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How to Draw a Tap Shoe
Draw a tap shoe 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: sole and heel.
Step 1: Sole and heel
Low on your paper, draw a long thin sole. Lift its back end onto a block heel.
Tip Leave a gap under the sole and the heel for the metal taps.
Step 2: Toe and slope
Start at the sole's front. Draw over a round toe, climb a long slope and stop at the top.
Step 3: Opening and heel
From the top of the slope, dip like a saddle, rise to the heel, then curve down to the sole.
Step 4: Toe tap
Under the front of the sole draw a thin metal plate with a round front end.
Tip The taps are what make the tapping sound.
Step 5: Heel tap
Under the heel draw a second thin metal plate, as long as the heel.
Step 6: Ribbon bow
At the very top of the slope draw a small oval knot. Add a fat loop out each side.
Step 7: Ribbon ends
From the knot draw 2 short ribbon ends hanging down the side of the shoe.
Step 8: Toe shine
Along the top of the toe, just inside the edge, draw a long thin shine with round ends.
Tip Tap shoes are shiny black.
Step 9: The ground
Under the shoe draw a long ground line that touches the bottom of both taps.
Step 10: Silver taps
Go over your lines. Colour the 2 metal taps light grey, like silver.
Step 11: Red ribbon
Colour the bow, the knot and the 2 ribbon ends red.
Step 12: Grey sole
Colour the sole and the heel dark grey.
Step 13: Black shoe
Colour the shoe black, around the ribbon. Leave the shine white. Your tap shoe is done!

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