How to Draw a Waving Hand (Easy Step by Step)
Learn to draw a friendly waving hand using simple rounded shapes for fingers, a thumb, and a cuff. You'll create each finger as a tall, skinny bump and add wiggly lines to make it wave hello.
- Draw a friendly waving hand using rounded finger shapes, a thumb, and a cuff.
- Form each finger as a tall, skinny bump, building the hand one bump at a time.
- Add wiggly lines on each side to make your drawn hand look like it's saying hello.
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A waving hand is a friendly drawing made of rounded finger shapes, a thumb, a cuff and a small smile. Each finger is just a tall, skinny bump, so you can build the whole hand one bump at a time. A wiggly line on each side makes it look like it is saying hello.
- Easy
- 10 minutes
- 7 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 waving hand step by step
How to Draw a Waving Hand · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: The cuff
Start near the bottom with a wide, open-topped box shape, like the sleeve of a shirt. Make it wider than it is tall, and leave a gap in the top line where the hand will come through.
Step 2: The middle finger
Above the cuff, draw the left side of a tall finger. Start low, go straight up, then curve over the top like the top of a candy cane.
Step 3: Right side of the finger
Finish the tall finger by drawing a straight line down from the round top, on the right side. Now the finger looks like a long skinny bump.
Step 4: Two fingers and the right side
On the right of the tall finger, draw a shorter finger with a round top and a line going down. Then add a smaller finger beside it, and let its outer edge slide down in one long, gentle line to the corner of the cuff.
Step 5: The thumb and left side
On the left of the tall finger, draw a finger with a round top and a straight side going down. Then draw the thumb sticking out like a mitten, and bring a long slanted line down from the thumb to the left corner of the cuff.
Step 6: The smile
In the middle of the palm, draw a small curved line like a bowl or a smile. Make it gentle and not too big.
Step 7: Wiggle lines
Draw a wavy squiggle on each side of the hand, standing up tall. They show the hand is waving hello.
All done!
Go over your lines with a marker, then color it in.
Finished your waving hand? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a laughing face or how to draw a heart eyes face next.
Tips for drawing a waving hand
- Draw the tall middle finger first, then add the other fingers beside it so they all look like they belong together.
- The thumb is the trickiest part. Think of it as a mitten shape that leans out to the side, and let its line slide down toward the cuff.
- Keep the wiggle lines loose and curvy, like a slow letter S. Draw one on each side of the hand, about the same size.
Free waving hand coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this waving hand 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 waving hand drawing
Try warm peach, tan or brown for the hand, and pick a bright color like blue or red for the cuff. You could also color the wiggle lines in different bright colors.
Waving hand fun fact for kids
People all over the world wave to say hello or goodbye. A wave works from far away, where your voice would not reach.
Questions about drawing a waving hand
What shapes do I need to draw a waving hand?
You need an open-topped box for the cuff and long rounded bumps for the fingers and thumb. A small curved line makes the smile, and two wavy lines show the wave.
How do I make the fingers look like they belong together?
Draw the tall middle finger first and make the others a little shorter. Let the finger tops sit at different heights, like a gentle hill.
How do I make my waving hand look friendlier?
Add the smile in the middle of the palm and the wiggle lines on both sides. Those two details make the hand look happy and alive.
