How to Draw a Rocket Step by Step
This tutorial shows how to draw a rocket in eight steps. It provides simple examples with easy to follow instructions.
The rocket in the example is the kind that goes into space. It’s done in an uncomplicated cartoon style that can be fun to draw in and that can also make for good practice for beginners.
While the tutorial is done in a way where you don’t need to erase any part of the drawing in between the different steps it’s still recommended that you start it in pencil and make light lines. This way you can easily correct any mistakes and quickly adjust the drawing if needed. You can darken your lines later on with a black pen/marker or just by tracing over them with the pencil.
Step 1 – Draw the Shape of the Rocket
Start by drawing the rocket’s main shape as shown in the example. Make it wider around the middle with a slightly rounded tip and flat bottom.
Optionally you can draw a straight vertical line to act as a guide that can help you insure that the rocket drawing does not get skewed to one side and that both of it’s halves are even in width. If choose to use this then keep the line until you add all parts of the rocket and erase it afterwards.
Step 2 – Draw the Fins
On each side of the rocket add a fin. These should mirror one another so that rocket is symmetrical.
Draw the fins angled downwards with their bottom tips slightly below the outline created in step one.
Step 3 – Draw the Window
Towards the upper part o the rocket add the window of the cockpit. Draw this as a pair of circles with a smaller one inside a larger one to create the window and a frame around it.
Step 4 – Draw the Exhaust
Onto the flat section at the bottom add the exhaust. Make it’s outline wider as it goes down.
Step 5 – Draw the Tip
For this very easy step define the tip of the rocket. You can just do this by making a straight line near it’s top (a little bit above the window).
Step 6 – Draw a Flame Coming Out of the Exhaust
To show that the rocket is flying draw a flame shooting out of it’s exhaust. Outline it’s shape to be similar to an upside down flame of a candle. Make it narrower at the base, wider around the middle and then narrower again (ending with a pointy tip).
Step 7 – Draw the Different Zones of the Flame
Divide the flame into three sections by outlining smaller shapes inside it’s main one as shown in the example. These will be used when coloring.
Once one with the above, look over your drawing to make sure you are happy with the way things are place. Make any corrections if required and then trace over your lines with a black pen or marker (as was mentioned at the start of the tutorial). If you don’t happen to have one of those around then simply darken them by pressing harder on the pencil.
Step 8 – Color the Rocket
To color the rocket you can use any colors you like. In this case it’s a combination of red, white and blue along with some greys. The flame coming out the exhaust is yellow, orange and red.
To make the rocket look shiny you can leave a few highlights (lighter areas) along it’s tip, fins and window. These will help show light reflecting from it’s smooth surface. At first leave the highlights white (outlined them before coloring if needed). Next, go over the white with a slightly lighter variant of the main color of that part of the rocket. This way the reflections will not look overly bright.
Color the rocket as follows:
- Red tip (with a lighter strip to one side to show a reflection)
- Blue window (with a few lighter streaks to show reflections)
- Grey window frame
- Dark grey exhaust
- Red fins (with a lighter areas along their tops to show reflections)
When coloring the flame you can make it yellow at the base, orange in the middle and red at the end. Once done you should have a finished drawing of a rocket.
Conclusion
A cartoon rocket like the one in this example is fairly easy to draw. Drawing simply things can be good practice if you are a beginner and/or a relaxing way to pass some time.
Hopefully you’ve enjoyed the tutorial. For more similar guides also see the following:
