How to Draw a Coast Guard

Step 1: The waves

Below the middle, draw a line of gentle wave bumps right across the page. Add a few ripple dashes below.

Step 2: The hull

Start on the waves. Sweep up a round front, slope the deck down, stop on the waves. Add a rail.

Tip Never draw the bottom of the boat: it is under the water.

Step 3: Porthole eyes

On the hull, draw 2 big round portholes for eyes, a porthole apart, with a round pupil in each.

Tip Big eyes make the ship look friendly.

Step 4: Smile and cheeks

Start under the left eye, draw a wide U smile to under the right eye. Add 2 oval cheeks.

Step 5: Slanted stripe

On the front of the hull, before the eyes, draw a wide slanted band with a thin one behind it.

Tip The big slanted stripe is what makes it a coast guard boat.

Step 6: The cabin

Start on the deck, left of the middle. Draw a big upside-down U cabin, back down to the deck.

Tip Make the cabin almost half as wide as the boat.

Step 7: Cabin window

In the cabin, draw a wide pill window. Split it with a line from the top down to the bottom.

Step 8: Mast and flag

From the front deck, draw a tall thin mast up to a ball above the roof. Add a pointy flag.

Tip The flag points backwards because the ship sails forward, to the left.

Step 9: Life ring and radar

Right of the window, draw a fat life ring. Add a thin slanted radar bar on the mast ball.

Step 10: Sky window, pink cheeks

Go over your lines. Colour the window sky blue and the cheeks pink.

Tip The hull, cabin, mast and eyes stay white.

Step 11: Orange band, red ring

Colour the wide band orange. Colour the flag and the life ring red, leaving 4 little white stripes.

Step 12: Navy band, blue sea

Colour the thin band navy. Colour the sea blue, from the waves down to the bottom.