How To Draw An Electric Guitar Step By Step

No matter where you start in terms of artistic capabilities, this cute and simple design will have you singing your own praises! Electric guitars can look complicated at first glance, but with a little bit of time and patience, you'll be able to put your own spin on a classic design.

Before you begin, make sure you have the supplies you'll need. Clean paper, a pencil and eraser for rough drafting, a black thin-tipped marker, and a set of colored pencils, crayons, markers or any other coloring instruments should be all you need to get started on this quick design.

Tutorial Video

1.

To begin, draw six straight lines in parallel (using a ruler) to define your guitar's strings and give yourself an idea of its general size.

2.

Next, draw an inverted L shape at the end of your strings. This will serve as the base shape for your guitar's bridge.

3.

Draw a few more straight lines to close off the shape of the bridge and add more definition to the anchoring point.

4.

Finish by drawing a straight line to connect the two edges of the bridge so that you end up with a modified rectangle.

5.

Add two vertical lines and a small circle to indicate a small fastener and the actual bridge part of your guitar's bridge.

6.

Connect the two vertical lines at the top and bottom. This is going to create the elevated portion of an electric guitar bridge.

7.

Next, add in a small circle between each pair of strings to indicate the fastenings that hold each string in its place.

8.

Draw a line that looks like a bracket. This will be the base for the first and main pickup on your guitar's base.

9.

Add another bracket on the right-hand side, then connect both brackets so that you have another rectangular shape perpendicular to the strings.

10.

Draw four mostly-vertical lines inside of the rectangular pickup, still perpendicular to the six guitar strings that you've already added to your guitar.

11.

Connect the vertical lines in two pairs, so that you end up with two rounded rectangle shapes within the overall pickup outline.

12.

Add a series of small circles, just like you did on the bridge, to show where the guitar strings are clamped into place.

13.

Draw in three more small circles on the top and bottom of the pickup to show where the hardware has been attached.

14.

Draw two more sets of vertical lines along the strings. Keep them close to the base, but space them out a little more.

15.

Close off the two pairs so that you end up with two rounded rectangles to serve as your third and fourth pickups.

16.

Once again, add in your circular fasteners along the pickups. Try to keep them roughly parallel to the preceding fasteners on the bridge.

17.

Add another bracket shape to the immediate right of your last pickup. This is will be the start of the guitar's neck!

18.

Draw a line towards the end of the strings with an elongated half-circle colored in for the nut and truss rod, respectively.

19.

Draw a line from the bottom of your neck bracket, angling it slightly upwards until it intersects with the strings at the nut.

20.

Add a short line that curves out and then sharply down to help define the gently flaring shape of the guitar's head.

21.

Draw another straight line from the top of your neck bracket, angling it once again so that it intersects with the strings.

22.

Add another line that curves sharply upwards, keeping it closely mirrored to the bottom line and ending it with a short horizontal segment.

23.

Sketch in a short horizontal line on the lower part of the head to give an idea of the head's overall dimensions.

24.

Add a long, slightly upwards-angled line that ends in a rounded half-circle. Again, this will help lay in the head's shape.

25.

Connect the rounded half-circle to the horizontal line on the upper part of the bracket. The head should seem angled downwards.

26.

Add in six circles, one at the end of each guitar string, and then draw a larger circle around each of those fastenings.

27.

Color in the space between the two circles. You'll end up with six bolded rings, one at the end of each string.

28.

Draw twelve short lines in pairs of two, each pair evenly spaced out and roughly parallel to the fastenings on the guitar strings.

29.

Draw a horizontal line connecting these lines in pairs. It should overlap each pair to form a base for the tuning pegs.

30.

Finish the tuning pegs by turning the overlapping line into a flattened circle that sits above each post and connects to a string.

31.

Check your sketch for any mistakes and use your eraser to clear away any smudges or unwanted lines before you move on.

32.

Draw the body. You can add your own stylistic flair at this point, but the shape pictured above is the most common silhouette.

33.

Add in the pickguard! The pickguard should mostly parallel the shape of the body, confined to the lower right side.

34.

Add a series of lines and dots on the lower pickguard and around the pickups for the fasteners and pickup selector switch.

35.

Draw in two long, gently curving lines and cap them off with an elongated oval shape. This will make your tremolo bar.

36.

Add a small, slightly flat circle on the left end of your guitar's body, right in the middle, for the first strap button.

37.

Add another nub at the highest point of the body for the second strap button, even if you don't add a strap.

38.

Draw two more sots above the pickguard and add a larger circle around them to make the guitar's tone and volume controls.

39.

Using your black marker, color in the nut and the truss rod so that they'll stand out from the neck and strings.

40.

Move down the neck and color in the first set of pickups, making sure to leave the inner parts white or exposed.

41.

Finally, color in the center circles on the tone and volume control dials while still leaving the outer circles exposed or uncolored.

42.

Color in the body of the guitar! I've colored our guitar red, but you can pick whatever color feels most rock-and-roll to you!

43.

Using the same color you used for your body, add in any details, decorations, or flourishes that will set your guitar apart!

44.

Finally, use an off-white, yellow, flesh-colored, or brown marker or pencil to lightly outline the neck and strings and to fully color in your guitar's head!

Congratulations, you've finished your quick and easy electric guitar illustration!

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