Today you will learn how to draw a skyscraper. This tutorial consists of just nine easy steps and is specially designed for beginners.

In this lesson, you will learn how to draw a skyscraper. You have repeatedly seen such buildings in real life or in a photo, but you still do not know how to draw such an object. It’s time to learn how to draw a skyscraper and use the acquired skills in the future, so this lesson will be interesting and useful for you.

There are skyscrapers in many large cities. In the picture, you see a skyscraper, which has a rectangular shape, so in this lesson, you will need the ability to draw even straight lines.

All windows on the building have the same shape and consist of parallel lines. The roof has a simple shape. There are no additional complex elements on the building, but you will need the correct construction of the main parts of the building.

If you are patient and attentive, you will easily draw a skyscraper, even if you have never drawn such objects before. Prepare your art supplies and start the lesson.

Materials

Pencil
Paper
Eraser
Coloring supplies
Ruler

Time needed: 25 minutes

How to Draw a Skyscraper

Sketch the lower building base.
As I always say, every tall building needs a solid foundation, so begin with a rectangular block. Sketch a 3D cube using parallel horizontal and vertical lines, making sure to angle the top slightly to convey perspective. This block is the base of your skyscraper. This base should look wider than the tower that will sit on top of it. This part also defines the width of the entire building, so here you can set the parameters for the future skyscraper.
Draw the tall tower outline.
With the base is finished, continue the skyscraper upward by drawing the tall tower. From the top edges of the base, sketch two long vertical lines rising high. Then connect them at the top with a narrow, angled line to maintain the perspective. This forms the core of your skyscraper and determines its height and proportions. If you want to draw another variation, you can make the tower or broader.
Sketch the smaller upper section.
Many skyscrapers taper or change shape near the top, so draw a smaller block or two on the upper edge of the tower. Use the same angled perspective lines as before. You can make the top block taller to resemble a spire-like extension.
Draw the entrance of the skyscraper.
Sketch a doorway at the bottom of the base block by drawing a narrow vertical rectangle. This entrance can be centered or drawn in any other place of the skyscraper base.
Add the side frames of the windows.
A skyscraper is defined by its glass panels, so begin sketching long vertical strips down the main tower. Draw narrow rectangles within the tall sections, running almost the full height of the building. These create window frames. Keep the lines parallel to the edges of the building.
Draw the skyscraper windows.
To complete the facade, divide the vertical frames into smaller sections by adding evenly spaced horizontal and vertical lines across the tower and creating a grid pattern. These create the look of stacked floors with glass windows. Work from top to bottom, keeping the spacing consistent to maintain symmetry. The resulting grid pattern instantly transforms the plain tower into something recognizable as a skyscraper. When drawing these lines, try to follow the rules of perspective.
Color the skyscraper with blue tones.
The final stage, as always, is to give the skyscraper a finished and polished look. Paint the window grid with light blue to convey reflective glass catching the sky. Shade the building’s structural edges and frames with gray or a muted tone. If you want to experiment, you could use darker blue for a nighttime look or add a gradient to illustrate sunlight hitting one side. You can also add highlights with small light strokes.

Alternative Skyscraper Drawing Tutorial

To carry out this version of a skyscraper drawing, outline one face of the building using a tall rectangular shape. Add a second vertical edge one side to give a three-dimensional appearance.

Draw the top section of the skyscraper with a few angled lines to indicate the roof detail. Place vertical windows on the front face of the building. Repeat the same step for the side face with narrower vertical lines to maintain perspective.

Add a base section with horizontal bands across the lower part of the skyscraper and then sketch simple rectangular shapes for the entrance. Include additional smaller windows above the base. Once all the main details are set, color the windows to show glass reflections.