How to Draw Ghost — Free Practice Sheets

A ghost is a friendly drawing subject because its silhouette is built from a few clear shapes: a rounded dome, two arms that curve outward, and a wavy hem like draped cloth. The practice sheets on this page let you trace the outline first, then try the contour independently. You can also copy the reference onto a blank grid, use a bounding frame and center guide, or complete a partially drawn version. Each method trains the same skill: placing the large shapes before adding the face.

Start With the Silhouette, Not the Face

Before drawing eyes or a mouth, establish the ghost's overall outline. Think of the body as a soft dome sitting above a draped sheet. The dome should be wide and rounded rather than pointed, and the sides should flow into the arms without sharp corners. The arms extend outward from the body, curving gently rather than sticking out at rigid right angles. The bottom hem is a series of soft waves that suggest fabric.

A useful order is top, sides, bottom, then face. Draw the dome first, add the two outward-curving arms, connect the lower body with a wavy hem, and only then place the facial features inside the head area. Keeping the face small relative to the dome helps the ghost read clearly as a sheet-like figure rather than a round character with a large face.

1. Draw a large rounded dome for the top of the ghost's head.
2. Add two outward-curving arm shapes on the left and right sides of the body.
3. Draw a wavy bottom edge connecting the lower body to form the draped sheet hem.
4. Add two oval eyes and a smaller oval mouth inside the head area.

Using the Practice Sheet Formats

The trace sheet asks you to follow the reference outline, then practise the contour independently on the same page. Tracing builds muscle memory for the dome and hem; the independent attempt shows whether you can reproduce those shapes without guidance. Compare your freehand contour with the separate full reference sheet rather than with your traced line, so you notice where the proportions drifted.

The grid sheet asks you to copy the reference onto a blank grid using matching grid intersections. Instead of judging distances by eye alone, you can note where the dome top, arm tips, and hem waves fall relative to grid lines. The bounding-frame sheet gives you an outer frame and a center guide to place the silhouette before adding details. The complete-the-drawing sheet provides the left portion and asks you to finish the right side using the full reference, which tests whether you can continue shapes accurately across the page.

1. On the trace sheet, follow the outline once, then draw the contour again without tracing.
2. On the grid sheet, mark where key points fall on grid intersections before connecting them.
3. On the frame sheet, use the center guide to keep the dome and hem balanced left to right.
4. On the complete-the-drawing sheet, match the height and curve of the given side as you finish the other side.

Checking Your Drawing Without Chasing an Exact Copy

Ghost drawings have many valid outcomes. A slightly wider dome, rounder arms, or a different number of hem waves can still be correct. Assess the visible features and proportions instead of aiming for pixel-perfect matching. Ask whether the head reads as a rounded dome, whether both arms extend outward, whether the hem looks wavy and draped, and whether the eyes and mouth sit inside the head area at a sensible size.

If something looks off, compare the large shapes first. A common problem is making the dome too narrow or pointed, which makes the figure look like a balloon. Another is drawing arms that hang downward instead of extending outward. A third is placing the face too low or too large, which crowds the dome. Adjust the silhouette before refining small details, because small fixes cannot correct a misplaced overall shape.

1. Compare the dome width and roundness with the reference.
2. Check that both arms curve outward from the body.
3. Confirm the hem has soft waves rather than a straight or jagged edge.
4. Verify the eyes and mouth sit inside the head area and remain smaller than the dome.

Building Confidence With Repeated Practice

Repeat the same ghost across formats to isolate one skill at a time. Tracing helps you feel the contour; the grid helps you judge placement; the frame helps you balance the silhouette; completing a partial drawing helps you continue shapes accurately. Keep your first attempts light so you can adjust the dome or hem without erasing heavily.

When you move to a blank page, sketch the dome and hem lightly, then darken the lines you keep. This keeps the drawing flexible while you decide on arm angle and hem wave count. The goal is a clear, recognizable ghost with balanced proportions, not an identical copy of the reference.

1. Sketch the dome and hem lightly before committing to final lines.
2. Adjust arm angle and hem waves while the lines are still easy to change.
3. Darken the contour once the large shapes look balanced.
4. Add the face last and keep it small inside the dome.

Check your work

• The head reads as a large rounded dome rather than a pointed or narrow shape.
• Two arms extend outward from the sides of the body with gentle curves.
• The bottom hem is wavy and suggests draped fabric.
• Two oval eyes and a smaller oval mouth sit inside the head area.
• The face remains small relative to the dome and does not crowd the silhouette.
• The overall proportions look balanced even if the drawing differs from the reference.

Worked example

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

Common mistakes

• Drawing a pointed or narrow head instead of a rounded dome. Widen the top curve and check that the head reads as a soft dome before adding arms or face.
• Making the arms hang downward or stick out at sharp angles. Redraw each arm as a gentle outward curve from the side of the body.
• Placing large facial features low in the body. Keep the eyes and mouth small and inside the head area, then compare their size with the dome.

Questions and answers