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how to draw a top hat

How to draw a top hat - a free top hat drawing guide

Draw a classic top hat using simple shapes and shading. Follow step by step instructions to learn proportions and basic shading techniques.

Table of contents

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Photos of top hat drawing examples

Step-by-step guide to draw a classic top hat

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How to Draw a Top Hat | Hat Drawing | Step by Step For Beginners | Easy Drawings

What you need

Paper, pencil, eraser, ruler, colouring materials (crayons pencils or markers), tissue or cotton bud for blending

Step 1

Place your paper landscape and lightly draw a horizontal guideline across the middle to show where the hat will sit.

Step 2

Draw a wide flattened oval centered on the guideline to make the outer edge of the hat brim.

Step 3

Inside that oval draw a thinner matching oval to show the brim's thickness.

Step 4

From the inner edges of the inner oval draw two short vertical parallel lines upward to mark the sides of the hat's body.

Step 5

Connect the top of the two lines with a slightly curved oval to create the top of the hat's cylinder.

Step 6

Lightly erase the center guideline and any stray sketch marks so the hat outline looks clean.

Step 7

Draw a hatband by sketching two close curved lines around the base of the cylinder and connect them at the sides.

Step 8

Decide where your light is coming from and draw a small arrow outside the hat pointing toward it.

Step 9

Lightly shade the side of the hat that is opposite the arrow using gentle pencil strokes to add a base shadow.

Step 10

Darken the pencil strokes near the edges and where the hat meets the brim to make the shadow stronger.

Step 11

Shade the underside of the brim and the inside of the top oval darker to show deeper shadow areas.

Step 12

Gently blend the shaded areas with a tissue or cotton bud to make the shadows smooth.

Step 13

Use your eraser to lift thin lines or spots on the side facing the light to create highlights.

Step 14

Add any final decoration like a ribbon or buckle and sign your name in a corner of the paper.

Step 15

Share your finished top hat drawing on DIY.org

Help!?

What can we use if we don't have a tissue or cotton bud to blend the shaded areas?

If you don't have a tissue or cotton bud for blending, gently rub the shaded areas with a clean fingertip, a cotton ball, or a crumpled scrap of paper to smooth the pencil strokes as described in the step about blending shaded areas.

My ovals and cylinder look lopsided—how can I fix that before I darken the lines?

If the wide flattened oval or the top cylinder looks off-center, lightly redraw them while rotating the paper for a steadier hand and erase stray sketch marks and the center guideline as instructed before darkening.

How can I adjust this activity for younger or older kids?

For younger children, simplify by drawing only the outer and inner ovals and a basic band with a marker and skip shading, while older kids should follow the full steps including gentle shading, blending with a tissue, and using the eraser to lift highlights for realism.

What are some ways to make the top hat drawing more creative or special?

To personalize the hat, add a decorated ribbon or buckle on the hatband using colored pencils, metallic foil, or a glued paper strip for a 3D effect, then sign your name and share the finished drawing on DIY.org as suggested.

Watch videos on how to draw a classic top hat

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Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

How to draw a top hat | Easy drawings

4 Videos

Facts about drawing and shading for kids

🎩 Top hats became popular in the late 18th century and stayed a symbol of formal fashion through the 19th century.

✏️ Artists often build drawings from simple shapes—ovals for the crown and rectangles for the body—to keep proportions accurate.

📐 A top hat is basically a cylinder with an elliptical brim; drawing ellipses helps show tilt and perspective.

🌗 Shading one side darker and leaving a bright highlight makes a flat shape look rounded and three-dimensional.

🕴️ Famous wearers include Abraham Lincoln and stage magicians—so the top hat silhouette is recognized worldwide.

How do I teach my child to draw a classic top hat step by step?

Start with a light pencil and an eraser. Step 1: draw a horizontal oval for the hat’s brim. Step 2: above the oval sketch a slightly narrower oval for the crown top. Step 3: connect the two ovals with vertical lines to form the cylinder. Step 4: add an inner oval for depth and a band across the crown. Step 5: shade with light hatching—darker at edges—and blend for a rounded look.

What materials do I need to draw a top hat with my child?

