How to Draw Benjamin Franklin: Easy 10-Step Historical Portrait

Bring history to life with this step-by-step portrait of Benjamin Franklin. Designed for young artists and history buffs, this lesson uses basic shapes to build a recognizable likeness. All you need is a pencil, an eraser, and a piece of paper to get started.

10 Steps

🎯 Final Result

A completed, colored portrait of Benjamin Franklin holding a kite, perfect for educational art projects.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Sketching the Facial Features

Close-up sketch of Benjamin Franklin's eyes and nose showing initial pencil guidelines.

Start by drawing the eyes and nose. Use light, curved lines for the eyelids and a small, simple curve for the nostril. Tip: Keep the eyes level with each other to ensure the face looks balanced.

Step 2: Defining the Face and Hair

Drawing the facial structure and hair outline of Benjamin Franklin.

Add the eyebrows with thick, pointed strokes. Sketch the mouth, jawline, and the outline of his iconic hair. Tip: Use short, flicking pencil strokes to give the hair a natural, textured look.

Step 3: Refining the Portrait

Adding detail to Benjamin Franklin's hair and clothing collar.

Use a mix of long and short curved lines to finalize the hair and the collar of his coat. Tip: Ensure the collar lines connect smoothly to the jawline to create a realistic neck shape.

Step 4: Drawing the Colonial Coat

Sketching the coat lapels and necktie of Benjamin Franklin.

Sketch the lapels and the fluffy cravat at the neck. Use overlapping curves to show the fabric folding. Tip: Keep your lines loose here to make the fabric look soft rather than stiff.

Step 5: Completing the Torso

Outlining the coat and sleeves of Benjamin Franklin.

Finish the coat sleeves and front panels. Notice how some lines overlap to create depth. Tip: If a line looks too dark, dab it with your eraser to soften the appearance.

Step 6: Adding the Hands

Detailing the hand and lacy cuff of Benjamin Franklin's coat.

Draw the lacy cuff and the hand. Use flowing lines for the fingers. Tip: Hands are tricky! Draw the fingers as simple rounded shapes first, then refine the edges.

Step 7: Finalizing Details

Adding buttons and fingernail details to the portrait.

Add fingernails, coat buttons, and extra texture to the hair. Tip: Small details like buttons make the drawing look much more professional.

Step 8: Drawing the Famous Kite

Sketching the kite and key associated with Benjamin Franklin's experiments.

Draw a diamond shape for the kite and a string leading to his hand, complete with a skeleton key. Tip: Use a ruler if you want the kite's frame to look perfectly straight.

Step 9: Adding Background Elements

Drawing the kite tail and clouds in the background.

Draw the kite's tail with bows and add some fluffy clouds in the sky. Tip: Vary the size of the clouds to create a sense of distance.

Step 10: Adding Color

Final colored illustration of Benjamin Franklin with his kite.

Bring your portrait to life with color! Use grey or white for the powdered wig and natural tones for his skin. Tip: Use light pressure with your colored pencils to build up layers for a smoother finish.