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How to Draw a Contrail
Draw a contrail in 13 easy steps, about 10 minutes. Free, with a printable worksheet.
Each picture adds one red line. Draw that line, then scroll to the next picture. Rub out any dashed helper lines at the end. First up: the plane.
Step 1: The plane
In the top right draw a slim plane flying up to the right, pointed at the front like a cigar.
Tip A contrail is the long white line a high plane leaves behind.
Step 2: Wings and tail
From the middle draw a big swept-back wing on each side. Add 2 small tail fins at the back.
Step 3: Windows
Draw 4 little black dots in a row along the body for windows.
Step 4: The contrail
From the tail draw a long soft plume to the bottom left, with bumpy sides and a round end.
Step 5: Rolling hills
Start at the left edge of the page. Draw a rolling hill line and stop at the right edge.
Step 6: A house
On the hills draw a small house: a box with a pointed roof and a door.
Step 7: A tree
On the left of the house draw a tree: a trunk with a soft round bumpy top.
Step 8: A cloud
Draw a puffy cloud on the left, clear of the plume.
Step 9: The sun
Draw a sun with short rays in the top left corner.
Step 10: White plume and cloud
Colour the plume and the cloud white, pressing softly.
Step 11: Yellow sun, grey plane
Colour the sun and the house walls yellow, and the plane grey, around the windows.
Step 12: Green hills and tree
Colour the hills leaf green down to the bottom of the page, around the house, and the tree top green.
Step 13: Red roof, brown door
Colour the roof red, and the door and trunk wood brown. Go over your lines, and your contrail is done!
Your finished drawing
Follow the steps above and this is where you end up: a contrail, drawn by you.
Every step in one picture
