How to draw ice

How to Draw Ice and Icicles Using Pencils and a Stock Image

With winter arriving, ice starts to become a major feature in the outside world. So come and join me as I show you how to draw a cool icicle.

What You Will Need

You will need the following equipment in order to complete this project:

1. Prepare Your Paper

For this tutorial we will be working on A4 size paper. If you have a drawing board to hand, secure your paper onto it with tape so that it does not slide around as you are drawing. Personally I find a standard smooth Bristol board is best for this type of drawing.

2. Draw Your Grid

Step 1

Start by measuring out how big you want this drawing to be; for this tutorial I will be working to the exact size of the paper. With your steel ruler, measure out the size of your grid. It would be best to avoid drawing too small a box, as this can complicate the construction of the image. My best advice would be to use a box that is either 1 x 1 inches or larger. For this tutorial I have decided to use a box measuring 1.3 x 1.3 inches exactly.

Step 2

Draw out your grid on the paper using a sharp 2B regular or mechanical pencil with a moderate touch, as you may need to erase these lines later as we progress. Remember that pressing too hard on the paper or using too hard a lead can leave unwanted indentations that you may not be able to erase.

3. Construct Your Image

Step 1

For the actual drawing, it is best to continue using a 2B mechanical pencil. Before starting to draw, be sure to sharpen your pencil, as a common error that learning artists make is using a blunt pencil to draw an image.

Using the reference, choose a focus point to begin your drawing. I am going to start by drawing a large “T” like shape that will act as a base for the wooden beam and our main icicle.

Step 2

Continue drawing out basic shapes to define areas of the image. If you have labelled your grid as explained earlier, it should be easy for you to draw these points on the image.

Step 3

Once we have all the basic guides where we want them, we now have to fill in the details. At this point, take care when drawing and be sure to go back to your reference regularly as a poor drawing at this stage will show up later on. Remember to keep sharpening your pencil as you go, but also avoid using hard pressure as you may find it difficult to erase these lines if you need to later on.

Step 4

Now that we have a fully constructed image, take your putty eraser and clean up any unnecessary loose lines and make sure you have a clean image to work with for the next stage. If you have any harder lines, the best tool to get rid of these is your harder gum eraser.

4. Begin Rendering Your Image

Step 1

Now we can begin to fill in the details and create our icy effects. If you are right handed, we shall be working from left to right on the paper to avoid smudging the graphite and charcoal; if you are left handed I would recommend working right to left.

We will be using two methods of applying graphite to the paper with pencils, soft charcoal stick, graphite powder and charcoal powder.

Circulism involves rotating your pencil, charcoal stick or cotton bud with moderate pressure in a circular motion whilst moving the pencil across the page as shown below. Like hatching, this can be used to build up tone depending on pressure applied to the paper and how many times you repeat the motions. I use circulism more for darker tones and it is especially useful for black areas as it gives good coverage on the paper.

Cross hatching is applied by a series of strokes in a diagonal direction going one way, then repeating the motion in the opposite direction. Levels of tone can be built up using this method by bringing hatchings closer together or repeating the motions time and again. You can also choose to blend the area you have shaded afterwards with a cotton bud or tissue paper if you so wish.

For the first section we are going to add a background to our image using charcoal powder and a cotton wool pad. To start off, take your pad and carefully dab it into your charcoal powder tub until you have a moderate amount of powder on the pad and then work it onto the paper using a circular motion. Remember to only cover a limited area of the background at this stage.

Step 2

Once the first layer is put down on the paper, take some more powder and work over the top of this layer using the same circular motion.

Step 3

For darker tones, take your extra soft charcoal stick and work a small amount on a separate piece of paper. Then take a clean cotton wool pad, rub it into the charcoal you have worked on this separate piece of paper, and then transfer it onto our canvas. Repeat the motion until you have the correct tone we are after.

You should now have a partially completed background; we are going to continue working on it once we have completed rendering the large icicle in the next section.

