How to Draw a Pagoda (Easy Step by Step)
This article teaches you how to draw a pagoda using simple, repeating shapes. You'll learn to combine boxes, curvy roof lines, and arches to create a tall, stacked tower that looks like a stack of hats.
- Use boxes as the foundational shape for your pagoda.
- Add curvy roof lines that curl up at the corners.
- Incorporate little arches to complete each level.
- Build a tall, tidy tower by repeating these simple shapes.
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A pagoda is a tower with stacked roofs that curl up at the corners, and it is fun to draw because the same shape repeats again and again. You only need boxes, curvy roof lines, and little arches to build the whole thing. By the end you will have a tall, tidy tower that looks a bit like a stack of hats.
- Medium
- 15 minutes
- 9 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 pagoda step by step
How to Draw a Pagoda · 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: The base walls
Start near the bottom with a wide box that is open in the middle of the bottom. Draw two slightly slanted sides going down, then a flat line along the bottom from each side toward the middle, leaving a gap between them.
Step 3: The arched door
In the gap at the bottom middle, draw a small arch shaped like a rainbow sitting on the ground. Fill it in so it looks like a dark doorway.
Step 4: First roof and walls
Draw a long roof line across the top of the base that curls up into a pointy tip on each side. Then draw a short wall going up from each end of the roof, with a small flat ledge at the top of each one, leaving a gap in the middle.
Step 5: Second roof and walls
Above the first roof, draw another curly roof line with upturned tips, a little smaller than the one below. Add a short wall going up from each end, and a short side line on the left that connects the two roofs.
Step 6: Little arched windows
Draw three small arches, like tiny rainbows. Put one in the upper level and two in the middle level, one above the other, and fill them in.
Step 7: Right side and ledge
Draw a short straight line down the right side of the middle level to match the left side. Then add a short flat ledge line on the right side of the top level.
Step 8: The top roof
Draw the highest roof like a small hat. Start with a curvy line that swoops up from each side toward the middle, then finish with a long curved line along the bottom that ends in a curled tip on each side.
Step 9: The tip on top
On top of the roof, draw a small flat band, then a small tall loop standing up from it, like a little egg. This is the pointy top of your pagoda.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your pagoda? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a rocket or how to draw a shooting star next.
Tips for drawing a pagoda
- Draw the bottom base first and make it the widest part. Each level above should be a little narrower so your tower does not lean.
- The curvy roofs are the trickiest part. Start in the middle and draw one side up to the curled tip, then do the other side so they match.
- Use the little arched windows to line up your tower. Put them near the middle of each level and the pagoda will look straight.
Free pagoda coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this pagoda 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 pagoda drawing
Try red walls with golden roofs for a classic look, and dark blue or black for the windows and door. For a creative twist, color it like a sunset pagoda with orange and pink roofs against a purple sky.
Pagoda fun fact for kids
Many pagodas in East Asia have an odd number of floors, like three, five, or seven. The curled-up roof corners are a classic part of the style.
Questions about drawing a pagoda
What shapes do I need to draw a pagoda?
You need boxes that get a little narrower going up, long curved lines for the roofs, and small arches for the door and windows. A small loop on top finishes it.
How do I make the pagoda roofs curl up?
Draw a long line across the top of a level and flick each end up into a pointy tip. Make both ends the same height so it looks balanced.
How do I make my pagoda look taller?
Add more levels and make each one a little smaller than the one below. A tall thin loop on top also makes it look like it reaches higher.
