How to Draw a Pirate

Time needed: 35 minutes

How to draw a pirate step by step

1. Sketch the corsair’s head and torso.

   A pirate’s figure is in many media is usually sturdy, start with a large circle for the head and place a short trapezoid beneath it for the character’s torso. You can make the proportions stylized and a bit exaggerated, or give the proportions a more realistic look.

2. Sketch the tricorn hat shape.

   A pirate’s hat has very distinctive features and many variations, but for a simple drawing it’s best to keep the shape simple. On top of the head, draw the pirate hat as a broad brim with peaks. In the center of the hat, sketch a small circle and crossbones for the skull emblem.

3. Draw the pirate’s facial features.

   Now, draw the eyes as two small ovals, leaving space between them for a short, curved nose. Below, outline a small smile. Sketch the eyebrows above the eyes as two smooth shapes. You can draw the pirate’s face like in my illustration or sketch an eye patch over one of the eyes.

4. Sketch the beard and ears.

   Beards are a signature trait of many classic pirates and help give them a rugged appearance. Draw a the beard as a smooth shape wrapping around the lower part of the face. You can add a simple mustache above the mouth. On each side of the head, sketch small rounded ears.

5. Draw the arms of the sea wolf.

   From each side of the torso, draw a short, rounded arm shape. At the end of each sleeve, add a small hand shaped like a simple bump. Make both arms even in length. Pirates are usually shown wearing loose shirts or coats, so you can indicate this in your sketch.

6. Sketch the vest and start the legs.

   Now move on to the torso and draw the vest with a pair of smooth, symmetrical lines. Next, draw a short horizontal line to indicate the belt. Next, from the bottom of the torso, draw two slightly curved lines forming the side edges of the legs.

7. Draw the pirate boots.

   Now, using a smooth line, outline the inner edge of the legs, drawing them slightly separated. Next, draw the boots at the end of the legs using a couple of simple oval shapes. You can keep them simple or add buckles and seams for more detail.

8. Complete the corsair shape.

   Now clean up the sketch so the lines of the illustration look finished. Trace the main outlines of the hat, head, body, and clothes. After that, erase the inner construction lines from the head and torso, as well as the overlapping marks hidden beneath the beard and hat.

9. Apply simple colors to the pirate.

   Now, to complete the pirate drawing, fill the hat with dark blue or black, keeping the skull emblem white. Color the skin with any skin-tone and the beard with warm orange or brown. Use a grayish-blue for the shirt and darker gray or brown for the pants and boots. Keep the colors simple, because pirates are often drawn with limited palettes that make them more authentic and recognizable.