Learn how to draw a cheerful cartoon clown with a party hat, a ruffled costume, and curled shoes. This beginner-friendly tutorial helps you practice rounded shapes, facial features, costume details, and a balanced standing pose.
What You Will Need
- Drawing paper
- Pencil and eraser
- Black marker or colored pencils
Here are my RECOMMENDED Art Supplies!
- Crayola Coloring Set (140 Pieces – Mega Value!)
- 24 Colored Crayon Set
- A4 Printer Paper
- Crayola Coloring Pencils
- HP Home Printer with Instant Ink!
Time needed:
28 minutes.
Step-by-Step Drawing Guide
Step 1: Draw the Party Hat
Draw a tall cone with slightly curved sides and place a small circle at its tip. Add a curved band across the bottom to form the brim.
Pro Tip: Keep the pom-pom centered above the brim so the hat feels balanced.
Step 2: Add the Head and Hair
Draw a large round face beneath the hat and add a small curved ear on each side. Use clusters of rounded bumps outside the ears to create puffy clown hair.
Pro Tip: Make both hair clusters similar in width for a symmetrical silhouette.
Step 3: Draw the Face
Add two tall oval eyes with small pupils and highlights, then place an oval nose between them. Draw a wide smiling mouth with a second curve inside to define the open grin.
Pro Tip: Place the nose halfway between the eyes and mouth to keep the face evenly spaced.
Step 4: Make the Ruffled Collar
Under the head, draw a row of large connected loops to form a full ruffled collar. Close the lower edge with smaller curved lines where the collar meets the body.
Pro Tip: Repeat loops of a similar size so the collar looks soft and even.
Step 5: Add the Arms and Hands
Extend one raised arm from each side of the collar and finish each sleeve with a small ruffled cuff. Draw simple mitten-like hands above the cuffs with rounded fingers.
Pro Tip: Angle the arms upward at nearly the same height to create a lively welcoming pose.
Step 6: Draw the Costume Body
Draw a wide rounded one-piece costume beneath the collar and add two circular buttons down its center. Divide the lower part into two short legs with a smooth inward curve.
Pro Tip: Align the buttons with the gap between the legs to keep the costume centered.
Step 7: Add the Ankle Ruffles
Draw a small band of connected scallops beneath each costume leg. Add a short lower curve to complete each ruffled ankle cuff.
Pro Tip: Keep the ankle ruffles narrower than the costume legs so the shoes can flare outward.
Step 8: Draw the Left Shoe
Below the left ankle cuff, draw a long shoe that curves upward into a rounded toe. Add a second line along the bottom to show the thick sole.
Pro Tip: Sweep the toe outward gradually so the curl looks smooth instead of sharp.
Step 9: Finish the Right Shoe
Draw a matching long shoe beneath the right ankle cuff with its toe curling in the opposite direction. Finish it with a second curved line along the sole.
Pro Tip: Compare both shoes before darkening them so their lengths and toe curls feel balanced.
Step 10: Color in your drawing!
Fun Facts
- Clowns often use exaggerated costumes and facial features so their expressions can be seen from far away.
- Ruffled collars have appeared in both historical clothing and theatrical costumes.
- Repeated rounded shapes help give cartoon characters a friendly and playful appearance.
Pin it now, Draw later!
Erase stray guidelines, trace the final outline, and add bright colors to the hat, hair, collar, costume, and shoes. Your clown drawing is complete, so try decorating the costume with stripes, spots, or a favorite color pattern.
Get the FREE Printable Drawing Guide
FREE Download Printable Clown Drawing Tutorial
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I keep the clown symmetrical?
Lightly mark a vertical center line through the face and costume before placing paired details.
What colors work well for the costume?
Choose two or three contrasting bright colors and repeat them across the hat, buttons, cuffs, and shoes.
How do I make the smile look friendly?
Curve both ends of the mouth upward and keep the eyes tall, open, and evenly spaced.
