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how to draw a roller coaster

How to draw a roller coaster - a free roller coaster drawing guide

Draw a roller coaster scene with pencil and markers. Plan the track, sketch supports and cars, then color and shade for depth.

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How To Draw A Roller Coaster

What you need

Paper, pencil, eraser, ruler, sharpener, colouring materials (markers crayons or coloured pencils)

Step 1

Lay your paper flat on a table so it does not move.

Step 2

Put your pencil eraser ruler sharpener and colouring materials within easy reach.

Step 3

Lightly draw a horizontal line across the lower third of the paper to show the ground.

Step 4

Mark two points on the paper where the roller coaster will start and end.

Step 5

Use your pencil to draw a curving track line between the start and end points with hills loops or drops.

Step 6

Draw a second line running parallel to the first to make the two rails of the track.

Step 7

Add short cross ties between the rails to show the wooden or metal pieces that hold the rails together.

Step 8

Draw support pillars from the track down to the ground under the highest sections of the track.

Step 9

Sketch small connected roller coaster cars on the track and draw simple stick-figure riders inside them.

Step 10

Gently erase any extra pencil lines that you do not want to keep.

Step 11

Use your pencil to add shading under the supports the cars and along the underside of the track to create depth.

Step 12

Color your roller coaster scene with your colouring materials making bright cars and a lively background.

Step 13

Share your finished creation on DIY.org

Help!?

What can we use instead of a ruler or special colouring materials if we don't have them?

If you don't have a ruler use the straight edge of a book or a folded piece of paper to draw the horizontal ground line and the second parallel rail line, and swap expensive markers for crayons, colored pencils, or even sharpened regular pencils for colouring materials.

My rails don't look parallel and my eraser smudges the paper—how can I fix that?

Lightly redraw the first curving track line with a well-sharpened pencil, use a book edge to guide the second line running parallel to the first, and use a clean kneaded eraser to gently lift extra pencil lines without smudging.

How can I change the activity to suit younger or older kids?

For younger children simplify by tracing large curves and placing pre-cut car stickers on the track, while older kids can add detailed support pillars, shading under the supports and cars, and complex hills, loops, or perspective for more advanced outcomes.

What are some fun ways to make my roller coaster drawing more exciting or personal?

Personalize it by drawing themed cars and stick-figure riders, adding bright colours with your colouring materials, naming the coaster, creating a lively background, and sharing the finished creation on DIY.org as suggested.

3 Videos

Fun Facts

🎢 Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure is the world's tallest roller coaster at 456 feet (139 m).

🎡 The oldest operating roller coaster is Leap-The-Dips (built in 1902) at Lakemont Park in Pennsylvania.

🔭 In perspective drawing, parallel lines seem to meet at a vanishing point on the horizon to create depth.

✏️ Artists often make tiny 'thumbnail' pencil sketches first to plan the roller coaster's track and composition.

🖍️ Many art markers are alcohol-based and can be layered to blend colors smoothly for shading.

How do I help my child draw a roller coaster scene step by step?

Start by lightly sketching the track path with a pencil—big hills, loops, and banked turns. Map supports and crossbeams under the track, keeping spacing consistent. Add cars and simple people, plus background elements. Ink key lines with a fine-tip marker, then use thicker markers for rails. Erase pencil after ink dries. Color base areas, then add darker tones under the track and supports to create depth. Finish with highlights and small details for realism.

What materials do we need to draw a roller coaster with pencil and markers?

You’ll need good drawing paper or cardstock to resist marker bleed; pencils (HB and a softer 2B), eraser, and sharpener; a ruler for straight track guides; fine-tip black marker for outlines plus a thicker marker for bolder lines; a set of colored markers and/or colored pencils for shading; a white gel pen for highlights; optional blending marker, masking tape to steady paper, and reference photos of coasters.

What ages is this roller coaster drawing activity suitable for?

This activity fits a wide range: ages 5–7 can draw simple tracks and cars with adult guidance; ages 8–11 can plan supports, practice basic perspective, and use markers more independently; ages 12+ can explore realistic perspective, detailed shading, and layered marker techniques. Simplify steps or provide templates for younger children and always supervise marker use and any cutting or sharp tools.

What are some fun variations of the roller coaster drawing activity?

Try a cartoon-style coaster with bold outlines and bright flat colors for younger kids, or challenge older ones to draw a coaster in perspective using a horizon line and vanishing point. Make it mixed-media by adding watercolor skies before marker details, turn the scene into a story or comic about riders, or create a large collaborative mural on butcher paper for group creativity and shared planning.

Ready to create?