Step 4

If you need to do so, take your charcoal pencil and using the cross hatching method draw in areas of tone where it is needed and then take your cotton bud and blend the area you have drawn in.

5. A Brief Look at Rendering Wood

Step 1

We are now going to start working on the wooden beam at the top of the image that our icicles will be clinging to, so let’s begin rendering by using a small amount of graphite powder on your cotton bud to lay down a light base tone on the paper. Apply using the circulism method described earlier.

Step 2

To tighten the edges of your beam take a 2B or a 3B pencil and carefully draw in additional areas of tone. For added effect, pay close attention to your reference and take note of which direction the grain of the wood is going in. For example, I will be drawing from left to right following the horizontal direction of the grain of the wood in the reference.

Step 3

For darker grains of wood take your mechanical 4B pencil and continue to go in the horizontal direction left to right (or vice versa if you are left handed). Be sure to take great care when drawing in these grains as they are so fine.

6. Render the Ice

Step 1

Now that we have our wooden beam completed, we shall move on to an entirely different texture: slippery ice! To begin with, the process is very much the same as with the wooden beam. First put down a layer of graphite powder with your cotton bud.

Step 2

Next take your 6B pencil and, using tight circulism, carefully work in areas of tone in this first blob of ice. For darker tones, you may need to move to a 7B pencil, but be careful how much pressure you apply to the paper as it may get difficult to erase areas if we need to later on.

Step 3

Now we have some tones laid down on the paper, take your small and medium sized blending nubs and blend these tones together and try to smooth out the overall look of your rendering.

Step 4

For very small black tones, which are very few in this reference, I would suggest your best course of action is to take a soft charcoal pencil and carefully draw in these fine black areas. Remember to make sure the pencil is sharp before you start.

Step 5

We now need to add some bright specular highlights to the image. To create these we are going to use our mechanical eraser but, as you will note in our reference, these highlights are very fine, so we will only need a fine touch on the paper with the eraser to create them as the eraser itself spins at such speed. If you wish to do so you can use the circular tombow eraser to further work your highlights.

7. Work on the Large Icicle

Step 1

We are now moving on to working on our main icicle, which firstly involves laying down a light tone of graphite powder with your cotton bud. This time, though, only put down one layer of powder, as we are going to be using our various mechanical and regular pencils for rendering.

Step 2

We are now going to render this icicle from the top down, and we are going to start by using a regular 4B pencil and work using the tight circulism method to carefully add additional tone to the paper.

For any fine rendering, I find it best to move to mechanical pencils as these do remain sharp, and the fine lead is ideal for working in tight corners and picking out the smallest details.

Step 3

Now we are going to create some bright highlights using our fine square and circular tombow erasers. Take careful note of where your highlights are in your reference and use careful strokes with your erasers when working. Remember, if you have not worked your pencil marks too hard into the paper, you should not have any problems when it comes to erasing.

Step 4

We should now have our first stage completed, and shall now move down the icicle, following the same process as before, by first applying a little graphite powder to a section of the icicle.

Step 5

As we move further down the icicle, you will notice more and more tiny air bubbles appear trapped within the ice, and you will find you will need to make more use of your mechanical pencils to draw these in using a circular motion. For really light bubbles I find it best to use a sharp 2H pencil and then draw the bubbles in using a light touch.

Step 6

Continue to work carefully down the icicle until it is complete, following the same methods we have worked with throughout this tutorial.

8. Work on the Smaller Icicle

Step 1

Having completed our main icicle, we now shall move onto the last remaining icicle. As with the previous icicles, our first step is to put down a layer of graphite powder. With this icicle being so much smaller, however, you need to take much more care when working with your cotton bud.

Step 2

Take your 2B mechanical pencil and, as with the previous icicle, use tight circulism to carefully lay down light areas of tone. Next, move to your 6B pencil or charcoal pencil and draw in the darker tones.

Again, as with our previous icicles, you may need to use either your small or medium blending nubs to smooth out some of your rendering. For this smaller icicle, the small nub may be the best tool to use.

