How to Draw a City Skyline (Easy Step by Step)
A city skyline at night is a fun drawing because it is built almost entirely from rectangles and squares. Add a curved moon and a few little stars and the city comes to life. If you can draw a box, you can draw a whole city.
- Easy
- 15 minutes
- 8 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 city skyline step by step
How to Draw a City Skyline · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: Ground and end buildings
Draw a long straight line near the bottom for the ground. On the left, draw a box side going up from the ground with a short top line pointing toward the middle. On the right, do the same with a slightly lower box, leaving a gap in the middle of each top.
Step 2: The tall tower
Draw a very tall rectangle standing on the ground, overlapping the right side of the left box. Make its top flat and its sides straight up and down.
Step 3: Second tower and roof
Draw a second tall rectangle to the right of the first one, a bit shorter, standing on the ground and touching the right box. Then draw a short flat line joining the two towers to make the roof of a small building in between.
Step 4: The crescent moon
In the sky at the top right, draw a curved outline shaped like a banana or the letter C. Make it fat in the middle with two pointy tips, and close the shape.
Step 5: Three stars
Draw three little stars in the sky, one bigger on the left, a medium one in the middle and a small one on the right. Make each one a puffy five-pointed star with a tiny pentagon in the center.
Step 6: Windows on the tall tower
Stack five small rounded squares in a straight column down the first tall tower. Draw a tiny square inside each one for the glass.
Step 7: Windows on the second tower
Draw four rounded squares in a column on the second tall tower, spaced evenly. Add a tiny square inside each window.
Step 8: Windows on small buildings
Add two windows, one above the other, on the left box and on the little middle building. On the right box, draw four windows in two rows of two. Give each one a tiny square inside.
All done!
Go over your lines with a marker, then color it in.
Finished your city skyline? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a rocket or how to draw a shooting star next.
Tips for drawing a city skyline
- Use a ruler or the edge of a book for the first tall tower so its sides stay straight.
- Draw the windows in a column, and mark the spots lightly first so they line up like beads on a string.
- Stars are tricky, so draw them small and take your time with the five points. Stars can be a little wobbly and still look great.
Free city skyline coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this city skyline 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 city skyline drawing
Try dark blue and purple for the buildings, yellow for the moon and stars, and bright yellow or orange for the windows so it looks like the lights are on. For a creative twist, color only some windows yellow so it looks like people are still awake.
City skyline fun fact for kids
The Burj Khalifa in Dubai is the tallest building in the world. It is about 2,717 feet tall and has more than 160 floors.
Questions about drawing a city skyline
What shapes do I need to draw a city skyline?
Mostly rectangles for the buildings and small squares for the windows. Add a crescent for the moon and a few little five-pointed stars.
How do I make my skyline look more like a real city?
Make the buildings different heights so some are tall and some are short. Putting a short building next to a tall one makes the city feel busy.
How do I draw straight lines without a ruler?
Draw slowly and look at where the line will end, not at your pencil tip. You can also use the edge of a piece of paper or a book as a guide.
