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Presenting Young Writers and Artists

How-to: Activity

How to Draw a Perspective Cake

You will need:

  • Square colored paper
  • Pencil
  • Oil pastels

This project is a fun way to teach perspective with something most everyone loves – cake! And do it with some bright , varied colors of oil pastels.

Color drawing of perspective cake

1. Choose any colored square paper. Draw, in pencil, two ovals, exactly the same size and dimension, one near the top of the paper, centered and one directly below it. Draw two straight lines on either side of the ovals so that they connect, making it look like a cylinder. Erase the back half of the bottom oval.

Step 1 drawing, How to Draw a Perspective Cake

2. Find the center point of the top oval. From that point make an upside down “V” to the top oval edge. Erase the line in between the ends of that “V”. Repeat that “V” shape directly below the original “V” connecting it to the bottom oval. Draw three straight, vertical lines connecting the top “V” to the bottom “V”. Erase the section of the bottom oval between the “V” ends.

Step 2 drawing, How to Draw a Perspective Cake

3. Draw at least four lines coming from the center vertical line to the outside edges, on either side. Make sure to draw the lines at the same angle of the “V” on each side where those lines mimic the angle of the top and bottom “V”’s. You can make the cake layers as thick or as thin as you like but just be consistent on both halves. Draw an oval plate under the cake, coming from one side of the cake, curving around to the other side of the cake.

Step 3 drawing, How to Draw a Perspective Cake

4. Decorate the cake however you like, on top and even the sides. Include candles too if you like. Color with oil pastels being as colorful as possible for the cake as well as the plate and background. The final touch is adding a shadow on one side of the inside section of the cake and then on the opposite side of that section and slightly behind the cake.

Step 4 drawing, How to Draw a Perspective Cake