you see a sketch of that red cap, take a second to look at the lines. There’s a lot more going on there than just a guy who likes mushrooms.
Start your own sketchbook by breaking Mario down into three basic circles: one for the head, one for the chest, and one for the hips. Connect them with his signature overalls, and you'll see how quickly the character takes shape.