How to Draw an Excavator (Easy Step by Step)
An excavator is fun to draw because it looks tough but is built from simple shapes. You will use a box, a long pill shape, small circles, and a bendy arm with a round scoop at the end. Once you know the order, you can draw a whole digging machine in just a few minutes.
- Medium
- 15 minutes
- 7 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawingIn this article (7 sections)
How to draw an excavator step by step
How to Draw an Excavator · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: Body top and left side
Start on the right and draw a flat line going left. Then curve the corner and bring the line down a little slanted for the left side. Leave the rest of the body open for now.
Step 2: The tracks
Under the body, draw a long, flat pill shape with round ends, like a stretched-out oval with a straight top and bottom. Start the top line where the left side of the body ends.
Step 3: Wheels and body side
Draw three small circles in a row inside the tracks, spaced evenly. Then draw a short straight line going down on the right side of the body until it reaches the top of the tracks.
Step 4: The cab
On top of the body, draw a rounded box with a flat top and a slanted right side, like a little house for the driver. Inside it, draw a small window shaped like a tilted rectangle.
Step 5: The boom
Start at the right side of the cab and draw a thick arm that goes up and to the right, with a rounded bend at the top. Then draw a line coming down to the right from the bend, to start the second arm.
Step 6: The stick
Next to the line you just drew, add a second line parallel to it, so the long arm piece looks like a strong beam. The two lines meet at the top, near the bend.
Step 7: The bucket
At the end of the arm, draw a round scoop like a bowl. Along the bottom, add small zigzag teeth.
All done!
Go over your lines with a marker, then color it in.
Finished your excavator? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a rocket or how to draw a shooting star next.
Tips for drawing an excavator
- Draw the two sides of each arm piece next to each other, keeping them parallel so they look like strong beams.
- Draw the tracks as a long pill shape first, then add the circles inside. Space the three wheels evenly so they look balanced.
- The bucket teeth are the trickiest part. Make the round scoop first, then add small zigzag points along the bottom.
Free excavator coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this excavator 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 excavator drawing
Classic yellow with dark gray tracks looks just like a real construction machine. For a creative twist, give your excavator rainbow stripes, or color a pile of brown dirt near the bucket.
Excavator fun fact for kids
An excavator's arm works a bit like your own. The boom is like your upper arm, the stick is like your forearm, and the bucket is like your hand, and they bend at joints, just like your elbow and wrist.
Questions about drawing an excavator
What shapes do I need to draw an excavator?
You need a box for the body, a rounded box for the cab, a long pill shape for the tracks, small circles for the wheels, a bent arm made of long thin shapes, and a round scoop for the bucket.
How do I make my excavator arm look like it is digging?
Bend the arm so the two long pieces meet at a point at the top, like an elbow. Then bring the bucket down toward the ground.
How do I make my excavator look bigger?
Draw the tracks large and thick, and make the arm reach high above the cab. Adding a tiny person or a small tree next to it will make it feel huge.
