Whether you are a math whizz, or hopeless with numbers, there is no denying that the humble calculator is an incredible invention, and, for many of us, a tool which saves us endless hours of stress and anxiety. To celebrate this, let’s learn how to create our very own adorable calculator in just a few simple steps.

Tutorial Video

Step-By-Step Images and Instructions

1.

Begin by taking a black liner and a ruler, and making a series of short lines heading vertically down the page – the end result should look almost like a dashed line.

2.

Now, use the rulers and black liner to repeat this horizontally – this time, make each of the marks a little longer. The end result should be a dashed “L” shape, with the tail slightly longer than the stem.

3.

Repeat this across the top of the “L” shape, bringing this top line level with the bottom one.

4.

Next, add another set of horizontal lines, around a quarter of an inch to the right of the original line, to create a “strip”. Add a second “strip” to the right of this. Then, add two more strips to the right hand side – on these, the lines at the bottom should be slightly longer. You will end up with four sections of dashes.

5.

In the two left hand strips, join the dashes together to create four square shapes in each column, but do not connect the corners. Then, repeat this for the strips on the right – once again leave the corner columns unconnected.

6.

Add another two “squares” to the top right hand corner, above the two shapes already here.

7.

Now, add a long, thin stripe just above the left hand columns. Fill this in with a series of short lines to create a segmented look.

8.

Use the black liner to connect the corners of each of the squares and rectangles with a soft curve – the buttons of your calculator are taking shape!

9.

Now use the black liner and ruler to add a rectangle shape above the buttons, and a larger outline around everything you have drawn so far – once again, leave the corners unconnected for the moment.

10.

Take the black liner, and connect the corners of the calculator with curves, just as you did before.

11.

Now for the cute part of your calculator! Draw two short, parallel lines at a slight angle, just below the screen of the calculator on the right hand side. At the end of these lines, connect them with a curve, and then draw two fingers pointing upwards. Connect these to a sharp, pointed finger extending out to the right of the page, and then curve round for a thumb at the bottom!

12.

Now, add another hand on the left-hand side of the screen; bring two curved lines across and up, join them with a curve, and add three fingers pointing up, with a thumb on the side.

13.

Now for some eyes: add two circular shapes to the screen of your calculator. Thicken the outside edges using the black liner, and leave most of the shape white.

14.

Now, add two smaller circles inside the first, and fill these in almost completely, with the exception of a small dot of white towards the top.

15.

Add two curved lines above the eyes to give your calculator some eyebrows, and then create a nose beneath the eyes with a curved line ending in a point, and flicking back in towards the right.

16.

Add another line above the brows, and connect them at either end with a point…

17.

Before adding a cheeky grin with an “L” shape at the bottom, and the top and right hand lines flicking out to the right to meet in a point.

18.

Add another line just below the top line of the mouth, and repeat this at the bottom, giving your creature some lips…

19.

And then add an “m” shape to the bottom right hand corner, filling in the rest of the mouth, and leaving this white – this is the tongue!

20.

Now, fill in the buttons of the calculator with their details – add the numbers one to nine, plus, minus, multiplication and percentage buttons, and an “On” and “Off” set of buttons at the top.