How to Draw a Gondola (Easy Step by Step)
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A gondola is a long, curvy boat from Venice, and it is fun to draw because it is mostly smooth, swooping lines. You will build it from a big bowl-shaped curve with a leaf-shaped tip, a small arched cabin, a long straight oar, and a row of waves.
- Easy
- 10 minutes
- 8 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawing
In this article (7 sections)
How to draw a gondola step by step
How to Draw a Gondola · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: Guide shapes
Lightly sketch this oval. It only shows where the big parts go, so press softly. You will erase it at the end.
Step 2: Hull and leaf tip
Draw a big smiling curve like a bowl, starting with a little point on the left. On the right side, curve up and finish with a small leaf shape with a bumpy edge. This is the main body of the boat.
Step 3: The top rim
Draw a gently curving line from the left tip of the boat, dipping down in the middle and rising up to meet the right end. This closes the top edge of the hull.
Step 4: The cabin
Draw a small arch with a flat, rounded top in the middle of the boat. Start the two sides on the rim and join them across the top with rounded corners.
Step 5: The cabin window
Draw a short straight line across the middle of the cabin. It looks like a little window slit.
Step 6: The long oar
Draw a long, thin straight line that leans from the top left down to the rim of the boat, like a pole.
Step 7: The oar handle
Draw a short flat line across the top of the oar pole, like the top of the letter T.
Step 8: The water waves
Under the boat, draw a row of smooth wavy humps that goes from the left side to the right side.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your gondola? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a mail truck or how to draw a paddle steamer next.
Tips for drawing a gondola
- Draw the big hull curve slowly and lightly. If it looks too flat, make the bottom a little deeper, like a smile.
- Let the top rim end where it meets the right end of the hull so the boat looks closed and solid.
- Keep the oar line long and straight by looking at where it ends, then drawing toward that spot.
Free gondola coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this gondola coloring page at full size and print it. It is the same drawing you just learned, with clean lines ready for crayons or markers.
How to color your gondola drawing
Try a black or deep brown hull with a bright red cabin and blue and teal waves. For a creative twist, add a sunset sky behind the boat in orange and pink.
Gondola fun fact for kids
Gondolas are rowed by a gondolier who stands up at the back and pushes a single long oar. The boats are traditionally painted black and are built a little lopsided so they glide straight.
Questions about drawing a gondola
What shapes do I need to draw a gondola?
You need a big curved bowl shape for the boat, a small arch for the cabin, a long straight line with a short bar for the oar, and wavy lines for the water.
How do I make my gondola look more like a real one?
Curve the right end of the boat up high and finish it with a bumpy leaf shape. Keep the boat long and low so it looks sleek.
Is a gondola hard to draw for a young child?
No, it is a good first boat because the lines are simple and curved. Take it one step at a time and draw the big curve first.
