How to Draw a Sun (Easy Step by Step)
A smiling sun is one of the first things many kids learn to draw, and it is easy to see why. It is built from just a circle, twelve straight lines, two dots, and one curve. Once you can draw this sun, you can put it in the corner of every picture you make.
- Easy
- 8 minutes
- 7 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawingIn this article (7 sections)
How to draw a sun step by step
How to Draw a Sun · 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 big circle
Draw a big round circle in the middle of your paper. This is the face of the sun, so leave lots of room all around it for the rays.
Step 3: Top and bottom rays
Draw one short straight line above the circle and one below it, both pointing straight up and down. Leave a small gap between each line and the circle.
Step 4: Side rays
Draw a short straight line on the left and another on the right, lying flat and pointing out from the middle of the circle. Keep the same little gap as the top and bottom rays.
Step 5: Upper slanted rays
Add four slanting lines above the circle, two on each side of the top ray. On each side, draw a long line out toward the corner and a short line closer to the top ray, all with a small gap from the circle.
Step 6: Lower slanted rays
Do the same below the circle. Draw two slanting lines on each side of the bottom ray, a long one toward the corner and a short one near the bottom ray, so the bottom matches the top.
Step 7: Eyes and smile
Inside the circle, draw two small dots for eyes, side by side. Under them, draw a short curved line like a little bowl for a happy smile.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your sun? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a rain cloud or how to draw a daisy next.
Tips for drawing a sun
- Trace a round lid or cup on your paper lightly for the face if your circle comes out wobbly, then draw over it.
- Start with the rays at the top, bottom, left and right. Those four tell you where the in-between rays go, so the spacing stays even.
- Leave a small gap between each ray and the circle. Draw each ray from the outside toward the face so it stops in the same spot every time.
Free sun coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this sun 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 sun drawing
Color the face bright yellow and the rays orange or golden yellow. For a twist, make a sunset sun with red, orange and purple rays, or give each ray its own rainbow color.
Sun fun fact for kids
Sunlight takes about eight minutes to travel to Earth. The sun is a giant ball of glowing gas, not a solid ball.
Questions about drawing a sun
What shapes do I need to draw a sun?
You need one circle for the face, twelve short straight lines for the rays, two small dots for the eyes, and one curved line for the smile.
How do I make my sun rays look even?
Draw the up, down, left and right rays first, then fill in the slanted ones between them. Keeping the same small gap from the circle each time helps a lot.
How do I make my sun look cuter?
Keep the eyes small and a little apart, and draw a short, round smile under them. A small smile looks sweeter than a big one.
