How to Draw the Sydney Opera House in 5 Steps

Australia's Sydney Opera House is one of the mo­st recognizable buildings in the w­orld. You'll have a great time learning how to draw this unique and beautiful building.

In this section, we'll show you how to draw the Sydney Opera House. You can draw it freehand while looking at your computer monitor, or you can print out this page to get a closer look at each step.

Here, we'll show you an illustration of each step and then give you a description of how to draw it. Follow the red lines in each illustration to learn exactly what to draw in that step. The lines drawn in previous steps are shown in gray.

1. Rectangles and Triangles

Sketch the basic shape of the building with two horizontal lines, rectangles, and triangles.

2. Arches

Add different levels to the rectangles using straight lines. Form arches on the triangles and below using curved lines.

3. Curve Lines

Detail the arches using curved lines that join at the top. Draw a curved line under the lower left-hand arch. Add additional curved lines to the arches on the right-hand side as shown.

Draw straight horizontal lines to two sections of the left-hand rectangle. Sketch an odd-shaped diamond. Add the door with an incomplete rectangle.

4. Ribs and Water

Sketch ribs on the arches with curved lines. Draw squiggles for the ­water line. Detail the building with rectangles, a V-shaped figure, and horizontal lines.

5. Details

Finish the drawing by adding many straight vertical lines for the wood and arches. Draw diagonal lines inside the arches and windows to show depth.

Your drawing is finished! Even if you don't get it right the first time, keep practicing until you're happy with your drawing. A classic diner is a great place to meet for food and fun

How to Draw a Rural Lane in 5 Steps

With a forest silhouette in the background and a canopy of trees in the foreground, this rural lane is a peaceful nature scene. This landscape is a wonderful drawing challenge for nature lovers.

In this article, we'll show you how to draw this rural lane landscape. You can draw it freehand while looking at your computer monitor, or you can print out the article to get a closer look at each step.

On each page, we'll show you an illustration of each step and then give you a description of how to draw it. Follow the red lines in each illustration to learn exactly what to draw in that step. The lines drawn in previous steps are shown in gray.

Ready to get started? It all begins with a horizontal line ...

1. Sketch the Horizon and Road

­L­ightly draw a horizon line just above the center of the page. Rough in two long, curving lines that come together somewhat for the outline of the road. Draw a few large ovals for rocks, placing them randomly along the sides of the road. Make three bushes with squiggly lines to define the roadway and distinguish it from the surrounding fields.

2. Fill in the Trees

Sketch a tree and branches on the left, with a tall main trunk. Show the bark on the side of the trunk with long up-and-down lines. Use short horizontal lines for the tree on the right, a birch, which has a smaller main trunk.

When filling in lines on the birch, notice that the lines are roughly horizontal, not vertical like the other tree's. These trees look pretty bare, so we'll give them leaves in the next step.

3. Add Leaves

­D­raw a squiggly line across the page, just above the horizon line, to indicate the tops of distant trees. Add smaller branches to the trees with a few crooked lines.

Arrange dozens of leaves in random clumps by sketching shapes like teardrops. Place one more tree in the background and another bush by the roadway with squiggly, circular lines. Sketch several irregular oblong shapes on the road to look like rocks and stones.

4. Roughen the Roadway

­Make a series of roughly parallel lines to look like ruts on the surface of the roadway. Sketch several clumps of tall grass at the edge of the road and around the bushes. Shape them like spikes: mostly upright, but a few are bent over.

We're almost finished! On the next page, we'll put the finishing touches on your rural lane landscape.

5. Add Shading

­Heavily shade the area between the horizon and the top of the tree line. Add short, squiggly lines to the distant tree. Use the same method for the bushes along the roadway. Sketch a few very short lines to look like tufts of grass in the field. As the last step, lightly shade the rocks.

Your landscape drawing is finished! Even if you don't get it right the first time, keep practicing until you're happy with your drawing.

How to Draw a Cartoon Girl

Learning how to draw an adorable cartoon girl can be easy with our detailed directions and easy to follow illustrations. With a little creativity, see how fun it can be to bring a cartoon girl to life.

In this section, we'll show you how to draw the above cartoon girl. You can draw this cartoon girl freehand while looking at your computer monitor or print out this page to get a closer look at each step.

Follow the red lines in each illustration to learn exactly what to draw in that step. The lines drawn in previous steps are shown in gray. Here, we'll show you an illustration of each step and then give you a description of how to draw it.

Step 1: Sketch a roughly heart-shaped figure for the head. Use an oval for the body. Show the neck as two short lines. Draw an oval at an angle for the top part of the legs.

Form the foot with a smaller oval. Connect it to the knees with a very short straight line and a much longer one.

Step 2: Draw upside-down U-shapes and a straight line under them for the eyes. Show the nose as a J-shape with a straight line under it. Form the mouth with a broad curve and two short lines at the ends. Use a C-shape for the ear.

Start to draw the arms with a U-shape. Draw another U-shape around it, and curve the tops for the shoulders. Show the back of the chair as an upside-down U-shape with a line through the middle.

Draw the cushion with curved and straight lines. Use straight lines to start the chair legs. Form a second leg with a J-shape. Shape her first leg with a curved line.

Step 3: Sketch the hair with a pointed oval shape and two comma-shaped figures. Form a comma-shaped figure above the oval. Add an S-shaped ponytail. Draw slanted triangles and curved lines for the closed eyes. Use a J-shape and two small curved lines for the nose.

Form the mouth with a J-shape and two curved lines. Outline the dress with curved lines at the neck, arms, bust, and above the knee. Shape the hands with curved V-shapes and lines. Show the leg’s outline with a curved line.

Attach a backward J-shape for the shoe top. Add a second U-shape to the chair back. Show the chair seat with a straight line. Give the chair legs curled-up ends.

Step 4: Add texture to the hair with many curved lines. Draw comma-shaped eyebrows. Place a tiny curlicue in the ear. Use a small circle for the earring. Give the dress a collar and cuffs by attaching many small U-shapes. Show folds in the dress with some curved lines.

Draw two J-shapes for more fingers. Add another shoe with a backward J-shape and three lines for the heel. Draw U-shapes and a long oval for the chair rungs. Make the cushion look plump with three short curved lines.

For the chair back, use the centerline as a guide. Form an upper scroll and two side scrolls. Place a small circle above the upper scroll.

Step 5: Darken the hair band and eyebrows. Give dimension to the legs and back of the chair by thickening the scrolled lines. Shade the chair with short lines.

There, your pretty cartoon girl is complete. Excellent effort. Your skills are getting better and better with each drawing, so now it's time to stretch your ability a bit further.