How to Draw a Halloween Lantern (Easy Step by Step)
A Halloween lantern is a cozy, spooky-sweet drawing with a candle glowing inside. It is built from rounded rectangles, straight lines, a circle and a teardrop, so it is a great project for beginners.
- Easy
- 15 minutes
- 8 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawingIn this article (7 sections)
How to draw a Halloween lantern step by step
How to Draw a Halloween Lantern · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: Top and bottom bars
Draw a long, thin rounded rectangle near the top, like a skinny pill lying on its side. Then draw a taller rounded rectangle near the bottom, with the same round corners.
Step 2: Posts and crossbar
Draw two straight lines going down from the top bar to the bottom bar, one on each side. Add a short line sticking out from each post toward the middle, leaving a gap between them, then draw a tiny dash and a tiny curve in the gap.
Step 3: The roof
Start at each end of the top bar and draw a curved line sloping up toward the middle. Stop before the two lines meet, leaving a small gap at the peak, like a little tent.
Step 4: The hanging ring
Draw a small circle in the gap at the peak of the roof. It is the loop that you hang the lantern from.
Step 5: The candle
Draw a tall, skinny rectangle in the middle of the lantern, standing on the bottom bar. Give the top two soft, rounded corners.
Step 6: The flame
On top of the candle, draw a teardrop shape with the point facing up. Let its bottom touch the top of the candle.
Step 7: Corner web
In the top left corner, just under the top bar, draw a small curved line that hooks down toward the left post. Add a short line across it to make a tiny web.
Step 8: Wavy base shape
On the bottom bar, below the candle, draw a wide wavy loop with two bumps along the top and two along the bottom. Keep it inside the bar.
All done!
Go over your lines with a marker, then color it in.
Finished your Halloween lantern? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a poison apple or how to draw a little devil next.
Tips for drawing a Halloween lantern
- Draw the top and bottom bars first so the posts have something to connect to, and make the corners round like a pill.
- Draw the two posts slowly, or use a ruler, so they stay straight and the same length.
- For the flame, start with a small point at the top and curve down each side to make a teardrop that sits on the candle.
- Leave the little gap at the peak of the roof, then fill it with the hanging ring.
Free Halloween lantern coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this Halloween 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 Halloween lantern drawing
Color the candle flame yellow and orange, the lantern frame black or deep purple, and the little web gray. For a creative twist, fill the spaces between the posts with pale yellow so it looks lit from inside.
Halloween lantern fun fact for kids
The name jack-o'-lantern comes from an old Irish folk tale about a man called Stingy Jack, and people in Ireland first carved faces into turnips with a candle inside before pumpkins became the favorite.
Questions about drawing a Halloween lantern
What shapes do I need to draw a Halloween lantern?
You need two rounded rectangles for the top and bottom bars, straight lines for the posts, two curved lines for the roof, a circle for the hanging ring, a tall rectangle for the candle and a teardrop for the flame.
How do I make my lantern look cuter?
Keep every corner round and soft, and make the candle a little chubby. Rounded shapes make it look friendly instead of scary.
How do I draw the spider web?
Draw a small curved line in the top left corner under the top bar, then add a short line across it. It does not have to be perfect, since webs are messy.
