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How to Draw an Impossible Star

11 steps · Medium · about 8 min

Draw an impossible star in 11 easy steps, about 8 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: a small star.

Step 1: A small star
In the middle of your paper, draw a small fat star with 5 points, one point up.
Tip Fat points leave room for the bars. A ruler helps: straight lines make the trick work.
Step 2: Five little tails
Start at the top point. Carry its right side on past the tip. Stop a finger past. Do every point.
Tip Go the same way round each time, like the hands of a clock.
Step 3: Five V lines
From a tail's end, draw a line beside the star into the dip, then on out past the next point.
Tip Do the same from all 5 tails. Each V runs beside the small star, a finger away.
Step 4: Five outside lines
From each loose end, draw a bigger V outside the last one, into the dip and out again.
Tip Stop each one beside the next loose end, a finger short of it.
Step 5: Close the corners
At each point, draw a short line across from the outside line's end to the loose end beside it.
Tip Now every point has a little flat tip.
Step 6: Floor and shadow
Draw a flat oval shadow under the 2 bottom points, and a floor line out from each end.
Step 7: Yellow bar
Colour yellow the bent bar that starts at the right point's flat tip and turns the bottom right point.
Tip Each bar is one long bent shape between the lines. It stops where a line cuts across it.
Step 8: Orange bar
Colour orange the bar that starts at the top flat tip and turns the right point.
Step 9: Green bar, grey shadow
Colour green the bar from the bottom right flat tip round the bottom left point. Colour the shadow grey.
Step 10: Red bar
Colour red the bar that starts at the left flat tip and turns the top point.
Step 11: Blue bar
Colour the last bar blue. Look: each bar goes over AND under the next one. Impossible!