How to Draw a Gem
Draw a faceted gem using simple shapes, rulers, and colored pencils. Practice symmetry, shading, and color blending to create a realistic gemstone.
About this tutorial
Draw a faceted gem using simple shapes, rulers, and colored pencils. Practice symmetry, shading, and color blending to create a realistic gemstone.
What you need
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Place your paper and draw a light vertical center line down the middle with your ruler and pencil.
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Step 2
Draw a light horizontal center line that crosses the vertical line so the lines meet at the center.
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Step 3
Put a small mark on the vertical line above the center to show the top point of your gem.
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Step 4
Put a matching small mark on the vertical line below the center to show the bottom point.
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Step 5
Put a small mark on the horizontal line to the left of center to show the left point.
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Step 6
Put a small mark on the horizontal line to the right of center to show the right point.
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Step 7
Use your ruler to connect the top mark to the left mark to the bottom mark to the right mark and back to the top to make the diamond outline.
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Step 8
Draw a short horizontal line across the diamond slightly above the center to make the top facet base.
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Step 9
Draw light straight lines from each corner of the diamond toward the center point so the lines meet and form many facet shapes.
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Step 10
Erase any extra guide lines so only the diamond outline and the facet lines remain.
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Step 11
Choose three colored pencils in the same color family: one light one medium and one dark.
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Step 12
Color each facet using the three pencils so some facets are light and some are darker, layering the colors to blend smoothly.
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Step 13
Use a white or very light colored pencil to draw small bright highlights on the facets where the light would hit.
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Step 14
Take a photo or scan your finished gem and share your creation on DIY.org.
Get inspired
Fun facts
How do you draw a faceted gem step by step?
Start by sketching a centered outline (oval or kite shape), then draw a vertical and horizontal guide to ensure symmetry. Use a ruler to divide the gem into facets—draw triangles and trapezoids radiating from the center. Refine lines, erase guides, and darken facet edges. Choose a light source, shade each facet with graded pressure and overlapping colors, then blend with a stump or cotton. Add bright white highlights and a soft shadow under the gem to finish.
What materials do I need to draw a gem with facets?
You'll need drawing paper, a sharp pencil, ruler, eraser, and colored pencils in light, mid, and dark tones of your chosen gem color. Optional useful items: a blending stump or cotton swab, a white gel pen for highlights, a pencil sharpener, and a small reference photo of a faceted gem. For younger children, preprinted gem outlines and blunt-tip colored pencils make the activity easier and safer.
What ages is a faceted gem drawing activity suitable for?
This activity suits different ages with adjustments. Ages 5–7 enjoy tracing simple gem outlines and coloring facets with supervision to practice hand control. Ages 8–12 can measure symmetry, use rulers, and practice basic shading and color blending. Teens and older kids refine realistic shading, complex facet layouts, and subtle color transitions. Always match complexity to the child's fine-motor skills and offer help with rulers and sharpeners.
What are the benefits and fun variations of drawing faceted gems?
Drawing faceted gems builds fine motor control, spatial reasoning, and basic geometry understanding through symmetry and straight-line placement. Shading and color blending teach observation of light, value, and color mixing, boosting focus and patience. Variations include trying different cuts (emerald, round, princess), using watercolor or water-soluble pencils for luminous effects, or adding metallic or glitter pencils for sparkle. It's low-risk and adaptable for solo practice or group craft
Watch & Learn
Need help?
What can I use if I don't have a ruler, colored pencils, or a scanner?
Use any straight edge like a book or cereal box to draw the vertical and horizontal center lines and connect marks, swap crayons, markers, or watercolor paints for the three light/medium/dark colored pencils and a white gel pen or white crayon for highlights, and photograph your finished gem with a smartphone instead of scanning before uploading to DIY.org.
My diamond outline or facet lines look uneven—how can I fix that?
Draw all guide lines very lightly with your pencil (steps about drawing center lines and marks), use the ruler to re-align and redraw the diamond outline from top to left to bottom to right if needed, and erase extra guide lines so only the clean outline and facet lines remain before coloring.
How can I adapt this gem drawing for different ages or skill levels?
For younger kids pre-draw the vertical/horizontal center lines and diamond outline and have them add only a few facet lines and color with chunky crayons or markers, while older kids can add many thin facet lines toward the center, practice layering the three chosen colored pencils for blending, and add precise white highlights with a gel pen.
What are some ways to extend or personalize the gem activity after coloring?
Create a gem series using different color families, add metallic gel pens or glitter glue to accent highlights on the facets, mount the finished gem on colored cardstock, and photograph each stage to share a step-by-step project on DIY.org.