9. Add Dazzling Highlights

Step 1

For added effect we are going to add a few specular highlights to our image, which really make our icicles stand out. It is very important to take note of where your light sources are coming from when attempting to do this sort of effect, as having bright highlights dotted everywhere on the image can confuse viewers of the art work.

We need to start this effect by making sure the area where we intend to put our highlights is clean and clear, so use your tombow erasers to get rid of any unnecessary pencil marks.

Step 2

If there are any difficult pencil marks remaining, use your mechanical eraser to try and remove them. A strong word of caution, however: do not hold the eraser on the paper for too long, as you will burn the surface of the paper and ruin the entire drawing!

Step 3

Next, take your circular tombow eraser and carefully work in a few glints to really sell the reflection. Be sparing in how many barbs you make, as too many will spoil the effect. Less is more!

10. Add Fixative and Finishing Touches

Step 1

You should now have an image that is virtually complete! It is at this point I would recommend you check your work carefully against our reference to make sure you have not missed any details.

Step 2

In our reference you will notice there are a few floating bits of dust around the icicles, so we are carefully going to put these in using our circular tombow erasers and using a very light touch by simply tapping the artwork with the erasers. If you don’t get the effect you are after first time then a slightly harder tap may be required.

Lastly, to seal your work, you should now spray your drawing with artist’s fixative. This substance prevents any accidental smudging of your drawing when it is on display or in storage.

Finally We Are Finished!

Ice can be one of nature’s greatest wonders, especially when you get phenomena like icicles in many different shapes and sizes clinging to various surface ledges and walls.

With this tutorial I hope I have given you an insight into how you too can create your own cool, natural sculptures that hopefully will give Mother Nature herself a rival to go up against!

How to Draw Ice Cream Step by Step

In this yummy tutorial, I’ll show you an easy way to draw three different types of ice cream, using a graphite pencil and ink liners.

We’ll create various textures and explore the principles of sketching. Let’s have fun!

What You Will Need

You’ll need the following equipment in order to complete this tutorial project:

1. How to Draw an Ice Cream Cone

Step 1

With a graphite pencil, I draw a core line of the ice cream. This line is slightly tilted to make the drawing more interesting and dynamic.

I also add the upper and lower borders of the shape and mark the separating point between the cone and the ice cream itself.

Step 2

I mark the side borders of the ice cream cone and connect them with the bottom point, using straight lines.

Then I draw a circular shape for the ice cream ball.

Step 3

I add the oval shape of the cone’s opening. It will help us to construct the drawing correctly.

Step 4

I draw the inclined lines to create the cone’s pattern.

Step 5

I add a set of lines that are crossing the existing ones. Now we can see a rhombic pattern.

Step 6

I refine the top of the ice cream, marking its relief.

Step 7

I add small nuts to the ice cream. Small elements will balance the drawing.

Step 8

With the 0.4 ink liner, I outline the contours of the ice cream and mark the hollows of the cone pattern.

Step 9

I add groups of hatches to the hollows, using the 0.05 ink liner.

Step 10

I add rounded hatches to the sides of the cone, using the 0.1 liner. This simple trick helps to give the figure more volume.

Step 11

With dots and short hatches, I mark the relief of the prominent parts of the cone’s pattern. The 0.1 ink liner is a great tool for this step.

Step 12

With the 0.4 ink liner, I complete the contours of the ice cream’s top. I also add the groups of dots to this shape to create a beautiful texture.

Step 13

With the 0.05 liner, I add thin hatches to the sides of the ice cream.

Step 14

I use the 0.4 ink liner to add dots to the drawing, accenting the shadows. This ice cream is complete!

2. How to Draw an Ice Cream in a Glass Bowl

Step 1

With a graphite pencil, I sketch a core line and mark the lower and upper borders of the future drawing.

I also add a spacing line where the stem of the vessel turns into a wide bowl.

Step 2

I draw the stem, starting with the oval shape of the opening.

It’s very convenient to use the vertical core line to make the measurements, and the halves of your drawing will then be even.

