How to Draw Greek Designs

A sharp pencil provides precision when drawing Greek designs.

Sculptors in ancient Greece had a very distinct way of decorating their pottery with controlled, patterned designs. The finished products were often repetitive strings of the same design done over and over again to create a sort of strip design. Drawing Greek designs yourself can be easy if you keep all of your lines controlled and sharp. Although there are many different types of Greek designs, a Greek border is among the most classic.

Things You'll Need

• Pencil
• Ruler
• Tracing paper
• Regular paper
• Eraser

Instructions

1. Use a pencil and ruler to create a rectangle that is 1 inch high and 4 inches across on tracing paper. Divide the rectangle into four equally sized squares.

2. Draw a 1 x 1-inch square on a regular piece of paper. Use a ruler to create a line that travels around the inside of the square and into itself, making a sort of square swirl. Keep it going until you reach the middle of the square. Use your pencil to shade the line to make it thicker. Make sure that the line is the same thickness throughout.

3. Place tracing paper over the regular paper, aligning the Greek design square with the first square on the tracing paper. Trace the design in each of the four squares, creating a Greek pattern design.

4. Use an eraser to fix any mistakes or smudges. It is best if the design is very sharp, with no soft corners.

References

• Team Sugar: Samples of Greek Designs
• Karen's Whimsy: Ancient Greek Art

Resources

• Trade Shop: Samples of Greek Designs