How to Draw Hands

If you want to know how to draw hands, you have come to the right place! Many people think drawing hands is tricky, but breaking them down into basic shapes makes it super easy. This fun, beginner-friendly lesson is perfect for kids and adults alike. Grab your favorite pencil, and let's start creating together!

Easy
15 Minutes
Ages 5+
anatomy
body parts
people
easy drawing

Start drawing

Step 1Step 2

Easy for beginners

About This Easy Hand Drawing

In this lesson, you will learn how to build a hand using a simple square for the palm and soft ovals for the fingers. This step-by-step method takes the frustration out of the process, proving that anyone can learn how to draw hands easily. Soon you will be able to add them to all your favorite drawings!

Pencil — A regular HB pencil is perfect for sketching shapes.

Eraser — Use this to clean up the overlapping finger lines.

Black Marker — Great for outlining your final hand drawing.

Crayons or Colored Pencils — Pick your favorite skin tone to color it in.

Jump to the steps

Drawing supplies: pencil, paper, eraser and crayons

How to Draw Hands Step by Step

1
Step 1 of 9
Draw the palm shape
Learning how to draw hands starts with the palm! Draw a big, soft square shape in the middle of your paper. Make the bottom edges slightly narrower than the top, almost like a piece of toast, to form the base.
Tip: Press lightly with your pencil to start.
2
Step 2 of 9
Add the thumb base
Now let's start the thumb. On the lower left or right side of your palm shape, draw a small curved wedge or a soft triangle. This acts as the thick base where the thumb connects to the rest of the hand.
Tip: Keep the bottom part smooth and rounded.
3
Step 3 of 9
Draw the top of the thumb
From that base wedge, draw a short, curved oval pointing upward and outward to finish the thumb. Make sure the tip is nice and round. Breaking the fingers down into these simple shapes makes the whole process much easier for beginners!
Tip: The thumb only has one middle joint line to worry about.
4
Step 4 of 9
Draw the middle finger
It is easiest to draw the tallest finger next so we know where the center is. Draw a tall, long oval sticking straight up from the top middle of your palm shape. Give it a gentle, rounded tip at the very top.
Tip: Make sure this middle finger is the tallest part.
5
Step 5 of 9
Add the index finger
Right next to that tall finger, draw the index finger. Make it an oval that is just a little bit shorter than the middle one. Let it sit right on the top edge of the palm shape so they fit snugly together.
Tip: Leave a tiny bit of space between the fingers.
6
Step 6 of 9
Draw the ring finger
On the other side of the middle finger, it is time to draw the ring finger. Make this oval about the exact same height as the index finger you just drew. It should curve very slightly inward toward the middle.
Tip: Fingers naturally lean a little toward the center.
7
Step 7 of 9
Add the pinky finger
Finally, draw the pinky finger on the outside edge of the palm. This is the shortest and thinnest finger of them all. Curve it slightly so it points gently toward the other fingers. Now you have a complete outline of the hand!
Tip: The pinky sits a bit lower on the palm than the others.
8
Step 8 of 9
Erase lines and add details
Grab your eraser and carefully remove the overlapping sketch lines where the fingers connect to the main palm square. Then, draw a few small curved lines on the fingers to show the knuckles, and add a line for the wrist at the bottom.
Tip: Erasing the inside lines makes it look like one piece.
9
Finished drawing
Add simple color
It is time to bring your drawing to life! Color your hand outline using any flat skin tone you like. You can use crayons, markers, or colored pencils. Keep your coloring smooth and even to complete your simple, beginner-friendly artwork.
Tip: Color in one direction to make it look neat.