Step 3

A simple way to draw the bowl it is to start with the contours of bowl’s sides and then add the upper opening.

Keep using the vertical core line to make the measurements!

Step 4

I add the rounded shapes of three ice cream balls.

Step 5

I draw the cherry, imagining that it is slightly sunken in the ice cream.

Step 6

I refine the shapes of the ice cream, adding a small waffle stick and some chocolate sauce.

The sketch is ready for inking!

Step 7

With the 0.4 ink liner, I outline the contours of the drawing.

Step 8

I add groups of rounded hatches to the bowl, using the 0.05 ink liner.

Step 9

With the 0.1 liner, I work on the stem, accenting its sides. It is important to be accurate with the glass objects, so don’t overdo the artwork.

Step 10

With the 0.1 ink liner, I add rounded hatches to the bowl. An additional layer of hatching on the shape’s sides helps to make it look more three-dimensional.

Step 11

I mark shadows on the chocolate sauce and the cherry, using the 0.2 ink liner.

Step 12

With the 0.2 ink liner, I add groups of dots to the ice cream balls.

Step 13

I add short hatches to the ice cream shapes, using the 0.05 liner. I mark the relief of the objects and create an illusion of a rough surface.

Step 14

I add hatches to the sides of the waffle stick, using the 0.1 ink liner.

Step 15

With the 0.1 ink liner, I add hatching to the chocolate sauce, leaving small highlights.

Step 16

I add hatches the cherry, using the 0.1 ink liner. Like the chocolate, the cherry is the darkest object in the drawing.

Please be sure to leave a highlight on the cherry!

Step 17

With the 0.2 ink liner, I add some dots and short hatches to accentuate the shadows and create a unified look of the drawing.

3. How to Draw an Ice Lolly

Step 1

I draw a vertical core line, using a graphite pencil. I also mark the border between the ice cream itself and the stick.

Step 2

I draw the shape of the ice cream. You can use the core line to make both halves symmetrical, but there is no strict rule that an ice lolly has to be perfectly even.

Step 3

I add the curved shape of the stick.

Step 4

I insert the small shapes of the nuts. They will make the texture of the ice cream more interesting and varied.

Step 5

With the 0.4 ink liner, I outline the contours of the drawing.

Step 6

I mark the shadows under the nuts, using the 0.4 ink liner.

Step 7

With the 0.1 liner, I cover the lolly’s shape with long, even hatches.

Step 8

I add cross-hatches, using the 0.1 ink liner. An additional layer of lines at the sides will accentuate the three-dimensional look of the object.

Step 9

It’s time to work on the stick. With the 0.1 liner, I add the ink lines that are imitating a wooden pattern.

I also create a drop shadow from the ice lolly.

Step 10

I add another layer of hatching to the ice cream, using the 0.2 liner. This object is dark, so don’t worry about overdoing it.

Step 11

With the 0.2 liner, I mark the core shadows on the nuts and add groups of short hatches to vary the texture.

Your Drawings Are Complete

Congratulations! You’ve created three ink sketches depicting different types of ice cream. I hope you enjoyed both the process and the result.

The journey of food sketching is waiting for you, and I wish you much success!

How to draw ice

Step 25: Darken the curved lines on the left side to create the shape of the tail. At the tip of the ice dragon’s tail, draw a couple of small, triangular shapes for an arrow-like spike.

Step 26: Draw a series of small, triangular shapes along the top of the body for the spikes on the back. As you get to the curved section of the dragon’s tail, start placing the spikes inside and making them thinner. As you get closer to the tip of the tail, place the spikes back at the top and make them bigger. Using a series of short lines, draw the remaining scales along the underside of the ice dragon’s body.

Step 27: Go over the final sketch lines with a pen, marker or any other type of permanent ink. Take your time and be careful when you ink to avoid any accidents. After inking, get rid of every pencil mark with an eraser for a cleaner drawing.

