Church pencil drawing easy for kids

Churches are one of the most common architectural objects in the world, and their images are often used in artistic creations.

This is one of the most difficult objects to draw, which has a large number of details and many design features. In modern society, a church is a religious institution where people can perform rituals and meet with like-minded people.

They exist in different cultures and can differ in appearance and interior decoration. Thus, there are Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant churches.

Necessary materials and tools

There is no mandatory set of tools for an artist. You can start drawing with just paper and a pencil or pen. But the more diverse materials are available, the richer and more expressive the picture will be.

Tools and materials	Brief description
Paper	It comes in watercolor, pastel, and pencil and charcoal varieties. Each type has unique properties that are suitable for specific drawing techniques.
Pencils	They can have different hardness and softness, designated by letters and numbers. Hard (H) are good for contours, and soft (B) - for dark and saturated lines. There are pencils with medium hardness (HB), which are suitable for both contours and shadows. Hard ones allow you to enhance the contrast in the drawing, ensuring the purity of tone. Soft ones allow you to apply a wide line, make intense strokes.
Erasers and pens	This is a tool used to erase lines and correct mistakes in a drawing. There are different types of erasers, such as classic white and colored erasers, designed to work with certain types of paper or graphic materials. A kneaded eraser is a type of soft eraser that is more flexible and pliable than standard erasers. It easily changes shape and is able to lighten areas of a drawing. Kneaded erasers are available in the form of bars, ovals or profiled. Often used in the process of drawing with charcoal, sanguine and other soft graphic materials, allowing you to accurately and precisely correct a drawing.
Stencils	These are ready-made shapes or templates that are used to create repeating elements in a design or pattern. Stencils are useful for depicting identical objects or symbols in large quantities.
Rulers, compasses	They will help in measuring and creating straight lines and circles.
Sharpeners	Drawing is impossible without a sharp lead. A sharpener is a tool for sharpening pencils.

The workspace should be well lit, have a comfortable chair and a table on which the tools will be located.

Master classes

The church is not just an object, but a symbol of faith, spirituality and culture, so its image should be treated with respect and attention to detail. Following the basic tips and recommendations, you can create its drawing.

It is important to remember the artist's ability to convey thoughts and emotions through his work.

Stylized Christian

This master class examines the process of drawing a church without working out the details, which will allow you to create a stylized and laconic image:

• Start by sketching the general outline of the church building. Draw a rectangle. This will be the base of the church building. Outline the main elements such as the roof, walls, and other architectural features.

Use light strokes to create the overall appearance of the church. Outline the spire, it should be higher than the rest of the building.

• Draw the details: windows, doors, extensions to the main building, porch, spire.
• Draw crosses on the windows and roof.
• Trace the outlines of the elements.
• Paint the church. You can use one color for all the walls, add bright accents for decoration.

Volumetric image

The church in the picture can be created using the master class:

• Start with the basic outlines of the church. Draw its silhouette – a rectangle or trapezoid. Outline the roof, walls, windows and doors. Make the lines thin and light so that they are easier to correct. Convey the volume and shape of the building using lines and strokes.
• Draw the contour lines of the roof, walls, windows, doors, porch, bell tower. Do not overload the drawing with details. Limit yourself to elements that will help create a general impression of the church building.

• Draw the base - the foundation. It should be wide enough to ensure the stability of the building.
• Draw the walls of the church, following the basic proportions. They can be made in the form of straight lines.
• The roof should be made in the form of several lines. It should be slightly smaller than the width of the walls to create a sense of volume. On one side of the roof, add triangles - this will be the bell tower.
• Draw windows and doors on the walls of the church. They should be evenly spaced and fit harmoniously into the overall design of the building. Windows can be made in the form of rectangles or arches, and doors - in the form of ovals or rectangles.
• Draw patterns on the windows and a cross on the dome.

Temple of Seraphim of Sarov

The temple was built in honor of one of the most revered saints of the Russian Orthodox Church - St. Seraphim of Sarov. The architecture is done in the style of Russian classicism with elements of the Byzantine style, which gives the building a special beauty and grandeur.

When starting to draw this temple, it is important to correctly convey its characteristic features and create a harmonious image:

• Start with the general outline of the temple. Sketch the main elements: walls, dome, roof, entrance group. Draw details: such as windows, doors and decorative elements of the facade. Use a ruler to draw straight lines and an HB pencil for the main shapes.

