How to Draw a Stained Glass Window (Easy Step by Step)
This article teaches you how to draw a stained glass window using simple shapes. You'll learn to create the frame first, then add a flower and straight lines that resemble lead strips.
- Begin by drawing the main frame of your stained glass window.
- Construct the design using two arches, a circle, and a five-bump flower.
- Finish by adding straight lines to represent the lead glass strips.
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A stained glass window looks fancy, but it is built from simple shapes: two arches, a circle, and a flower made of five round bumps. You draw the frame first, then add a flower and straight lines that look like the strips of lead holding the glass together.
- Easy
- 12 minutes
- 6 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 stained glass window step by step
How to Draw a Stained Glass Window · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: The outer arch
Draw a tall shape like a tombstone: two straight sides with a big rounded curve across the top. Then close the bottom with a flat line and softly rounded corners.
Step 2: The inner arch
Inside the first shape, draw a smaller arch the same way, leaving an even gap all around. Its sides go straight down and meet a flat line at the bottom.
Step 3: The flower petals
In the middle of the window, draw a flower outline with five round bumps, like a cloud with five scallops. Start at the top and go around, letting each bump dip in where it meets the next.
Step 4: The flower center
Draw a small circle right in the middle of the flower. Keep it round and leave space between it and the petals.
Step 5: The fan lines
Draw three short straight lines in the top of the window. One goes straight up from the top petal to the arch, and two slant out from the upper petals to the curve of the arch.
Step 6: The window bars
Add a short flat line going out from each side of the flower to the window frame. Then draw one straight line down from the bottom of the flower to the base of the window.
All done!
Go over your lines with a marker, then color it in.
Finished your stained glass window? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a rocket or how to draw a shooting star next.
Tips for drawing a stained glass window
- Draw the two arches slowly, and keep the same gap between them all the way around so the frame looks even.
- The flower is the trickiest part. Make five bumps about the same size, and take a breath at each dip where two bumps meet.
- Use a ruler or a steady hand for the straight bars, and start each one right at the flower so it looks connected.
Free stained glass window coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this stained glass window 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 stained glass window drawing
Fill each section with a different bright color, like ruby red, deep blue, and golden yellow, and keep the black outlines so it looks like real glass. For a twist, color the window as if sunset light is shining through it.
Stained glass window fun fact for kids
Real stained glass is made from colored glass pieces held together by thin strips of lead. Many cathedral windows are hundreds of years old and are still shining today.
Questions about drawing a stained glass window
What shapes do I need to draw a stained glass window?
You need an arch, which is a rectangle with a rounded top, a small circle for the flower center, and five rounded bumps for the petals. A few straight lines finish it.
How do I make the flower petals look even?
Make the five bumps about the same size and space them evenly around the middle of the window. Pause at each dip where two bumps meet so the shape stays balanced.
How do I make my stained glass look more like real glass?
Use thick, dark lines for the frame and bars, then color each section a different bright color. Keep the colors light and clear so the window looks like light is shining through it.
