Some days you just wake up on the wrong side of the bed. Honestly I think that is why my kids are so obsessed with this grumpy little penguin right now.
When everyone is feeling a bit cranky I pull out these Badtz-Maru coloring pages. It instantly shifts the mood in the house. We designed this collection because sometimes you just need a break from all the cheerful cartoon characters.
We really leaned into his attitude for these designs. We wanted him doing everyday stuff but with that signature scowl.
Grab your favorite markers and let your kids pick out their favorites. Honestly watching my daughter aggressively color his spiky hair black is weirdly therapeutic.
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Featured Badtz-Maru Coloring Pages
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The Boxing Ring Champion
Here he is standing right in the middle of a boxing ring with these ridiculously tiny gloves. The contrast between his grumpy face and the classic sports setting is just funny. My son Sam always laughs at his little stance.
It is one of those printable Badtz Maru coloring pages perfect for quick coloring. You have the ropes and the canvas to practice some basic shading. The spotlight on the floor gives you a perfect excuse to use a bright yellow.
Movie Theater Snacks
He is sitting alone in a dark theater just stuffing his face with popcorn. You can see the glow of the screen and a little soda cup next to him. It captures that exact feeling of ignoring everyone else.
Every Badtz Maru coloring sheet like this is perfect for practicing lighting. Kids can color the screen bright and leave the rest of the theater dark. I usually suggest they make the popcorn bucket a classic red and white stripe.
Speeding in the Go-Kart
This one has him absolutely tearing around a corner in a tiny go-kart. There are flags and a track in the background with little motion lines everywhere. It feels very fast and a little bit chaotic.
When we made these free Badtz Maru coloring pages we wanted some action shots. Coloring the track gray makes the kart itself really stand out. You can tell he is totally focused on winning this race.
The Leather Jacket Look
Absolute classic Badtz-Maru right here. He has his arms crossed while wearing this tough little leather jacket next to a brick wall. There is even a trash can and a skateboard to complete the whole rebellious vibe.
This is one of the best Badtz Maru coloring pages for kids who want something simple but edgy. The brick wall takes some patience to color individual red blocks. But honestly the jacket just begs to be colored jet black or maybe a dark punk red.
Revving the Race Car Engine
We put him behind the wheel of a serious race car here. You can see the steering wheel and the stadium seating in the background. He looks like he is about to hit the gas hard.
The number one on the front of the car is a fun detail to fill in. Printing out this Badtz Maru coloring sheet gives kids a chance to design their own race team colors. Sam usually makes the car bright green because it is his favorite.
Playing the Electric Guitar
He is standing on a stage holding a tiny electric guitar with speakers piled up behind him. There are little music notes and lightning bolts floating in the air. He looks like a total rock star.
It takes me back to my own messy garage band days honestly. The stage lighting gives kids a reason to use crazy neon colors. Finding printable Badtz Maru coloring pages with this much energy is exactly why we started creating our own.
Hanging at the Arcade
Here he is wearing a spiky collar right in the middle of a retro arcade. There is an old school arcade cabinet and a claw machine filled with toys behind him. It feels very 90s.
It is basically like when you are playing a Dota 2 match and you just need to focus on your own screen. The little claw machine toys are great for using up those random crayon colors. The checkered floor is perfect for practicing a black and white pattern.
The Talent Show Magic Trick
This one is pretty funny. He is on stage at a talent show wearing a bowtie and pulling a rabbit out of a top hat. The audience of little animals is just watching him.
We love making Badtz Maru coloring pages for kids that tell a whole story. The curtains framing the stage look great in a deep velvet red. And the bunny is just sitting there looking completely confused.
Tips for Coloring Badtz Maru
1. Getting the Black Feathers Right
He is mostly black. That is just a fact. But if your kid just scrubs a black crayon over the whole page it looks terrible. It completely ruins the line work our team spent hours drawing.
So what do you do? I tell my kids to use a really dark charcoal gray instead. Or they can lightly shade with black and then go over it with a dark blue. It keeps the edges visible and looks a lot more professional.
2. The Signature Yellow Beak
His beak and feet are the only natural pops of color on him. You really want those to stand out. Don’t use a pale yellow or it just gets lost.
Grab a bright mustard or a golden orange color. If we are using markers I always have Sam do the beak first. That way the black ink doesn’t accidentally smear into the yellow and turn it green. It happens like 98 percent of the time if you do it backwards.
3. Making the Eyes Expressive
Badtz-Maru is all about the attitude. Those half closed eyes are where his whole personality lives. You absolutely have to leave the white parts of the eyes clean.
Sometimes kids get carried away and color the whole face black by mistake. If that happens I just use a white gel pen to draw the eyes back in. It is a lifesaver trick I learned from testing so many of these pages. Just keep the eyes clear and he stays grumpy.
4. Don’t Be Afraid of White Space
Not every single inch of the page needs color. I used to think a finished coloring page meant no white paper showing. I was wrong.
Leaving some things white actually makes the main character look better. Like the clouds in the go-kart race or the highlights on the leather jacket. Just let the white space breathe a little. It gives the eye a place to rest.
5. Mixing Up the Backgrounds
Since he is a dark character the backgrounds need to work hard. If you put him against a dark brick wall he disappears. You need contrast.
I love seeing kids use pastel chalks or soft colored pencils for the backgrounds. A light mint green behind him in the arcade looks amazing. It is all about balance.
6. Using Neons for Urban Scenes
A lot of these pages are in cities or arcades or on stage. These are perfect places for neon colors. Grab those crazy bright pinks and greens.
The lightning bolts in the rock band page look incredible in neon yellow. It makes the whole scene feel electric. My daughter loves using highlighters for this stuff because the colors are so aggressive.
7. The Art of the Spiky Hair
His hair is basically his crown. Those spikes need to look sharp. Thick dull crayons are just going to round them off.
This is where colored pencils really shine. Keep them sharp and color in the direction of the spikes. It gives the hair some actual texture instead of just being a flat black blob. It takes a little more time but it is worth it.
8. Embrace the Messy Look
Badtz-Maru isn’t a neat and tidy character. He is rebellious and a little rough around the edges. The coloring should kind of reflect that.
If your kid colors outside the lines on the leather jacket page… who cares. It actually looks cooler. I don’t force my kids to be perfect when they are having fun. Just let them go wild and see what happens.