Construct vertical and horizontal lines, mark the main elements of the structure. Use the rule of 3 points to create a perspective effect. Consider that closer objects seem larger, and distant ones seem smaller.

• Add more detailed forms: foundation, walls, roof, domes, bell towers, windows, porch, doors. Do not use hard pencils to easily correct mistakes.
• Draw the window arches, wall edges, roof curves. Use hatching to create volume.
• Depict patterns on windows, carvings on doors, lanterns, decorative elements on the facade.
• Increase the volume of details: add shadows, light and shadows and textures. For this, you can use pencils from 2B to 4B.

• Draw light and shadow on the walls, reflection of light on the windows.
• Add finishing touches such as contouring and shading. These will help make the image even clearer and more expressive.

St. Basil's Cathedral

St. Basil's Cathedral, located on Red Square in Moscow, is a unique example of Russian Orthodox architecture. It was built by order of Tsar Ivan the Terrible to commemorate the victory over the Kazan Khanate.

Construction began in 1555 and lasted for ten years. The temple consists of 9 churches, which are surrounded by galleries and united by a common foundation. Each church has its own dedication and unique architecture.

The temple's exterior is striking in its beauty and complexity. Its domes are of different sizes and shapes, creating a spectacular combination. The temple's decor includes many decorative elements, such as arches, columns, cornices, and frescoes.

Particular attention is drawn to the colored tiles that decorate the walls of the temple.

The church in the picture can be depicted as follows:

• Divide an A4 sheet of paper into 4 equal parts. This will help create a clear composition of the drawing and place all the elements of the temple in accordance with their real proportions.
• At the top of the sheet, in the middle, draw a triangular dome with a peak. This element will represent the central church of St. Basil's Cathedral. It is important to ensure that the dimensions of the dome correspond to the overall scale of the drawing.
• At the bottom of the sheet in the middle draw a rectangle, which will symbolize the walls of the temple. Pay attention to the fact that the upper horizontal line of the rectangle should be curved.
• Draw teardrop-shaped domes on 2 sides of the central church. Draw another rectangle under each dome, representing the walls of the 2 side churches.
• Under the rectangles representing the walls of the 2 side churches, draw 2 more rectangles, each wider than the previous one. Their upper line, located in the middle, should be curved.

• Draw a 4th church in front of the central one. Its appearance should completely match the 2 side churches. It should be the smallest in size.
• Work out the details of each church: patterns on the domes and walls, features. Ensure that proportions are maintained and the overall style of the temple is conveyed.
• Start coloring. Use colored pencils to add brightness and contrast to the drawing. Emphasize the features of architectural elements and patterns, thereby creating the effect of volume and depth.

Gothic Cathedral in Kaliningrad

Gothic walls have a clearly defined verticality and are often decorated with many architectural details.

The church in the picture is created using the following steps:

• Present the general appearance of the temple, its proportions and main details. Use simple lines to indicate the main elements of the building, such as walls, roofs, domes, windows and doors.

• Create a temple base that will serve as the foundation for the entire building. Use soft and dark tones to imitate stone blocks or brickwork. This will create a sense of massiveness and reliability.
• Proceed to creating the temple walls. They should be symmetrical and harmonious. Pay attention to their thickness and height to create a sense of monumentality. Add thinner lines to create the illusion of volume and depth.
• To depict the roof of a Gothic church, you can use different shapes: 2-pitched, 4-pitched, hipped, spire-shaped.
• An important element is the spire, which should be placed in the center of the roof or above one of the facades.
• Draw an important element of Gothic architecture - a dome. It is based on a hemisphere, which is crowned with a roof in the shape of a cone or cylinder. When depicting a Gothic dome, it is important to remember the complex configuration of the ribs, which are the basis of the structure
• Draw windows. These elements in Gothic churches often have a pointed arch shape. They can be of different sizes and located at different heights, which creates the effect of dynamics and diversity.

To draw windows, start with the main lines of the arch, add small details in the form of decorations and glass. Emphasize the horizontal lines that give the windows a finished look.

