How to Draw a Pirate Ship (Easy Step by Step)
A pirate ship is a great first boat to draw because it is made from simple shapes. You will use a big curved bowl for the hull, a tall line for the mast, two wavy squares for sails, and a few circles. The little skull on the sail gives it a fun pirate feel.
- Medium
- 15 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 pirate ship step by step
How to Draw a Pirate Ship · 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 ship's hull
Start with a big smile-shaped curve for the bottom of the boat, like a bowl. Close it at the top with a long, gently curved line from one side to the other, with two short slanted ends where the lines meet.
Step 3: The deck stripe
Draw one long, gently curved line across the hull, a little below the top edge. It runs from the left side of the boat to the right side, following the curve of the top.
Step 4: The mast
Draw one tall, straight line standing up from the middle of the top edge of the boat. Make it nice and tall, because it holds up the whole ship.
Step 5: The two sails
Draw a tall, wavy-sided square on the right of the mast, with its left side touching the mast. Then draw a smaller one on the left of the mast the same way, with the sides curving a little like they are catching the wind.
Step 6: Lookout and flag
Draw a small cup shape, wider at the top, on the very top of the mast. Then draw a small waving flag on a short pole standing up from the cup.
Step 7: The skull
On the big sail, draw a rounded head for the skull. Add a small rectangle under it for the jaw, then two little dots for eyes.
Step 8: Round windows
Draw two small circles side by side on the lower part of the hull. These are the portholes, so keep them about the same size.
Step 9: Bowsprit and waves
Add a short slanted stick poking out from the front left of the boat. Finish with two wavy lines under the ship, one on each side, to show the sea.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your pirate ship? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a princess or how to draw a ninja next.
Tips for drawing a pirate ship
- Draw the hull as a wide bowl first. Keep the bottom curve smooth and let your hand sweep from one side to the other in one move.
- Start the sails at the mast and draw outward. That way both sails stay attached to the pole, and the wavy sides are easy to curve.
- The skull is the trickiest part, so make it small and simple: a rounded head, a little jaw, and two dots. Leave plenty of space around it on the sail.
Free pirate ship coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this pirate ship 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 pirate ship drawing
Try a brown hull, cream sails, and a black skull with a bright red flag. For a creative twist, color the sea in rainbow stripes and make it a magical pirate ship.
Pirate ship fun fact for kids
A pirate flag is called the Jolly Roger. Different pirate crews flew flags with different designs, and a skull was only one of them.
Questions about drawing a pirate ship
What shapes do I need to draw a pirate ship?
You need a big curved bowl for the hull, a tall straight line for the mast, two wavy squares for the sails, a small cup for the lookout, and circles for the windows.
How do I make the sails look like they are blowing in the wind?
Curve the sides of each sail a little and make the top and bottom edges slightly wavy. Straight lines make a sail look flat, and soft curves make it look full of wind.
How do I draw the skull on the sail?
Draw a rounded head, add a small rectangle under it for the jaw, then put two dots inside the head for eyes. Keep it simple so it is easy to read.
