How to Draw a Football

Last Updated: January 18, 2023

Footballs can be useful to know how to draw. By following this tutorial, even the most artistically challenged can create a realistic-looking football. Let's begin!

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

A Traditional Football

1
Draw a large oblong at the middle of the page. Draw a vertical middle line which extends from both ends (left to right).
2
Draw a smaller oval but with the same length as the middle line.

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3
Draw two rings facing each other using the curve lines as guide.
4
Draw the adjoining edges and the laces that put them together.
5
Trace with a pen and erase unnecessary sketches.
6
Color to your liking!

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

A Basic Football

1
Draw the football's shape (like a sideways egg) either with rounded or pointed ends. The illustration here shows a rounded one, but footballs in real life tend to end in points.
2
Draw two slightly curved lines near the middle. They should be mirror images of one another, as shown.
3
Draw two rectangles near both edges. Don't go beyond the lower line, though, or your football will look a bit unusual.
4
Add in a long, thin rectangle in the upper line. Don't let it reach the two vertical rectangles!
5
Add in eight small, rectangular shapes for the stitches. They can be as thick or thin as you like, but you probably don’t want to make them larger than the primary line if you’re going for a realistic look.
6
Outline the picture and erase the guidelines. Add more details if you want to, such as more lines to give it a weathered look, or even some players tossing it back and forth.
7
Color it in. Footballs mostly come in brown, but you might want to make yours the colors of your favorite team, or some sort of interesting pattern--that part is up to you!

Community Q&A

Question

What guidelines should I use to size my football?

Community Answer

Draw two points to show the front and back points of the ball. Draw curves to connect them. Make sure they are not too arched or too flat. Draw the laces very thin.
Question

How do I make a football t-shirt?

Community Answer

Draw a t-shirt, then draw a football in the middle of it.
Question

How can I get the lines perfect?

Community Answer

You can practice a lot, or you can measure out the lines and draw them with a ruler to make them more perfect.