How to Draw an Axe

In today’s tutorial, we will show you how to draw an axe with our step by step instructions. During Medieval times, it was a symbol of battle, made from metal or stone and wood. Today, it can be found in historic events, museums and even digital games. This design can be used for a logo, party themes, social events or illustrations.

You can use our drawing tutorials with any medium you have available, including color pencils, markers or even programs like Procreate.

We will be using Procreate with these ink Procreate brushes to outline and create the wood texture on our axe handle. So, gather your materials together and let's get started.

Step 1 - Create the Rough Axe Sketch

Let's begin by sketching the shapes that make up our axe drawing. You can use any sketch medium as long as it can be easily removed or covered up. If you are drawing on paper, a light colored pencil is a great option.

For the head of the axe, first sketch a rectangle. Then sketch a horizontal triangle with the pointed tip overlapping the middle of the rectangle. See our example sketch below for a visual guide.

Next, sketch a long, vertical rectangle for the wooden handle. Make this shape narrower and place it beneath the top rectangle. We have sketched this in red to make it easier to follow.

Following our sketch below, connect the top rectangle and triangle as one object. We exaggerated the triangle (or blade) shape by adding inward curves on both sides and a rounded end. Next, draw a curve on both sides of the axe handle, about half way down.

Step 2 - Outline the Rough Axe Sketch

After drawing the shapes, we can now outline the rough sketch with a more permanent medium like a marker or pen. Begin with the outermost lines and don't forget to add the separation line between the axe head and the handle.

At the bottom of the handle, draw a small circle for the hole. After you are done outlining, you can remove the rough sketches.

Step 3 - Add Color to your Axe Drawing

We are now ready to add some color and our final details. For the color palette, we used a light brown for the handle and gray for the head.

If you're looking for more color options, be sure to check out the Procreate Color Palettes available on Design Bundles.

Change over to a darker brown color. Using wavy lines and V shapes, create the wood texture or wood grain on the handle. You can then add light gray lines to the axe head for the highlights.

Add shading to the head and handle of the axe with a dark grey and dark brown. Keep in mind the direction of "light" when adding shadows and highlights.

Your axe drawing is now complete! You can also make a double-sided axe by adding another triangle on the opposite side of the head. By using the easy to follow techniques in this tutorial, you can create any kind of axe that you want.