How to Draw a Camera Step by Step
Draw lightly with your pencil at first. You can go over the final lines with a marker at the end.
Step 1: Draw the Camera Body
Draw a wide rectangle with rounded corners in the middle of your page. Make it about one and a half times wider than it is tall. This is the main body of the camera.
Step 2: Add the Viewfinder on Top
On the top edge, draw a trapezoid: two slanted lines going up and a flat line joining them. Keep it in the center. This bump holds the camera’s viewfinder, the little window you look through.
Step 3: Draw the Shutter Button
On the top left of the body, draw a small rounded rectangle sitting on the top edge. This is the shutter button, the one you press to take a photo.
Step 4: Add the Flash
In the top right corner of the front, draw a small rounded rectangle. This is the flash that lights up dark scenes.
Step 5: Draw the Outer Lens Ring
Draw a big circle in the center of the body. Let it come close to the top and bottom edges without touching them.
Tip: Trace around a bottle cap or a roll of tape if your circle keeps coming out lopsided.
Step 6: Draw the Middle Lens Ring
Inside the big circle, draw a slightly smaller circle with the same center. Try to keep the gap between the two circles even all the way around.
Step 7: Draw the Lens Glass
Draw a third, smaller circle inside the second one. This is the glass of the lens.
Step 8: Add a Shine to the Lens
Draw a tiny circle in the upper left part of the lens glass. This small reflection is what makes the lens look shiny and real.
Step 9: Draw the Top Grip Band
Draw a straight line across the upper part of the body, from the left edge to the right edge. Stop the line where it meets the lens.
Step 10: Draw the Bottom Grip Band
Draw another straight line across the lower part of the body, close to the bottom edge. Again, stop at the lens.
Step 11: Finish Your Camera Drawing
Erase any extra pencil lines and trace over your drawing with a black marker. Add light gray shading to the bands, buttons and lens rings to give your camera some depth. Your camera drawing is done!
How to Color Your Camera Drawing
Real cameras are usually black or dark gray, but your drawing can be any color you like. Here are three ideas:
- Classic: black body, silver bands and buttons, dark blue lens glass with a white shine.
- Retro: brown or tan bands, a silver body and a black lens, like an old film camera.
- Pastel: pink, mint or baby blue body with a white lens ring. Great for a cute look.
Leave the small reflection circle white. It keeps the lens looking glossy after you color.
Common Mistakes (and Easy Fixes)
- The lens is off-center. Make a light pencil dot in the middle of the body before Step 5 and draw your circle around it.
- The circles look wobbly. Draw them in short, light strokes instead of one fast line, or trace a round object.
- The lens is too big for the body. Leave a small space between the outer ring and the top and bottom edges.
- The viewfinder looks crooked. Make both slanted sides the same length and keep the top line parallel to the body.
- The drawing looks flat. Add light gray shading to the bands and lens rings, and don’t skip the white reflection
FAQ
Is it easy to draw a camera?
Yes. A simple camera is made of basic shapes: a rounded rectangle, a trapezoid and a few circles. Most beginners can finish this tutorial in 10–15 minutes.
How do I draw a perfect circle for the camera lens?
Trace around a round object such as a bottle cap, coin or roll of tape. If you draw freehand, sketch the circle lightly in short strokes, then trace the best line with a marker.
How long does it take to draw a camera?
About 10–15 minutes for the outline, and another 5–10 minutes to color it.
How do I make my camera drawing look realistic or 3D?
Add shading on one side of the body and lens, keep the reflection white, and draw the body slightly at an angle so you can see its top and side.
What is the difference between drawing a DSLR and a Polaroid camera?
A DSLR has a wide body with a viewfinder bump on top and a big lens in the middle. A Polaroid is taller and boxier, with a smaller lens and a slot at the bottom where the photo comes out.
How do I draw a camera from the side?
Draw a narrow rectangle for the body and a shorter rectangle sticking out of it for the lens. Add the viewfinder bump on top and the shutter button near the front edge.
What age is this camera drawing tutorial for?
It works for kids aged 5 and up, beginners of any age, and anyone who wants a quick, clean camera doodle for a journal or card.