Here I will first show you how to draw a football of American version, and then I will show you how to sketch the European version.

How to Draw a Football: Introduction

I have created an interesting new drawing lesson on how to draw a football in two very distinct versions and now I am ready to offer it to you! If you are a football fan, then this fascinating lesson will certainly not leave you indifferent.

A football is the most important piece of football equipment for children and adults alike, and it is the most important thing without which there can be no game of football.

Traditionally, an American football should have an elongated shape and be brown, while the European version is black and white decided into hexagons. In this tutorial I’ll show you how to draw football of both versions.

Now, you know that these are two very different balls, and I think it’s time to start drawing the football and learnt the difference in practice.

Football Drawing Tutorial

Materials

Pencil
Paper
Eraser
Coloring supplies

Time needed: 30 minutes

How to Draw a Football

Outline the upper contour.
To draw an American football in this technique, begin with a very simple curved line. Think of it as sketching one half of a leaf or an almond shape. If your curve looks a little shaky, don’t be discouraged. Sometimes it helps to draw lightly, moving your hand from the shoulder rather than the wrist.
Draw the football lower edge.
Now sketch a matching curve underneath to close the almond-like form. This creates the main outline of the football. Be careful to keep both ends pointed, as that’s what makes the shape look like a football rather than a simple oval. The bottom line should mirror the line from the first step.
Indicate the stitching base.
Inside the football shape, draw a slightly curved horizontal curve. This represents the seam that runs across the ball. The curve should connect both pointed ends smoothly, without cutting them off. Remember a football has volume, so the seam must bend slightly to convey its rounded surface.
Mark the left stripe.
On one end of the ball, sketch a couple of short vertical curves that cut across the shape. This will become one of the white stripes painted on the football. The stripe shouldn’t be too close to the middle, leave enough space. This stripe should also follow the voluminous shape of the ball.
Add the opposite stripe.
Now draw a matching vertical curve on the other side of the football. This creates the second stripe, and both should mirror each other in placement and shape. Check the proportions and try to make these two stripes symmetrical.
Draw the football lace panel.
At the center of the ball, sketch two rounded elongated shapes above and below the seam. This is the base for the lacing. These two figures must be exact mirror images of each other and located exactly in the central part of the ball.
Sketch the lacing in the center part.
Inside the panel, sketch a series of small, evenly spaced oval shapes. These represent the laces. Start from one side and work across carefully, making sure they follow the seam’s curve. Imagine you are threading a real shoe lace. A tip: lightly draw vertical guideline dots first, then connect them with ovals.
Clean up the final sketch.
Now, to give your football drawing a polished look, erase all the extra construction lines you no longer need. The final outline should look clear and sharp. Then, trace over the main outline of the football. As always, this step is also necessary for us to find all the mistakes and correct them before coloring.
Add brown and white tones.
Finish your football drawing by shading it with a rich brown for the leather body, leaving the stripes and laces white. In my experience, young artists enjoy this part the most because the drawing transforms from a sketch into something recognizable.

Additional Content

Great job! I think you’ve not only learned how to draw a football but also developed more interest in a sport like football. I look forward to reading your comments on this lesson, and don’t forget to share this drawing tutorial with your friends if you enjoyed it. You can save and print the PDF version of this tutorial, which will give you access to the drawing lesson at any convenient time.

Football Worksheets

How to Draw a European Football

This tutorial shows how to draw a European football, also known as a soccer ball in some countries, using its familiar pattern of pentagons and hexagons. The style here is very simple. Because the football relies heavily on symmetry and proportion, working through these steps helps reinforce basic skills in drawing circles, constructing patterns, and keeping lines clean. This guide is very similar to my previous ball drawing tutorial and help you to learn more about this subject.

First, create a circle as the base of the football. Place a pentagon at the center, taking care that its edges are symmetrical. From each side of the pentagon, extend short guiding lines to form the structure for adjacent shapes.

Continue connecting lines to create a mix of hexagons and pentagons across the surface, ensuring the shapes curve slightly to convey the round form of the ball. It is important to keep the size of the shapes consistent so the football looks even. Shade alternating shapes in black while leaving others white, which creates the classic football pattern.