This ste-by-step lesson will show you how to draw a stop sign and explain the basics of drawing road signs and logos.

As I’ve said, the skills from this stop sign drawing tutorial you can use to sketch any other road sign. I promise that this lesson will not cause you any difficulties, because it is designed for beginners artists and children.

A stop sign is a road sign that indicates to drivers that they need to make a mandatory short stop before the edge of an intersecting carriageway.

Every driver must be able to distinguish between road signs and be sure to know the designation and function of the stop sign.

This simple lesson will also be extremely important if you want to learn how to draw a road or want to practice your skills in creating logos and/or signs.

To draw this subject, you need to be able to draw straight lines, as well as write outlines of letters. Prepare the materials you need to draw a stop sign and start using this step-by-step tutorial soon.

Materials

Pencil
Paper
Ruler
Eraser
Coloring supplies

Time needed: 15 minutes

How to draw a stop sign step by step

Sketch the top section of the octagon.
Accurate edges determine the recognizable traffic shape, so mark a short horizontal line near the top center. From each end, sketch a downward-slanting line at about 135° and 45° so together they form a shallow roof shape. Keep all three segments straight and equal in thickness. Leave space below for the remaining five sides.
Complete the outer octagon shape.
Finish the remaining five sides to complete the regular octagon. From the lower ends of the slanted lines, draw two short vertical segments. Continue those with two more slanted lines that angle inward. Finally, add a horizontal bottom edge that mirrors the top length to connect these lines. Keep each side similar in length for a near-regular octagon.
Add the top part of the inner border.
Road signs usually have a thin inset border. Inside the top edge, draw a second line that follows the same three top segments, inset by a small, even margin. Maintain consistent spacing from the outer edge. Keep the corners crisp.
Draw the bottom of the inner stop sign border.
Continue the inner border along the five remaining sides, following each outer edge with a parallel segment set in by the same margin you used on top. The result should look like a smaller octagon nested inside a larger one.
Sketch the block-style S.
Start drawing the stop letters by sketching the S slightly left of center. Draw the letter as a bold, rounded block shape, not a thin stroke.
Draw the second letter of the stop sign.
To the right of the S, draw the T as a block letter of matching height and stroke width. Sketch a vertical rectangle for the stem, then add a horizontal cap that extends wider on each side.
Sketch the letter O.
Continue rightward and draw the O as a rounded block ring. Start with a large circle, then add a smaller, centered circle to create a thick donut-like letter. Keep stroke thickness equal to the S and T.
Draw the last letter of the stop sign.
Complete the word by drawing a block P to the far right. Outline a vertical stem aligned with the other letters, then add a rounded bowl that fills the upper half, leaving the lower half open. Keep its stroke thickness identical to neighboring letters and match the corner roundness. Verify overall kerning: S-T-O-P should form one word centered within the inner border.
Use red and white color for the sign.
Color will complete the stop sign drawing and give it a recognizable look, so paint the octagon interior with a bright, flat red. Keep the thin inset border white by not coloring between the two octagons. Leave the letters S-T-O-P solid white as well for maximum contrast.

I have created a PDF file with a short version of this lesson, which you can use at any time convenient for you. Download this file and enjoy drawing whenever you want.

Stop Sign Drawing Worksheets