How to Draw Rollers

It's hard to believe the first rollers ever created were horse-drawn. Today's high-tech, heavy-duty rollers flatten out rough roads when they are being paved. After all, no one wants a bumpy road!

Illustration of a green and gray colored roller.
Learn how to draw this roller.
In this section, we'll show you how to draw the above roller. You can draw this construction vehicle freehand while looking at your computer monitor or print out this page to get a closer look at each step.

Follow the red lines in each illustration to learn exactly what to draw in that step. The lines drawn in previous steps are shown in gray. Here, we'll show you an illustration of each step and then give you a description of how to draw it.

Illustration of an outline of the body of a roller.
Step 1: Start by drawing the two pieces that make up the body of the roller. Study the grid, and look at the different shapes. Then draw what you see.
Illustration of how to draw the rollers of a construction roller.
Step 2: To create the rollers, draw two large ovals. Draw a slightly smaller oval inside each one to create a ring. Add a rectangular shape with a rounded end to the front roller so it becomes a cylinder shape. Draw the rear roller as shown.
Illustration of how to create the axle brackets of a construction roller.
Step 3: To make axle brackets, draw a sideways diamond above each roller, with rounded rectangles coming out from the bottom. When drawing this part of the roller, make sure the bottom ends are rounded.
Illustration of how to create the axles of a construction roller.
Step 4: Draw ovals inside the rollers to add depth and create the axles. Add circles on the axle brackets to connect the rollers to the brackets. Draw four small ovals at the top of each axle bracket. Draw the small lines that make the axle brackets on the other side of the body, along with the small line from the bottom of the body to the front roller.
Illustration of how to create the handles and railings of a construction roller.
Step 5: Add handles and railings for the roller operator. Draw square shapes for the side panels. Draw a circle at the corners of each front side panel.

Draw a rectangle inside a rectangle on the front roller; this is the scraper bar. Attach the scraper bar to the body with four lines on either side of the bar.

Illustration of how to create the muffler of a construction roller.
Step 6: Draw the muffler -- it is a cylinder with an L-shape pipe running through it. Draw a circle at the top of the pipe.
Illustration of how to create the seats for a construction roller.
Step 7: Draw the seat, being sure to add all the lines and shapes that make it look real. Draw an oval for the steering wheel, adding all the other lines that add depth. Add a safety light on the body in front of the steering wheel. Draw two round headlights on the front of the body of the roller; add outlines for depth.
Illustration of how to create the diagonal lines behind the headlights of a construction roller.
Step 8: Use a ruler to draw the diagonal lines in the rectangle behind the headlights. You're almost finished drawing your roller.

Illustration of a construction roller. Outline, no color.
Step 9: Use a felt-tip pen to trace over the lines you want to keep, and erase the extra pencil lines. Congratulations! Now that you're a pro, you can teach others how to draw rollers.

While your new roller is busy flattening out man-made materials like asphalt and concrete, the super-powerful excavator gets ready to scoop up tons of materials created by nature.

In the next section, learn how to draw the peculiar looking, but powerful, excavator.

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