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How to Draw a Newton’s Cradle
Draw a Newton’s cradle in 12 easy steps, about 9 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: four balls.
Step 1: Four balls
Below the middle, draw 3 plum-sized balls in a row, just kissing. Add a fourth swung out to the right.
Step 2: Two big eyes
On the middle ball, draw 2 round eyes a little apart. Colour a big black dot in each.
Step 3: Smile and cheeks
Under the eyes, draw an oval cheek on each side. Add a small U smile below them.
Step 4: The base
Under the balls, draw a long flat bar across, like a low ruler with soft corners, wider than the balls.
Step 5: Two posts
Start on the base near each end. Draw a tall thin post up and back down to the base.
Step 6: The top bar
Join the posts with a flat bar across their tops, sticking out a touch on each side.
Step 7: The strings
From the top bar, draw a string down to each hanging ball, and a slanted one to the swung ball.
Step 8: Ground line
Start left of the base. Draw a ground line along its bottom and stop past the right end.
Step 9: Sparkles
Above the top bar, draw 2 little 4-point sparkles to make it shine.
Step 10: Pink cheeks, grey balls
Go over your lines. Colour the cheeks pink, then the balls grey around them, leaving the eyes white.
Step 11: Wood frame
Colour the base, posts and top bar wood brown.
Step 12: Yellow sparkles
Colour the sparkles yellow.

Your finished drawing
Follow the steps above and this is where you end up: a Newton’s cradle, drawn by you.
Every step in one picture
