How to Draw a Birdhouse

A birdhouse is a relatively simple structure, but can be surprisingly difficult to draw well. This is often the case with built structures, which must be drawn with the proper perspectives in order to look right. The process of attaining the right perspectives in such drawings is generally exceedingly simple when using computer drawing programs, but is much more challenging to do freehand. However, by following basic steps and drawing the structure shape by shape, the process can be made much simpler.

Things You'll Need

• Paper
• Pencil
• Eraser
• Ruler (optional)

Instructions

1. 

   Draw a parallelogram, making the two shorter sides vertical and the longer sides at a slight angle from horizontal. This will be the side wall of the birdhouse.

2. 

   Add a second parallelogram on the left, sharing a vertical side with the first. Make the horizontal sides of this parallelogram shorter than the vertical sides and draw them at a steeper angle than the horizontal sides of the first. This will be the front of the birdhouse.

3. 

   Find the horizontal middle of the second parallelogram. Draw two lines from above (at any height you choose) and in the horizontal middle of the second parallelogram to its two upper corners, creating a triangle. This outlines the front of the birdhouse's roof.

4. 

   Use the top of the first parallelogram and the right side of the triangle to create a third parallelogram, completing the basic shape of the roof of the birdhouse.

5. 

   Extend the lines of the roof down past the corners of the birdhouse's walls a short distance. Draw a line connecting these extensions on the right side, widening the parallelogram of the roof, and draw a line parallel to this from the extension on the left side to the edge of the birdhouse's front wall.

6. 

   Draw two vertical ovals on the front of the birdhouse. One should be larger than and above the other, and both should be roughly centered horizontally in the birdhouse's front wall. Place them close together vertically. The steeper the angle of the birdhouse's front wall, the narrower the ovals should be horizontally. It may take several tries to get these ovals to come out looking right. These will be the entrance hole and base of the perch.

7. 

   Draw another oval, identical to and overlapping but slightly to the right of the first large oval. This oval will make it appear that the front wall of the birdhouse has some thickness. Also, draw two short lines parallel to the top edge of the roof extending from the top and bottom of the small oval out to the left, ending at the top and bottom of an identical small oval. This will form the perch.

8. 

   Draw two very short, vertical lines from the top corners of the roof, two equally short lines forming 90-degree angles with the right corners of the roof, and one equally short line forming a 90-degree angle with the left corner of the roof. Connect the free ends of these short lines with lines parallel to the existing edges of the roof. These new lines will make it appear that the roof of the birdhouse has some thickness.

9. 

   Erase all of the lines that should not be visible in the finished birdhouse so that it does not look like the house is made of transparent material. Where lines to be erased cross lines that should remain, you may need to re-draw parts of the remaining lines.

Tips & Warnings

• Draw lightly at first to make erasing lines easier. You can always go back and make existing lines darker, but erasing dark, heavy lines completely is much more difficult.