You’ll need plain drawing paper, a set of pencils (HB for sketching, 2B or 4B for shading), a soft eraser, and a sharpener. Optional tools: a blending stump or tissue for smooth shading, a ruler or compass to help ellipses, colored pencils or markers to decorate, and scrap paper for testing tones. Keep tools child-safe and age-appropriate.

What ages is drawing a top hat suitable for?

This activity suits children aged about 5–12. Younger kids (5–7) can draw the brim and simple crown using bold shapes and minimal shading. Ages 8–10 can practice ellipses and basic shading techniques; 11–12-year-olds can refine proportions, add subtle shading, and try perspective or decoration. Adjust guidance, time, and complexity to your child’s attention span and fine motor skills.

What are the benefits and fun variations when drawing a top hat?

Drawing a top hat builds shape recognition, spatial reasoning, and fine motor control while teaching light and shadow basics. For variation, try a tilted top hat to practice perspective, add a patterned hatband, color with markers for a cartoon look, or create a magician scene with a rabbit. Encourage experimentation with shading styles—cross-hatching, smudging, or bold outlines—to keep lessons engaging and develop artistic confidence.

Ready to create?

All Activities

how to draw a top hat

How to draw a top hat - a free top hat drawing guide

Draw a classic top hat using simple shapes and shading. Follow step by step instructions to learn proportions and basic shading techniques.

Table of contents

Drawing Apps

Photos of top hat drawing examples

Step-by-step guide to draw a classic top hat

0:00/0:00

Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

How to Draw a Top Hat | Hat Drawing | Step by Step For Beginners | Easy Drawings

What you need

Paper, pencil, eraser, ruler, colouring materials (crayons pencils or markers), tissue or cotton bud for blending

Step 1

Place your paper landscape and lightly draw a horizontal guideline across the middle to show where the hat will sit.

Step 2

Draw a wide flattened oval centered on the guideline to make the outer edge of the hat brim.

Step 3

Inside that oval draw a thinner matching oval to show the brim's thickness.

Step 4

From the inner edges of the inner oval draw two short vertical parallel lines upward to mark the sides of the hat's body.

Step 5

Connect the top of the two lines with a slightly curved oval to create the top of the hat's cylinder.

Step 6

Lightly erase the center guideline and any stray sketch marks so the hat outline looks clean.

Step 7

Draw a hatband by sketching two close curved lines around the base of the cylinder and connect them at the sides.

Step 8

Decide where your light is coming from and draw a small arrow outside the hat pointing toward it.

Step 9

Lightly shade the side of the hat that is opposite the arrow using gentle pencil strokes to add a base shadow.

Step 10

Darken the pencil strokes near the edges and where the hat meets the brim to make the shadow stronger.

Step 11

Shade the underside of the brim and the inside of the top oval darker to show deeper shadow areas.

Step 12

Gently blend the shaded areas with a tissue or cotton bud to make the shadows smooth.

Step 13

Use your eraser to lift thin lines or spots on the side facing the light to create highlights.

Step 14

Add any final decoration like a ribbon or buckle and sign your name in a corner of the paper.

Step 15

Share your finished top hat drawing on DIY.org

Help!?

What can we use if we don't have a tissue or cotton bud to blend the shaded areas?

My ovals and cylinder look lopsided—how can I fix that before I darken the lines?

How can I adjust this activity for younger or older kids?

What are some ways to make the top hat drawing more creative or special?

Watch videos on how to draw a classic top hat

0:00/0:00

Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

How to draw a top hat | Easy drawings

4 Videos

Facts about drawing and shading for kids

🎩 Top hats became popular in the late 18th century and stayed a symbol of formal fashion through the 19th century.

✏️ Artists often build drawings from simple shapes—ovals for the crown and rectangles for the body—to keep proportions accurate.

📐 A top hat is basically a cylinder with an elliptical brim; drawing ellipses helps show tilt and perspective.

🌗 Shading one side darker and leaving a bright highlight makes a flat shape look rounded and three-dimensional.

🕴️ Famous wearers include Abraham Lincoln and stage magicians—so the top hat silhouette is recognized worldwide.