How to Draw a Building

In this drawing tutorial we will show you how to draw a building and teach you the basics of architectural drawing.

In this case, it is important to be able to draw straight lines accurately and maintain correct proportions. Even a small mistake in symmetry can significantly distort the entire drawing.

There are also several aspects you should understand before drawing a three-dimensional object. Parts of the object that are closer to the viewer should appear darker and more contrasted.

Additionally, closer parts of the object appear larger, while distant parts are drawn proportionally smaller. These techniques are discussed in our article on aerial perspective – be sure you are familiar with this concept before drawing the building.

You can also apply linear perspective techniques when drawing this building and other three-dimensional objects. We have also created a separate guide on linear perspective for a more detailed explanation.

How can you make your final drawing look more three-dimensional and realistic?

Of course, with the help of light and shadow. Since we are drawing a real three-dimensional object, we also need to depict shadows on the surface on which it stands. In addition, shadows on the walls of the building will help create a more lively and realistic image.

So let’s start this lesson to learn how to draw a building. We have tried to adapt these steps to the most basic level of artists.

How to draw a building step by step

Step 1: Sketch the basic shape of the building

First, draw several simple straight lines as shown in our example. The shape should resemble a long, elongated parallelogram. This is the basic and most important step, so try to make the lines as straight as possible. Ideally, avoid using tools such as a ruler.

Step 2: Sketch additional floors

Then add another, smaller shape to the top of the drawing. The vertical lines of the two shapes should not align with each other. However, the horizontal lines must remain parallel. Make sure that both of these cubic shapes are in the same perspective.

Step 3: Add another layer of floors

Draw a third shape on top of the parallelogram from the previous step. Create the effect of a uniform narrowing toward the top. Be very precise about keeping the horizontal lines parallel, as this is very important when depicting parts of a building.

Step 4: Draw the roof of the building

This is another part of the building. Here the shapes are even smaller compared to the block from the previous step. At the very top, draw a small trapezoid. The entire structure should appear to taper upward step by step. Note that this section is the shortest of all the parts we have drawn.

Step 5: Draw a spire at the top of the building

And now comes a rather interesting step. Add a small cylinder at the very top of the structure. Its small size should emphasize the volume and large dimensions of the remaining parts. It is also very important to make sure that this part follows the same perspective as the rest of the building and does not stand out from the overall structure.

Step 6: Draw the edges of the building

Evaluate all the previous steps. Check that all lines are correct and parallel. The drawing should resemble a building composed of several stepped levels. If everything looks correct, add lines that create frames as shown in our example. Emphasize the side edges of the building by adding lines that follow the outlines of the corners.

Step 7: Draw the vertical window lines of the building

Use long vertical lines placed at equal distances from each other to represent the windows on the surface of the building. The window lines should lie on the same planes as the walls they are drawn on and follow the linear perspective of the overall form.

Step 8: Add shadows and highlights

Determine which side of the building receives the most light, and place the shadows on the opposite side. The shadows should appear as diagonal hatching that is most noticeable near the edges. Be sure to add shadows on the ground surface as well. Without this detail, the building will look as if it is floating in the air.

Step 9: Complete the building drawing

Check your building drawing and evaluate its proportions, scale, and symmetry. If you notice any mistakes, correct them. At this stage, you can also strengthen the contrasts, add highlights, and include additional shadows to make the overall composition stronger and more three-dimensional.

As we already said, drawing a building is not the easiest thing. If your result is not at all similar to what you wanted to see, try to find the step where you made an inaccuracy and correct it. The last steps are very easy to fix. The first steps of correction are quite difficult.

You can always draw other objects with straight lines to practice your skills – for example, drawing an interior of a room. Also, don’t forget to visit our Architecture category for more buildings and man made objects.

By the way, you can draw many other buildings using our lesson. We intentionally kept the details minimal so that you can change the shape of the spire or add various additional buildings, flags or other details.

Drawing buildings is a very important skill that will help you, for example, if you want to create an urban style comic. You’ve probably seen Spider-Man flying between the skyscrapers of New York or how Batman sits in ambush on the roof of a gloomy Gotham skyscraper.

And of course, drawing buildings is the most basic and important skill in architectural drawing.

We are looking forward to your feedback. Let us know what you found most difficult about this drawing guide. We will take this into account and our next tutorials will be even better. See you again on the pages of our website!