How to Draw Cymbals — Free Practice Sheets

Drawing cymbals is mostly a problem of stacking two round shapes so they read as one instrument. The top disc sits above the bottom disc with a narrow gap between them, and a small dome called the bell rises at the center of the top disc. This page explains how to place those parts, how to suggest metal with curved lines, and how to check your drawing against a reference rather than chasing a pixel-perfect copy.

Start with two stacked ellipses

Begin by drawing the top disc as a wide ellipse, then draw a second ellipse below it. Leave a narrow gap between the two outlines so the edge profile is visible; without that gap the shapes merge into one flat blob. Keep both ellipses similar in width so the cymbals look like a matched pair rather than two different objects.

The gap is the key structural detail. It tells the viewer that one disc rests above the other. If you close the gap completely, the drawing loses the stacked reading even when the circles are well shaped.

1. Draw a wide ellipse for the top disc.
2. Draw a second ellipse below it, leaving a narrow gap between the outlines.
3. Check that both ellipses are similar in width and centered over each other.

Add the bell and stem

At the center of the top ellipse, draw a small dome. This is the bell, the raised center that gives the cymbal its shape. Keep it small relative to the disc; a bell that spreads too far across the surface makes the cymbal look like a bowl.

On top of the dome, add a short vertical stem or knob. This small detail marks the center clearly and helps the eye find the middle of the instrument. Place it directly above the dome rather than off to one side.

1. Mark the center of the top ellipse.
2. Draw a small dome shape centered on that mark.
3. Add a short vertical stem or knob above the dome.

Suggest metal with curved lines and rim marks

Draw curved concentric lines across the top disc to suggest the metal surface and its reflection. These lines should follow the roundness of the disc rather than running straight across it. A few well-placed curves do more than many crowded ones.

Outline the curved outer rims of both discs, then add short vertical hatch marks along the side band. These marks indicate thickness and help the edge read as metal rather than paper. Keep the hatch marks short and evenly spaced so they support the shape instead of distracting from it.

1. Draw a few curved lines across the top disc, following its roundness.
2. Outline the curved outer rims of both discs.
3. Add short vertical hatch marks along the side band to show thickness.

Use the practice sheet formats

The trace sheet asks you to follow the reference outline first, then practise the contour independently. The grid sheet asks you to copy the reference onto a blank grid using matching intersections. The bounding-frame sheet gives you a frame and center guide for placing the silhouette before adding details. The complete-the-drawing sheet leaves the right-hand portion blank so you finish it from the full reference.

In every format, compare your work with the separate full reference sheet. The goal is to preserve the visible features and proportions, not to match every pixel. Different line weights and slightly different curve shapes can still be correct drawings.

1. Choose the format that matches your practice goal.
2. Place the silhouette using the outline, grid or frame guide.
3. Add the bell, stem, surface curves and rim marks.
4. Compare with the full reference sheet and adjust proportions.

Check your drawing

Look for the two discs, the visible gap, the central dome, the stem and the rounded outer edges. If any of these are missing or misplaced, fix that part before refining surface lines. A drawing with correct structure and simple lines reads better than one with busy detail and a collapsed stack.

1. Confirm two discs are present.
2. Confirm a narrow gap separates them.
3. Confirm the bell and stem sit at the center of the top disc.
4. Confirm both outer rims are curved and rounded.

Check your work

• Two disc shapes are present and stacked vertically.
• A narrow visible gap separates the top and bottom discs.
• A small dome bell sits at the center of the top disc.
• A short stem or knob rises above the bell.
• Curved lines across the top disc follow its roundness.
• Both outer rims are curved and rounded.
• Short vertical hatch marks indicate the side band thickness.
• Proportions are checked against the full reference sheet.

Worked example

cymbals: Trace the reference outline, then practise the contour independently. Compare with the separate full reference sheet.

Common mistakes

• Drawing the two discs with no gap between them. Redraw the lower ellipse with a narrow space above it so the stacked edge is visible.
• Making the bell too large across the top disc. Shrink the dome so it stays a small raised center, then re-center the stem above it.
• Running surface lines straight across the disc. Curve the lines to follow the disc's roundness, and remove any that crowd the center.

Questions and answers