Final Step: Color your ice dragon drawing! Use blue as the base for the dragon’s body. Color lightly at first. Gradually make your color darker by pushing harder on your pencil. If you don’t want an ice dragon, you can color your drawing any other color! Use a bit of dark blue throughout the body to create some shadows and give the figure more volume. Now use light blue for the plate armor at the bottom and the inner wing. Using dark blue, draw a few lines along the side of the dragon’s armor to make it reflective. Use mainly light blue with a bit of dark blue for the remaining spikes and horns. Use lines and streaks inside the shapes to give them an icicle- like appearance.

Draw a shadow at the bottom using gray and blue so that the dragon doesn’t appear to be floating. Don’t forget to pause the video to draw at your own pace.

Thanks for visiting! Subscribe to the How2DrawAnimals YouTube Channel for a new tutorial every week.

How to draw ice

In this free art lesson, you’ll learn how to draw an Ice Dragon step-by-step.

Stay tuned for more free drawing lessons by:

All of the tutorials on How2DrawAnimals.com are good drawing tutorials for beginners and experienced artists alike. The online tutorials are easy to follow; they teach you the how to draw basics while showing you how to draw animals step by step. Each animal has a video drawing tutorial option, as well as step-by-step photos and written text to follow.

The Time-Lapse (Speed Drawing) video:

To draw an Ice Dragon step by step, follow along with the video tutorial below and pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace. You may find it easier to follow the step-by-step drawings below the video. The new lines in each step are shown in red, so you’ll know exactly what to draw next. You may want to open the video in a new tab and use both drawing methods. Take your time and draw at your own pace.

The Written step-by-step video tutorial:

For the first few steps, don’t press down too hard with your pencil. Use light, smooth strokes to begin.

Step 1: Draw a circle on the right side of the paper as a guide for the front part of the ice dragon’s body. First make four small marks to indicate the circle’s height and width. Then connect the marks using curved lines. If you’re struggling to draw the circle, trace the outer rim of a bottle cap, a lid or any other object with a circular edge. For a more detailed guide on the different ways to draw a circle check out this tutorial: Four simple ways to draw a circle.

Step 2: On the left side, draw a smaller circle as a guide for the back of the body. This circle should be about half the size of the first one. The farther apart they are, the longer the ice dragon’s body will be.

Step 3: Draw another circle on the top, right side as a guide for the ice dragon’s head. This circle should be about one-fourth the size of the first circle. Place this circle pretty high up so that the dragon ends up with a long neck.

Step 4: On the right side of the ice dragon’s head, draw a small arc as a guide for the muzzle. The bigger you draw this arc, the bigger the muzzle will be. Make it slope down a bit too.

Step 5: Under the big circle on the right, draw an angled line as a guide for the first front leg. The line should bend near the middle to indicate the joint and at the bottom for the foot. Draw a shorter, angled line to the right as a guide for the ice dragon’s other front leg.

How to draw ice

Step 6: Draw another angled line under the circle on the left as a guide for the first hind leg. This line should bend twice in the middle for the joints and once at the bottom for the ice dragon’s foot. Add another angled line to the right as a guide for the other hind leg.

Step 7: Draw two curved lines to connect the head to the body and form the guide for the neck. The line on the left should curve a lot at the top. Use two lines to connect the first two circles together and form the rest of the ice dragon’s body.

Step 8: Draw a long, curved line that starts on the top, left side for the first part of the ice dragon’s tail. The line should curve, and the end of it should be under the guide for the hind legs. Sketch the line lightly so that it’s easy to erase if you make a mistake. Draw another curved line that starts closer to the hind legs to complete the shape of the dragon’s tail. The two lines should meet under the hind legs to form a pointy tip.

Step 9: At the top of the very first circle, draw a long, angled line for the first part of the wing. At the top of this line, draw another long line that curves to the left for the top of the wing. The longer you make these lines, the bigger the ice dragon’s wings will be. Add another long, curved line in the middle to finish the guide for the wing.

That’s it for the guides! From this point on, press harder with your pencil for a more defined drawing.