How to draw a coffee cup, step by step
- Easy
- 10 min
- 9 steps
- 4 materials
How to draw a coffee cup: this free lesson draws a mug next to a round teapot in 9 easy steps, with a picture for every step, and it suits beginners. You box in the scene with a ground line, place an oval for the teapot and a tall rectangle for the mug, and trace their combined outline. Then you draw the teapot's round body, its lid, the spout and the arched handle, and finish with the straight-sided mug and its C-shaped handle. Draw it on paper, or trace each step in the Pencilbloom app.
Trace this lesson on your own paper
What you’ll need
- HB pencil
- Eraser
- Drawing paper
- Black fine-liner (optional)
Draw it step by step
Step 1 of 9
new lines in red
- done
- this step
Step 1: Box in the whole scene
Lightly draw a wide box around both objects and a ground line along the bottom where the teapot and mug sit.
Tip: Press very lightly; these guides get erased later.
Step 2: Place the main forms
Sketch a large oval for the teapot body, and a tall rectangle to its right for the mug, both resting on the ground line.
Tip: Compare widths: the teapot body is about twice as wide as the mug.
Step 3: Trace the combined outline
Follow the outer silhouette: knob, lid, spout, round body, handle and the mug with its handle, in one flowing line.
Tip: Use long, confident strokes and keep your wrist loose on the curves.
Step 4: Draw the teapot body
Inside the silhouette, draw the big round belly of the teapot, following your oval guide.
Tip: Turn the paper so the curve feels natural under your hand.
Step 5: Add the lid
On top of the body, draw the domed lid as a flat, wide arc that sits just above the body's top edge.
Step 6: Shape the spout
On the left side, draw the spout curving out from the body and flaring to a angled tip.
Tip: Keep both sides of the spout gently curved and similar in width.
Step 7: Draw the teapot handle
On the right of the body, draw the arched handle rising from the shoulder and curving down toward the mug.
Step 8: Draw the mug
Using your rectangle guide, draw the mug with straight sides, a flat rim and softly rounded bottom corners.
Tip: Check that the sides are parallel and the rim is level.
Step 9: Add the mug handle
On the mug's right side, draw the outer C-shaped handle, then the smaller inner curve inside it.
Tip: Keep the gap between the two curves even.
swipe the drawing to change step
Done! Now on paper?
You’ve seen every step. Trace it on real paper with Pencilbloom; your phone shows each step right on the page.
Trace this lesson on your own paper
Pencilbloom shows each step through your camera, right on the page.
FAQ
What paper and pencil should I use for tracing?
With the camera, any plain paper works, from printer paper to a sketchbook. For Trace on screen, use thin paper so the picture shines through. An HB pencil is good for guide lines and a softer 2B for darker final lines. Tape the paper down so it doesn't move.
How do the step-by-step drawing lessons work?
Each lesson builds a drawing in small steps, big shapes first and details last, with a picture for every step. You can draw along on paper while looking at the steps, or trace each step in the app. Many lessons are free, and you'll find them all on our Learn page.