How to Draw a Camping Lantern (Easy Step by Step)
A camping lantern is a fun thing to draw because it looks cozy and glows in the dark. It is built from simple shapes: a dome, a few straight and curved lines, a drop for the flame, and a flat box for the base. Once you can draw those, you can draw a lantern.
- Easy
- 12 minutes
- 9 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawingIn this article (7 sections)
How to draw a camping lantern step by step
How to Draw a Camping Lantern · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: The domed top
Draw a wide dome like half of a ball. Close it underneath with a straight line that sticks out a little on both sides.
Step 2: The base
Near the bottom, draw a flat shape like a squished box that is wider at the bottom, with rounded corners. Its top edge is a long straight line.
Step 3: The curved sides
Connect the dome and the base with two gently curved lines, one on each side, so the lantern bulges out a little like a barrel.
Step 4: The inner bars
Draw two straight lines going down inside the lantern, one on each side, from the dome's bottom line to the top of the base. They frame the glass window in the middle.
Step 5: The handle
On top of the dome, draw a small loop shaped like an upside-down U with a rounded top. Its two ends touch the top of the dome.
Step 6: The flame
In the middle of the window, draw a drop shape: a point at the top and a round belly at the bottom.
Step 7: The little burner
Under the flame, draw a small stand that looks like a short upside-down bucket sitting on the base.
Step 8: The glowing rays
Draw three short lines on each side of the lantern, pointing outward like sunshine. Make the middle one flat and the other two slanted. Also add a tiny short line sticking out from the right end of the base.
Step 9: The side knob
Finish the short line on the right end of the base with a small circle at its end. That is the knob for turning the light.
All done!
Go over your lines with a marker, then color it in.
Finished your camping lantern? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a rocket or how to draw a shooting star next.
Tips for drawing a camping lantern
- Draw the two curved side lines after the dome and base. Start each one at the dome and let it bulge out a little before it curves back in at the base.
- Make the flame drop pointy at the top and round at the bottom. Draw it slowly in one smooth line.
- Keep the glow rays the same length on each side. Draw the flat middle one first, then add the slanted ones above and below it.
Free camping lantern coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this camping lantern 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 camping lantern drawing
Try a warm yellow and orange flame with a soft yellow glow inside the window, and a dark green or red lantern body. For a creative twist, color the sky behind the lantern dark blue and add stars and a tent.
Camping lantern fun fact for kids
Before electric lights, people used lanterns with a glass window around the flame. The glass kept wind and rain off the fire so it would not blow out.
Questions about drawing a camping lantern
What shapes do I need to draw a camping lantern?
You need a half circle for the dome, a small loop for the handle, a drop shape for the flame, and a flat box shape for the base. Straight and curved lines connect them.
How do I make my lantern look like it is glowing?
Draw short lines pointing out from both sides, like sunshine rays. Then color the flame and the window in yellow and orange and keep the colors outside darker.
How do I draw the lantern so both sides match?
Draw a light line straight down the middle first. Then check that the bars, rays and curved sides are about the same distance from that line on each side.
