How to Draw a Cartoon Car: Easy 20-Step Guide for Kids

Ready to hit the road? This tutorial is perfect for young artists ages 5 and up who want to bring a friendly cartoon car to life. You only need a pencil, an eraser, and some paper to get started. Follow these simple steps to build confidence and develop your drawing skills one line at a time.

20 Steps

🎯 Final Result

A bright, colorful cartoon car drawing, perfect for kids.

Step-by-Step Instructions

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Step 1: Sketching the Roofline

Drawing the curved roofline of a cartoon car with a light pencil stroke.

Begin by drawing a gentle, horizontal curved line. Tip: Keep this line near the top of your page to leave room for the car's body below.

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Step 2: Closing the Roof

Adding a second curved line to complete the car roof shape.

Draw a second curved line on top of the first to create an enclosed roof shape. Tip: Think of this as drawing a slightly flattened rainbow.

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Step 3: Defining the Pillars

Adding vertical lines to connect the roof to the car body.

Draw a short curved line downwards from the front of the roof and a longer, rounded line from the back. Tip: These lines define the car's cabin height.

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Step 4: Forming the Body

Drawing the long base line to form the main body of the car.

Connect the bottom of your pillar lines with a long, sweeping curved line to create the car's chassis. Tip: Keep your wrist loose to get a smooth, continuous curve.

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Step 5: Connecting the Sections

Adding a small connecting line between the roof and the hood.

Draw a short, horizontal curved line where the top cabin meets the lower body. Tip: This small detail helps the car look more realistic.

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Step 6: Outlining the Wheel Wells

Sketching two half-circles for the wheel arches.

Draw two half-circles on the lower body to mark where the wheels will go. Tip: Make sure they are evenly spaced for a balanced look.

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Step 7: Cleaning Up

Erasing unnecessary guide lines to clean up the car outline.

Gently erase the overlapping guide lines inside the wheel wells and where the roof meets the body. Tip: Use a soft eraser to avoid tearing the paper.

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Step 8: Drawing the Windows

Adding two window shapes inside the roof area.

Draw two rounded rectangular shapes inside the roof area. Tip: Keep the corners soft to match the cartoon style.

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Step 9: Adding Window Reflections

Drawing reflection lines inside the car windows.

Add two parallel curved lines inside each window. Tip: These lines represent light reflecting off the glass, making your drawing look more professional.

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Step 10: Drawing the Wheels

Drawing the circular wheels on the car body.

Draw two full circles for the wheels on the side. Add a half-circle for the wheel tucked behind the front bumper. Tip: Use a circular object like a coin if you need help getting a perfect circle.

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Step 11: Adding Tire Depth

Adding depth lines to the tires and drawing the rear bumper.

Add a curved line to the right of each tire to create a 3D effect. Draw a small curved line for the rear bumper. Tip: This simple shading trick adds volume to your drawing.

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Step 12: Designing the Hubcaps

Drawing smaller circles inside the wheels for hubcaps.

Draw a smaller circle inside each wheel to create the hubcaps. Tip: Keep them centered for a clean, tidy look.

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Step 13: Adding Body Details

Adding details like the hood, door, and handle to the car body.

Draw lines for the hood, door, and door handle. Add curves around the wheel wells. Tip: A simple teardrop shape works great for the handle.

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Step 14: The Front Bumper

Drawing the front bumper shape on the car.

Draw a rounded rectangular shape at the front of the car for the bumper. Tip: Keep it slightly curved to match the shape of the car.

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Step 15: Final Cleanup

Erasing guide lines inside the bumper.

Erase any extra lines inside the bumper area. Tip: A clean drawing makes coloring much easier later.

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Step 16: Adding Headlights

Drawing two large circles for the car headlights.

Place two circles above the bumper for the headlights. Tip: Make them large to give your car a friendly, expressive face.

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Step 17: Headlight Detail

Adding inner circles to headlights and bumper depth lines.

Draw a smaller circle inside each headlight and add depth lines to the bumper. Tip: These details make the car look like it's popping off the page.

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Step 18: Giving the Car a Face

Drawing eyes and a mouth to give the car a face.

Add pupils to the headlights and draw a 'U' shaped mouth between them. Tip: The mouth placement gives the car a happy, smiling expression.

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Step 19: Final Expressions

Shading the eyes and mouth for a finished cartoon look.

Shade the pupils and the inside of the mouth. Tip: Use a darker pencil stroke for the mouth to make it stand out.

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Step 20: Time to Color!

A fully colored and finished cartoon car drawing.

Bring your car to life with your favorite colors! Tip: Try using bright reds or blues to make your cartoon car look fast and fun.