How To Draw a Staircase with Winsor & Newton Promarkers

Opus Resource Library

Illustrating realistic staircase with Winsor & Newton Promarkers and Fineliners

Step 1

Start with a container box (red, blue and pink), that has the same height as the distance between the two levels (green and orange). It should have the standard ratio of 2/3. Red lines go to the left vanishing point, blue lines go to the right one and vertical lines (pink) are straight vertical.

Step 2

It will have 16 steps. I’m going to trace 15 dots (green) and use them to draw lines (blue). Then, I will draw a line (red) at the height of the last step. From both its ends, I’m tracing two diagonals (pink). They mark the inclination of the staircase.

Step 3

I will trace two verticals (blue) from the front bottom corners until they meet the height line of the first step. I am joining their ends with two lines (red). Then, I will draw two more (pink) starting from the blue’s ends until they meet the diagonals and close the plane with another one (purple).

Step 4

Repeat this same process to the top: A couple of verticals (blue) to the height of the next step and a red line joining their top ends. Then, pink lines until they meet the diagonals and close it with a purple one.

Step 5

Add some details. First a red line to mimic the staircase slab. Then a couple of vertical slim cylinders at the first step and at the landing (blue). Three lines (purple) joining their tops and two more (orange) will complete the handrail. Add cylinders (green) every 3 steps.

Step 6

Ink the drawing being very careful about transparencies. Do horizontal lines on both levels to mimic hardwood floors. Use different shades of brown Promarkers to create the texture of wood. Shade the space below the staircase using grey tones.

Materials Used:

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Roberto Bernal

I’m Roberto, an architect and artist from Colombia. After working in architecture and realising it focused more on budgets and permits than creativity, I shifted my career towards art.

We thank our friends at Winsor & Newton for this article.