How to Draw A Cartoon Ladder made from simple rectangles

Drawing a cartoon ladder is definitely and easy thing to do. This object is rather simple and only a few minor things are needed in order to end up with a realistic illustration. Indeed, you must be able to draw nice straight lines and show some precision if you want to achieve your goal. It can also be fun to play with perspective to give yourself a more challenging task.

You can start your drawing journey by taking a look at the video below. Not only will you learn how to illustrate the ladder found on this page, but you will also have the opportunity to add some shadows. The latter is not available in the written version. If you need more help, just scroll below and read all the steps needed to create the perfect ladder in just a few minutes now. :)

drawing both rails using long and thin rectangles

First, let's sketch both rails using two long thin rectangles. These shapes are located only a few centimeters apart. Notice the slight angle of both shapes. You could use vertical objects too, but it's a good idea to use perspective and small angles in your drawing if you want to end up with a more dynamic result.

sketching the first step using another small rectangle

Once you are done creating the rails, you can add the first step using a horizontal rectangle. This new addition can be the same width as the rails. Also, as you can see below, this first step is not quite on top of the object. This one is located roughly a centimeter below the top. Nice work! This fun cartoon ladder is slowly becoming recognizable.

adding more steps to the cartoon ladder

Now that the first step is drawn, you can add six more steps to the object using more rectangles. Of course, if you drew smaller rails or longer ones, then the number of steps could vary. Just make sure the distance between all shapes is equal.

Just like we did on top of the ladder, make sure that there is a small space between the last step and the bottom of the object. Now that we have a nice template to work with, let's polish this one!

polishing the object using smooth shapes and lines

Using mostly smooth shapes and lines, it's time to create a realistic silhouette as shown in the illustration below. One important thing must also be done with all steps. Indeed, all steps are touching the inside part of the left rail. On the right side, the rail is located on top of all steps. This simple modification will give more perspective to the image.

using plain colors to complete this basic step-by-step lesson

One last thing we can do to complete this tutorial is add plain colors inside the cartoon ladder. For this lesson, a light brown color is used. Nice work! Now that you know a few more things about sketching and drawing ladders, feel free to be more creative and sketch your own versions. You can change the material (use metal), draw various perspectives or create complex models. The choice is all yours!

You are also invited to look at the picture below if you want to see all steps grouped into a single file. It's a different approach that can help you understand all steps more easily.

Now that we are done with this lesson, you can try more fun objects from this site below. Some of these lessons are also quite simple while others are filled with more complex effects. Practicing is the key and all these tutorials can provide useful tips to help you improve your abilities quickly and easily. Have fun!