How to Draw a Suit: Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

Written by Daisie Team

Published on 10 July 2023 5 min read

Learning how to draw a suit doesn't have to be a daunting task. With the right approach, materials, and a bit of practice, you'll be creating impressive suit sketches in no time. This step-by-step guide is designed to equip beginners with a clear, easy-to-follow process on how to draw a suit. So, let's get started!

1. Gather Your Materials

Before we dive into the world of art and begin our journey on how to draw a suit, let's start by gathering the materials we need. This will help ensure a smooth and uninterrupted drawing process.

Choose Your Paper

First up, let's talk about paper. Now, you don't need any fancy art paper to get started. A standard sketchpad or even a piece of printer paper will do just fine. However, if you're planning to add color or use heavy shading, you might want to opt for a thicker paper—like a drawing pad—to avoid any unwanted tears or smudges. Remember, the goal is to feel comfortable as you draw, so choose what feels best for you.

Pick Your Pencils

Next, pencils. For beginners, it's best to start with a standard HB pencil for your initial sketches. This type of pencil provides just the right balance between hardness for easy erasing and softness for visible lines. As you progress and start to add details to your suit drawing, you might also want to have a few darker pencils—like a 2B or 4B—on hand for shading and a sharper pencil for outlining. Remember, the trick is to start light and progressively get darker!

Select an Eraser

Last but not least, an eraser. Sounds simple right? Well, when it comes to learning how to draw a suit, or any piece of art for that matter, the type of eraser you use can make a big difference. For beginners, a standard rubber eraser works great for larger areas, while a kneaded eraser is excellent for removing lighter pencil marks. So, grab your eraser of choice and let's move onto the next step!

2. Start with Basic Shapes

Now that we have our materials ready, let's start with the basics. Drawing a suit is much easier when you break it down into simple shapes. This step-by-step method helps keep the process manageable and fun, especially for beginners.

Draw a Head

The head serves as a reference point for the rest of your drawing. Start by sketching a simple oval shape for the head. It doesn't have to be perfect—remember, this is just a guide, and you'll be refining these shapes as you progress. Once you're happy with the shape and size, you can move onto the next step: constructing the body structure.

Construct Body Structure

Now, let's build the body. Imagine the body as a set of basic shapes—a rectangle for the torso and thinner rectangles for the arms. Keep it simple and proportional to the head. This is your canvas for learning how to draw a suit. You're not just drawing a suit, but also the person wearing it. So take your time with this step.

Form the Suit Shape

With the basic body structure in place, it's time to form the suit shape. Picture the suit jacket as a wider rectangle that follows the shape of the torso, with triangles for the lapels and a thinner rectangle for the tie. Also, remember to add rectangles for the sleeves. At this stage, your drawing should start to resemble a suit-clad figure. Exciting, isn't it? You're well on your way to mastering how to draw a suit!

3. Add Details to Your Suit

Alright! You've nailed the basic shapes. Now, the magic truly begins as we add the details that transform those shapes into a suit. This is where your drawing starts to come to life. So, let's dive in, shall we?

Sketch the Lapel

Let's start with the lapels - the folded flaps on the front of the suit. These add a touch of elegance to your suit drawing. Draw two triangles, one on each side of the collar, making sure the bottom of the triangle aligns with where the buttons will be. See how your suit is beginning to look more refined?

Outline the Tie

Now, let's give our suit a bit of personality with a tie! Draw a thin rectangle from the collar to the middle of the torso. For the tie's knot, a simple square or circle at the top of the rectangle works well. Remember, the tie is an opportunity to showcase the personality of the person wearing the suit. So, have fun with it!

Detail the Buttons

And what's a suit without buttons? Draw two circles on the torso where the suit jacket closes. Make sure they line up with the bottom of the lapel. There you go, with the addition of these buttons, your suit drawing is starting to look rather dapper, don't you think? It's amazing how these small details make a significant difference when learning how to draw a suit.

4. Define Your Drawing

Great job on adding the details! Now, it's time to polish up your drawing. Here, we'll focus on refining the lines and adding depth to our suit. So, let's pick up where we left off, alright?

Retrace with Dark Pencils

First things first, let's make those lines bold and confident. Grab your dark pencil and retrace the lines of your suit. This will not only make your drawing pop but also hide any light sketch marks. You're doing an amazing job at learning how to draw a suit!

Add Shadows and Highlights

Now, let's add some life-like depth to your drawing. Lightly shade the areas where shadows would naturally fall, like under the lapel and along the sides of the suit. Then, add some highlights to the tie and buttons by leaving those areas a bit lighter. Notice how these shadows and highlights give your suit a three-dimensional feel?

5. Add Finishing Touches

Now, we're in the home stretch of our guide on how to draw a suit. It's time to add the final touches to your masterpiece. Ready to round up the process? Let's dive in!

Erase Guidelines

Remember those initial guidelines we made? Now's the time to say goodbye to them. Using your eraser, carefully remove all those guiding lines. Be careful not to smudge your drawing, though. We wouldn't want to mar the suit, would we?

Blend with a Stump

Next, let's smooth things out. Using a blending stump, gently blend your shading to eliminate harsh lines. This gives your suit a smooth, fabric-like texture. If you don't have a stump, don't worry—a simple cotton swab does the trick! Now, doesn't that suit look like it's just about ready to wear?

Finalize the Outline

Last but not least, finalize your suit drawing with a clean, sharp outline. This gives your work a finished, polished look. And there you have it—you've learned how to draw a suit, step by step, from scratch! How does it feel to see your work come alive?

Congratulations on completing this guide! Keep practicing and before you know it, you'll be drawing suits like a pro. Remember, the key to perfecting how to draw a suit—or any piece of art, really—is patience and practice. Keep those pencils moving!

If you enjoyed learning how to draw a suit and want to further develop your drawing skills, be sure to check out the workshop 'How to Draw Beautiful Character Designs from Scratch' by Trey Zimmerman. This workshop will teach you the techniques and tips to create stunning character designs from scratch, enhancing your artistic abilities and broadening your creative horizons.