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Cross Drawing Ideas

Deal one cross design, from a Latin cross ruled on squares to a plaited Celtic knot, with the construction steps written under it.

Cross Drawing Ideas

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  1. A Canterbury cross with hammer-shaped armsFour equal arms widen to a hammer shape at the ends, with a small square at the centre. Rule a circle first as a guide.

Next step More Christian symbols, each with its reference

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Named cross forms 19

  • A budded cross with trefoil ends Also called a cross bottony. End every arm in three round knobs like a clover leaf: one on the tip, one each side.
  • A Canterbury cross with hammer-shaped arms Four equal arms widen to a hammer shape at the ends, with a small square at the centre. Rule a circle first as a guide.
  • A cross crosslet, every arm crossed again A Greek cross with a short bar across each arm near its tip, so each arm turns into a small cross of its own.
  • A cross fleury ending in fleurs-de-lys Each arm ends in a fleur-de-lys: one upright petal between two that curl outward. Keep all four the same size.
  • A cross moline with split, curled ends Each arm end splits in two and curves back on itself. Draw one pair of curls, trace it, and repeat it on all four arms.
  • A cross of Camargue with tridents, anchor and heart The upper arms end in tridents for faith, the foot is an anchor for hope and a heart at the centre is charity.
  • A cross pattée with flaring arms Arms narrow towards the centre and end flat. Box it in a square and curve each arm out from a small middle to a side.
  • A cross potent with a crutch bar on every arm Draw a Greek cross, then cap each arm with a short bar to make four T shapes. Potent once meant a crutch.
  • A Greek cross with four equal arms Draw one square, then add the same square to each of its four sides. All arms equal, like a thick plus sign.
  • A Huguenot cross with a hanging dove A Maltese form with a knob on all eight points, a fleur-de-lys between the arms and a dove hung below as a pendant.
  • A Jerusalem cross with four small crosses One big cross and four small ones, one in each angle. Rule the big one first, then centre each small one.
  • A Latin cross ruled on squared paper Column 1 square wide and 6 tall. Bar 3 squares wide across the second square down, so the top rises above the bar.
  • A Maltese cross with eight points Four V-shaped arms that meet at their points. Draw flared arms first, then notch a V into each flat end.
  • A papal cross with three shrinking bars Three bars near the top, each shorter than the one below. Space them evenly and centre all three on the upright.
  • A patriarchal cross with two bars Both bars sit near the top and the upper one is shorter. Centre them on the upright, one bar-width apart.
  • A saltire, the X-shaped St Andrew's cross Rule a square and join corner to corner twice. Thicken both diagonals by the same amount either side of the line.
  • A stepped cross standing on three steps A Latin cross on a base of steps, usually three, each wider than the last. They stand for faith, hope and charity.
  • A tau cross shaped like a capital T One upright with the bar laid flat across its top and nothing above. Also called St Anthony's cross.
  • An Orthodox cross with a slanted foot bar Three bars: a short top one for the inscription, the main bar, and a footrest near the base that usually slants.

Carved, woven and decorated 14

  • A Brigid's cross woven from rushes A woven lozenge at the centre and four arms set at right angles, offset like a pinwheel. Typically woven on 1 February.
  • A Celtic cross filled with a plaited knot Interlace is one band going over then under. Plot it on a dot grid and rub out the hidden band at every crossing.
  • A Celtic cross with a ring round the crossing Draw the Latin cross, then two circles centred on the crossing. Keep the ring only between the arms, which poke past it.
  • A cross carved in low relief on a stone slab The cross stands one step proud of the slab. Light from top left: pale top and left edges, a thin shadow down the right.
  • A cross inside a wreath of leaves and flowers Draw a light circle round a plain cross. Set leaves along it all pointing one way, then add blooms at three points.
  • A cross pendant hanging on a fine chain A small Latin cross with a ring at the top. The chain falls in a V from two points and the ring sits at its tip.
  • A cross tied from two twigs and twine Two sticks, the short one a third of the way down. Wrap the twine in an X over the joint and leave two loose ends.
  • A cross wound with a climbing vine Spiral one stem up the upright. It shows on the front as slanted bands, with a leaf springing from each band.
  • A cross-stitch cross on squared paper Fill each square of a Latin cross with a small X. Make every top stroke lean the same way, as real stitches do.
  • A jewelled cross with a gem on every arm A crux gemmata is a cross inlaid with gems. Put an oval stone at the centre and one on each arm, each with a glint.
  • A pointed church window with a cross in leaded glass Split the ground into shards with lines that each end on another. Cames are soldered where they meet: dot each joint.
  • A rough log cross lashed with rope Logs, not planks: wobble the edges and show end-grain rings. The rope wraps in an X, every turn a short curved band.
  • A spray of lilies laid across the foot of a cross Each lily is a trumpet: a cone opening into pointed petals that curl back. Overlap three, stems across the base.
  • A wooden cross with a cloth draped over the bar Hang the cloth over both arms so it dips in a U at the front. Folds fan from the two points where it rests.

