How to Draw a Kinara (Easy Step by Step)
A kinara is the candle holder used during Kwanzaa, and it is a fun drawing because it is built from simple rectangles and leaf shapes. You draw it one candle at a time, and the repeating pattern makes it feel easy. Once you have the tray, the step and the first candle, the rest is just copying.
- Easy
- 12 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 kinara step by step
How to Draw a Kinara · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: The base tray
Draw a long, wide rectangle with slightly rounded corners near the bottom of your paper. This is the tray the whole kinara sits on.
Step 2: The middle step
Draw a shorter rectangle sitting on top of the tray, centered. Draw its two sides going up from the tray and join them across the top with a straight line.
Step 3: The tall center candle
In the middle of the step, draw a tall, skinny rectangle standing straight up with its bottom on the step. Make its top gently rounded.
Step 4: Candles on the left
Draw three shorter, skinny rectangles in a row on the left side of the tall candle, with small equal gaps between them. Give each one a gently rounded top.
Step 5: Candles on the right
Copy the same three short candles on the right side of the tall candle so both sides match. Each one stands on the step and has a gently rounded top.
Step 6: The center flame
On top of the tall candle, draw a narrow leaf shape standing straight up, with a point at the top and a point at the bottom. This flame sits just above the candle.
Step 7: The six small flames
Above each short candle, draw a leaf-shaped flame just like the first one. Try to make all six about the same size.
Step 8: Dots on the tray
Finish with three tiny dots in a row inside the tray. Put one in the middle and one on each side.
All done!
Go over your lines with a marker, then color it in.
Finished your kinara? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a Chinese lantern or how to draw a Mardi Gras mask next.
Tips for drawing a kinara
- Draw the tall center candle first, then draw the other candles next to it so they all stand on the same line.
- Leave equal gaps between the candles. A quick way is to make each gap a little narrower than one candle.
- Draw each flame as a narrow leaf with two curved lines that meet at a point at the top and at the bottom, and keep them all pointing straight up.
Free kinara coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this kinara 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 kinara drawing
Color the middle candle black, three candles red on one side, and three green on the other, with yellow and orange flames. Then color the step and the tray in a color you like.
Kinara fun fact for kids
A kinara holds seven candles, one for each of the seven principles of Kwanzaa. Three candles are red, three are green, and the one in the middle is black.
Questions about drawing a kinara
What shapes do I need to draw a kinara?
You need long rectangles for the tray, the step and the candles. Add leaf shapes for the flames and three tiny dots on the tray.
How do I make all the candles look even?
Draw a light line across the step where the candles will stand, and another light line where their tops will end. Then keep each short candle between those lines and erase the lines when you are done.
How do I make my kinara flames look better?
Start at the top of the candle and curve up and out to a point, then curve back down on the other side to meet it. Try to make all seven flames lean the same way, straight up.
