How to Draw a Farmhouse

Drawing a farmhouse can seem like a daunting task, but with some simple techniques and a bit of practice, anyone can learn how to sketch a charming rural home. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk through a step-by-step process for drawing a classic farmhouse façade with pencil and paper.

Intro

As one of the most iconic symbols of countryside living, the farmhouse remains a favorite subject for artists to capture in drawings, paintings, and other media. The classic elements like a simple A-frame shape, large front porch, shuttered windows, and rustic materials like wood and stone, all lend charm and whimsy to farmhouse illustrations. Even beginning sketchers can have fun rendering the humble farmhouse when they follow some basic steps.

In the tutorial below, we will focus on crafting a simple front-facing farmhouse drawing. With an understanding of perspective, proportion, line work, and shading, you’ll learn techniques to add realism and personality to your farmhouse art. Let’s get started!

How to Draw a Farmhouse Step-by-Step

Sketch the Basic Structure

First, lightly sketch an inverted “V” shape in pencil to represent the A-frame roofline. Add in two slightly angled vertical lines for the walls coming down from the roof. Then box in the front porch by drawing a large horizontal rectangle in the center. Two smaller vertical rectangles represent the porch columns. Once you have this basic outline, you can start adding more specific farmhouse elements.

Add the Windows and Door

Most farmhouses have double-hung windows with a pair of shutters on each side. Sketch in the windows by drawing two vertical rectangles side-by-side on both the upper and lower levels of your farmhouse outline. Divide each rectangle horizontally for the double-hung style. Draw shutters as narrow vertical lines on either side of each window pair. For the front door, sketch a simple rectangular shape on the porch.

Include Exterior Details

Now you can start drawing in exterior details to give your farmhouse more old-fashioned, rustic character. Add a gabled roof by connecting the upper points of the A-frame with two angled lines. Sketch a brick chimney on the side of the house. Texture the walls by drawing uneven lines to represent weathered wooden siding or a stone façade. Render the front porch with railings, stairs, and an overhead gable.

Add Shading

Shading is important for making your farmhouse illustration more realistic and three-dimensional. Use hatching (parallel lines) to shade the darker shadowed areas like under the porch roof, beneath the roof eaves, and around the windows. Crosshatching (crisscrossed lines) works well for the brick chimney. The lines should be closer together in darker shadowed spaces. Leave the lit areas white for highlights.

Include Foreground and Surroundings

Finally, complete your farmhouse drawing by adding some foreground and landscape surroundings. Sketch a picket fence in front of the home to enhance its cozy curb appeal. Draw in some plants, shrubs, and trees to frame the house. Adding a winding driveway, barn, silo, fields, or animals can turn your simple farmhouse sketch into a charming rural scene.

Tips for Drawing Farmhouses

• Study reference photos of real farmhouses to note the proportions, shapes, and architectural details unique to them. This will lend more realism to your drawings.
• Use a light hand during the initial sketching stages. Heavier lines can be drawn over your guidelines later.
• Start with simple farmhouse structures. Avoid overly complex designs until you become more experienced.
• Vary your line thickness and darkness to enhance depth and shadows.
• Keep perspective in mind when adding landscape surroundings like fences, barns, etc. Use vanishing points.
• Farmhouses make great drawing subjects for beginners learning shading techniques like hatching and crosshatching.
• Don’t worry about perfection. Rustic, weathered farmhouses don’t need precise lines and shapes.

With some basic sketching knowledge and a bit of farmhouse inspiration, anyone can learn how to draw charming farmhouse art. Follow the steps above to craft your own simple farmhouse drawings. In no time you’ll be bringing quaint country life to paper one illustrationundefined