How to Draw Outer Space With a Pencil

Learn how to draw planets with an easy step by step tutorial. Once you know how to draw the rings, you can even make up your own solar system.

Our solar system consists of a sun and lots of objects, including planets, that move around it. Some are small and rocky, and some are large and gaseous. There is even something called the asteroid belt – a region filled with millions of rocky objects. They are left over from when the planets formed, 4.5 billion years ago.

Children that are just learning about our solar system can have a little fun imagining what outer space looks like by drawing planets with their colorful rings. Once they grasp how easy it is to add those ovals around the center, they can draw them anywhere on the paper, in any scale they'd like.

A lesson about outer space is also the perfect time to practice a little easy perspective. Some planets can be small and far away, and some so close up they go off the page. Having some of each is what creates variety and makes a drawing more interesting to look at.

If you'd like to have children focus on the placement of their planets, and not so much on drawing perfect circles, then a circle template might be worth investing in. Many quilting supply places sell them, just look for one that has a wide range of sizes.

Lastly, to mix things up a bit, I recommend using black card stock paper and metallic markers. Aside from being so fun to draw with, those colors pop off the page, and all those stars are made with a tap on the paper. And what other subject matter is better for bright colors on black paper than a drawing about planets in outer space?

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Materials for How to Draw Planets

Eraser. Large ones you can hold in your hand do a much better job than just the pencil tips.

Black Sharpie Marker. These fine point permanent marker pens make nice black outlines, have a good tip for coloring, and never bleed when they get wet. Use them with good ventilation and add extra paper underneath to protect your tables.

Prang Crayons. These are a bit softer than other crayons so they sometimes look like oil pastels. They also have a some nice brown shades that Crayola does not have unless you buy their larger boxes.

Crayola Crayons. The reliable brand that always works well. The 24 pack has some of my favorite golden orange and yellow colors that seem a bit richer and warmer than the ones Prang has.