How to draw a galaxy - a free galaxy drawing guide
Draw a spiral galaxy using pencils, paint, and glitter to create stars and color gradients, learning about galaxy shapes and blending techniques.
Step-by-step guide to draw a spiral galaxy
How to Draw a Galaxy in a Few Easy Steps: Drawing Tutorial for Beginner Artists
Step 1
Gather the Materials Needed and bring them to a flat clean workspace.
Step 2
Place your paper flat on the table and pick a center point for your galaxy.
Step 3
Lightly draw a small circle at the center for the galaxy core with your pencil.
Step 4
Lightly sketch two or three curving spiral arms that flow out from the core.
Step 5
Add soft pencil shading where you want darker patches along each arm.
Step 6
Put three paint colors you like for the gradient onto your palette.
Step 7
Paint the core using the darkest color with small circular brush strokes.
Step 8
Paint the innermost parts of each spiral arm with the middle color, leaving the outer arm edges free.
Step 9
Rinse your brush in the water cup and dab it on the paper towel.
Step 10
Paint the outer parts of each arm with the lightest color and softly blend the overlap where the colors meet.
Step 11
Use a small brush dipped in white paint to dot larger stars across the galaxy and with adult help lightly flick tiny white specks for distant stars.
Step 12
Put tiny dots of clear glue on a few bright stars then sprinkle glitter over those dots and tap off the excess to make sparkly stars.
Step 13
Let your painting dry completely until the paint glue and glitter are set.
Step 14
Gently erase any leftover pencil lines and write your name on the back or corner of the paper.
Step 15
Share your finished galaxy on DIY.org.
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can we use instead of a paint palette, clear glue, or a small brush if we don't have them?
Use a clean paper plate as a palette, white school glue or metallic paint or sequins instead of clear glue when you "put tiny dots of clear glue on a few bright stars," and use a cotton swab, toothpick, or the end of a pencil in place of a small brush for dotting stars.
My colors are bleeding together and look muddy when I try to blend the arm colors — how can I fix that?
Rinse your brush in the water cup and dab it on the paper towel between colors, let the first layers dry as directed before painting outer arm parts, and softly blend only where the middle and lightest colors meet to avoid muddy mixes.
How can I adapt this galaxy drawing for younger children or make it more challenging for older kids?
For younger kids simplify by using finger paints or crayons to draw one or two spiral arms and swap stickers for the glue-and-glitter step, while older kids can add more detailed pencil shading, extra spiral arms, and use a toothbrush or fine brush to flick tiny white specks as described in the star step.
What are some ways to extend or personalize the finished galaxy?
Add metallic or iridescent paint over the core and arms, glue sequins on a few bright stars as an alternative to glitter, write a constellation name or mount the painting on black cardstock, and then share your finished galaxy on DIY.org per the final step.
Watch videos on how to draw a spiral galaxy
How to Draw Galaxy - School Project
4 Videos
How to Draw Galaxy - School Project
How to Draw a Galaxy with Oil Pastels for Beginners | Step-by-Step
How to Draw the SOLAR SYSTEM! | Step by Step Easy Drawing for Kids | Learn Planet Names and Colors
How to Draw a Galaxy Step by Step Tutorial | Prismacolor Pencils | Strathmore Toned Tan (2018)
Facts about galaxies and art techniques
🌌 Spiral galaxies have long, curving arms that wind out from a bright central bulge — perfect inspiration for spiral brush strokes!
✨ The Milky Way contains about 100–400 billion stars, so even a small sprinkle of glitter can look plenty starry!
🔭 Andromeda is the nearest big spiral galaxy and is on a collision course with the Milky Way in about 4 billion years — but your painting is safe!
🎨 Color theory shows that blending a little white into a hue makes smooth gradients and glowing highlights for galaxy dust lanes.
🌟 Tiny dots of white paint or glitter glued on with a toothpick create starfields that look realistic without crowding your spiral arms.