• Create a porch with stairs leading to the entrance of the temple. The stairs should be wide and strong to emphasize the importance of the entrance.
• Draw doors. These elements in Gothic are usually made in the same style as the windows. The arched shape, sometimes with several arches, is a characteristic feature. Decorative elements such as carvings, metal inserts or stained glass may be present.
• Lofts can be added to add extra dimension and complexity to the design.
• Create unique arches, add patterns or carvings on windows, walls, domes. For realism, use stained glass techniques and draw shutters.

To create the effect of Gothic architecture, you can use the following techniques:

• Buildings in this style are characterized by angularity and clarity of lines. This can be achieved with the help of sharp angles and straight lines.
• Various complex ornaments and patterns can be depicted on the walls. You can add plant motifs, images of animals or religious symbols.

• Windows in Gothic buildings are arched and often decorated with stained glass. These details add authenticity.

Christian in cartoon style

The church in the picture does not always require concentration on details.

A cartoon drawing has enough common features and simple lines that create a recognizable image:

• Create a sketch of the church, drawing its basic shapes: square base, walls, roof. The basic contours are enough to understand the general structure of the church.
• Draw the foundation simple and flat, so as not to overload the drawing. This will be the main part of the church, on which the walls will be located. Add small irregularities to give the drawing volume.
• Create the walls of the church. They should be even and symmetrical. Use thick lines to mark the boundaries of the walls and make them slightly wider at the top, creating a sense of volume.

They should be quite thin and slightly curved to create a feeling of airiness and lightness. This is typical for the cartoon style.

• Draw a roof that slopes on both sides. You can use geometric shapes such as triangles or trapezoids to achieve the desired effect.
• The dome should be depicted as simple, consisting of two rounded parts.
• Add windows. Cartoon windows have simple shapes and bright colors. Depending on their placement, they can be round, square or rectangular. Add glass to the windows using a few thin lines to simulate a frame.
• Draw the entrance doors on the church wall. Make them big and noticeable. Mark the handles. For cartoon doors, you can use funny handle shapes and add interesting details, such as floral patterns on the surface.
• Add a cross to the dome. It is drawn in a simple and bright color, such as white or gold. This will symbolize the religious affiliation of the church. Place the cross so that it is visible from above and is the central element of the drawing.

• The steps should be depicted as simple rectangles or triangles. It is important to consider perspective and size. Detailing the steps will help create a sense of volume and presence.
• Draw the slate in the form of rectangular or triangular shapes superimposed on each other. You can make some areas of the roof darker to emphasize the relief.
• Add some bushes near the church. They can be made in different shapes, for example, round or oval. Draw the leaves of the bushes using short and thin lines directed downwards.
• Draw some soft oval-shaped clouds above the church. Highlight the contours of the clouds with a darker line so that they look contrasting.
• It is preferable to choose bright colors for the drawing.

Tips for Beginners

Basic guidelines that will help you draw a church, regardless of the drawing style used (classical academic or modern):

Basic principles	Brief description
Studying the details	It is recommended to look at materials on church architecture: photographs of various churches, picture books. This will help to understand the structure and shape of the object. It is necessary to study the building from different angles to see what its individual parts look like.
Plot and composition	It is necessary to decide on the subject of the composition. This can be a general view of the church, its facade, a certain fragment or interior. It is important to understand what exactly in the picture will be the main thing and will set the mood for the whole drawing.
Sketch	Draw from the general outline and main details: roof, walls, windows. This will help to form the general appearance of the future work. Use light lines for the sketch so that they can be easily corrected.
Detailing	When the general outline is drawn, you can proceed to a more detailed depiction of the details: windows, doors, decorative elements. In doing so, take into account the proportions and shapes of the details.
Shadow and light	To make the drawing look three-dimensional, think about how the light and shadow will fall. To do this, decide where the light source will be located and how it will affect the shadows. When drawing the contours of the shadows being prepared, you cannot hatch heavily, the lines should be light and neat. If you want to add volume, you can outline light shadows under protruding elements (roof, clear corner of the building).
Color	Usually, the color scheme of a church interior consists of white and gold shades. However, it largely depends on natural light, season and weather. You can add color expression to the work, which will add variety.

Church is one of the popular motifs in art as it symbolizes spirituality, faith and divine beauty. Drawing this building can help develop skills of artistic vision, color selection and composition.

The process requires learning the basics of perspective, geometry, and proportions to create an image that looks harmonious and natural.

Video about drawing

Church - drawing: