Fists raised, legs mid-stride, that red cap tilted forward with purpose — the running pose is the most kinetic version of Mario you can put on paper, and this guide walks through how to draw Super Mario running across 12 focused steps, sitting alongside the rest of the Super Mario tutorials on the site. The result is a fully colored drawing, so the steps cover both construction and the classic red-and-blue palette.
What Makes This Pose Worth Practicing
The 12 steps move from a basic head-and-body sketch through the overalls, gloves, and boots, finishing with flat color fills that lock in the familiar look. The running pose introduces asymmetry since the arms and legs are offset, which gives the whole drawing its sense of motion. If you find yourself sketching game characters often, this one is solid practice for poses that are not just standing still.
Mario’s Key Visual Features
- Red cap with white M emblem
- Black mustache, blue eyes, large nose
- Red shirt under blue overalls, yellow button
- White gloves, brown boots
- Running pose with both fists raised
If you want to build out a fuller cast while you are at it, Birdo and Yoshi are both covered on the site and pair well with a Mario sketch, and SuperMarioGlitchy4 is there if you want something a bit more offbeat from the same franchise.
Reading the Step Colors
Each step image uses a three-color system to show what is new and what came before:
- Red Color: lines added in the current step.
- Black Color: lines completed earlier.
- Gray Color: base sketch for structure.
How to Draw Super Mario Running: Step-by-Step Tutorial
Finished Your Drawing? Show It Off
Drop your finished Mario sketch in the comments — it is always good to see how different artists handle the pose and colors. New tutorials go up on Facebook and Telegram as soon as they are live, a new YouTube video based on existing guides goes up every day, and Pinterest gets updated regularly too. For more characters from the franchise, there is a full guide for Luigi and one for Bowser Jr. if you want to keep going. If you want to support the site and get access to unique hand-drawn coloring pages, the Patreon page is the place to do it.