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Sketching sailboats, kayaks, ships, or wooden boats is simple with this handy guide
Co-authored byKelly Medford
Last Updated: April 6, 2023
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- Sailboat |
- Kayak |
- Traditional Ship |
- Wooden Boat |
- Video |
- |
- Tips |
- Things You'll Need
Want to go sailing but don't have a boat? Don't sweat over it. Chill out and follow this tutorial to learn how to draw a kayak, draw a yacht, draw a rowboat, and draw a sailing ship. If you want to draw a boat, draw an imaginary one or copy a picture from a book or online image.
Note: follow the red line for each step.
Things You Should Know
- Start by drawing the outline of the boat using basic shapes and guidelines.
- Add details to your drawing, like sails, masts, and siding.
- Clean up your drawing by erasing any guidelines.
Method 1
Method 1 of 4:
Drawing a Sailboat
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1
Sketch the main body of the sailboat. Start by drawing a trapezoid shape.
2
Sketch a line perpendicular to the body of the boat. Next, draw a small trapezoid where this line is connected to the boat.
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3
Sketch another line. This time, place the line perpendicular to the first. Add more details to the stand of the mast.
4
Add the shape of the sails. Do this by drawing triangles, then add a line just above the body of the boat.
5
Add the guidelines for the distinct shape of the boat.
6
Draw the basic outline of the boat.
7
Erase the pencil marks. Add a few extra details, as you see fit.
8
Color the boat.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:
Drawing a Kayak
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1
Sketch a long oblong.
2
Sketch a line 2/3 of the oblong.
3
Draw 2 curved line along the mid-line.
4
Add the primary sketch of the bottom of the kayak.
5
Draw a curvy line along the primary sketch of the bottom of the kayak. Also, draw the hole for the person to sit on by drawing a half circle.
6
Sketch a straight line for handle of the oar/paddle.
7
Sketch the basic shape for the blade of the oar/paddle.
8
Draw the basic outline of the boat.
9
Erase unnecessary lines. Put more details into your sketch.
10
Color the kayak. Use colors that would match the background or colors that create a unique design boat.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:
Drawing a Traditional Ship
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1
Sketch an upside-down, truncated triangle in the middle of the page. This will be the body of the boat.
2
Draw a triangle on top of the base.
3
Draw a few squares on the triangle. These will be the sails.
4
Outline the shape of the boat. Add in details, such as wooden planks on the boat's body, a small lifesaver, and a mast behind the sails.
5
Erase the sketch lines. Make the contour stronger.
6
Add in the color. Follow the illustration for reference or color as you please.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:
Drawing a Realistic Style Wooden Boat
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1
Sketch a big teardrop shape in the middle of the page. This will be the top part of the boat.
2
Under the teardrop shape draw a long arch. This will be the body of the boat.
3
Outline the boat's shape. Add in the details, inside and outside of the boat. Follow the illustration for reference.
4
Erase the sketch lines. Strengthen the contour with a pencil.
5
Make the boat colorful using the colors of your choice.
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Community Q&A
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Question
How can I draw a sunken ship?
See AlsoHow to Draw a Boat - Yonderoo
Community Answer
First, make a basic ship in a slanted position on the page; lightly sketch it so you can easily erase any mistakes. Then, if you're drawing the sunken ship in an ocean, make sure that you draw it as if it were half-buried in sand surrounded by sea plants, coral, etc. Now start adding more details and darker lines to your seafloor/shipwreck sketch. Finally, do the shading and final details (like rust, holes, etc.).
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Question
How would I draw a traditional boat sailing straight towards me?
Community Answer
Make sure your shading reflects on the water the way a boat facing forward would look, and draw the mast in front. Also, maybe look at an image of a sailboat sailing straight towards the camera for a better idea.
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Not Helpful 19Helpful 15
Question
How do I draw a very detailed boat?
Community Answer
First start out with simple shapes, then start adding detail. It would help to look at reference pictures, and check YouTube for tutorials.
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Tips
Learning to draw is really about learning to see. Study boats each day and draw them until you can get them as close as you can to the real objects you're observing.
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To get better at drawing, make sure to practice blind contour drawings observing objects and people. Do not worry about the results, as the idea is to train your eye to slow down and to work in tandem with your hand.
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Video
Things You'll Need
- Paper
- Sharp Sketching Pencil
- Pencil sharpener
- Eraser gum
- Colored pencils, crayons, markers or watercolors
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About This Article
Co-authored by:
Kelly Medford
Professional Artist
This article was co-authored by Kelly Medford. Kelly Medford is an American painter based in Rome, Italy. She studied classical painting, drawing and printmaking both in the U.S. and in Italy. She works primarily en plein air on the streets of Rome, and also travels for private international collectors on commission. She founded Sketching Rome Tours in 2012 where she teaches sketchbook journaling to visitors of Rome. Kelly is a graduate of the Florence Academy of Art. This article has been viewed 360,851 times.
21 votes - 60%
Co-authors: 43
Updated: April 6, 2023
Views:360,851
Categories: Drawing
Article SummaryX
One way to draw a boat is by sketching a sailboat. Start by making the outline of a trapezoid to sketch the main body of the boat. Then, draw a smaller trapezoid in the middle of the boat, with a long line running perpendicular to the body of the boat. Next, draw a right triangle off of the right side of the line, and another, slightly smaller triangle off of the right side of the line. You can make the body of the boat 3-dimensional if you’d like. Once you have the basic shapes, trace the outline and erase the extra pencil marks before filling it in with color. If you want to learn how to draw other kinds of boats, such as a canoe or kayak, keep reading the article!
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Reader Success Stories
Annabella Schafer
Jan 31, 2017
"I had to draw a boat for my social studies class. It turned out to be amazing, now I can draw it without looking..." more
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