Scenes, paintings and cards 17

  • A black cross against a spattered night sky Paint a blue to violet sky and let it dry. Flick white from a stiff brush for stars, then add the cross in flat black.
  • A card front with a small cross and one olive sprig Keep the cross thumb-high, low and off centre. Curve one sprig under it with leaves in pairs down the stem.
  • A Chi Rho with alpha and omega either side A tall P with an X through its stem, crossing at the X's centre. Revelation 22:13 gives the alpha and omega.
  • A cross reflected in still water Repeat the cross upside down below the waterline, slightly darker, and break it with three or four level ripples.
  • A cross-shaped window throwing light across a floor The light patch is the cross stretched long and slanted. Rule its edges to one vanishing point and keep the room dark.
  • A hilltop cross seen from below against the sun From below, the upright tapers towards the top and the bar tilts. Leave a white halo where the sun sits behind it.
  • A palette-knife cross in thick white on a dark ground Let the dark ground dry. Load the knife edge with white, pull one stroke down and one across, and leave them alone.
  • A steeple cross against big clouds A steeple is a tall triangle. Put a small ball on its point and a thin cross on the ball, then cut clouds in behind.
  • A tape-resist cross under painted sunset stripes Tape a cross on the canvas, paint bands of yellow, orange and violet over it, and peel the tape once it is dry.
  • A watercolour cross left white in a wet wash Draw the cross in white wax crayon and flood the paper with two colours. The wax resists and the cross stays white.
  • A wayside cross under a small plank roof Set it beside a path that narrows to a point. The roof is two planks meeting in a ridge, like a book laid face down.
  • An Easter card with He is risen beside a plain cross The words come from Matthew 28:6. Cross on the left third, three words stacked on the right, the last one largest.
  • An empty cross on a hill with the sunrise behind One low curve for the hill, a half circle sun on it, rays ruled from the sun's centre. Ink the cross last, solid black.
  • An IHS monogram with a small cross on the H IHS is the first three letters of Jesus in Greek. Letter three capitals and stand a small cross on the bar of the H.
  • Faith, hope and charity lettered on three steps 1 Corinthians 13:13, King James wording. Draw a stepped cross, one word per step, CHARITY on the widest.
  • GRACE across and FAITH down, sharing the A Letter GRACE across and FAITH down through its A. One letter sits above the bar and three below: a Latin cross.
  • Three stone crosses fading into mist Draw the nearest darkest and sharpest. Make each one behind it smaller, paler and higher up the page.

How it works

Two bars make a cross, which is why a budded cross or a Celtic knot comes as a shock. Each of these 50 cross drawing ideas has its construction steps written out, so you can build the shape with no picture to copy. Nineteen are named forms checked against references. The rest are decorated crosses, scenes and cards.

Read the full guide

Two skeletons, and the ends do the rest

A Latin cross has a longer lower arm, with the top rising above the bar. A Greek cross has four equal arms. Most other names describe the ends: a cross potent caps each arm with a crutch bar, a budded cross ends in three knobs like a clover leaf, and a Maltese cross is notched into eight points. Rule the skeleton on squared paper, then change the ends.

Cross painting ideas, cards and lettering

Scenes, paintings and cards holds 17. The cross painting ideas among them are forgiving: A tape-resist cross under painted sunset stripes needs masking tape and three colours. For a card or journal page, GRACE across and FAITH down, sharing the A turns two words into a Latin cross. Where a design quotes scripture the reference is given, read in the King James Version.

  • Rule a centre line first and measure both arms from it. A cross one millimetre lopsided shows at once.
  • Give wooden beams thickness: a thin side plane and a top plane turn a flat sign into a solid object.
  • On a knot, say over, under, over, under as you follow the band. Two overs in a row means a slip earlier on.

Questions and answers

Which cross is the easiest to draw?

A Greek cross with four equal arms is five squares, and A tau cross shaped like a capital T is two bars. Sixteen are in Easy. The 13 hard ones are hard in different ways: a cross moline needs eight matching curls, and a plaited knot needs every crossing in order.

How is a Celtic cross different from a Latin cross?

A Celtic cross is at heart a Latin cross with a ring round the point where the arms meet. The form arose in Britain and Ireland in the early Middle Ages, and stone high crosses are usually decorated with interlace. Finish the plain cross first, then add two circles centred on the crossing.

Are these suitable for a church group or a sympathy card?

Yes. Every design treats the cross plainly and respectfully as a Christian symbol, with nothing gothic or jokey. The card ideas are quiet ones, such as A card front with a small cross and one olive sprig. Verse references are given so you can check the wording in your own translation.

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