Have you ever wondered what St. Patrick's Day is all about? You can learn about the holiday and the cultures behind it as you complete these easy St. Patrick's Day step-by-step drawing tutorials.
11 Easy St. Patrick's Day Drawing Ideas
Celtic Warrior
Celts were ancient peoples of Ireland and the surrounding islands. Notice the tattoo on this man's chest. Celtic tattoos had meaning - to intimidate enemies, ask for protection from the gods, or mark a rite of passage.
Shamrock
The shamrock or three-leaf clover was used by St. Patrick as an illustration of the Trinity - the belief that God, his son, and the Holy Spirit are three persons in one.
Leprechaun
Leprechauns are mythical creatures from Irish legends. Like fairies, they are small, mischievous people. You can learn more about some of their legends below.
Pot of Gold
Leprechauns were said to hoard gold, often hiding it in the ground. It was thought that if you could locate the end of a rainbow, you would find the pot of gold.
Celtic Cross
Celtic religious traditions melded with their new beliefs. This cross is one example. The ring may represent the sun and wisdom, or it may indicate a tree shape.
Celtic Knot
Knots like this one are common in Celtic decorations. You can see some knots in the cross above. It may be related to Roman artwork, as the Romans were early colonizers of the Celtic Isles.
Horseshoe
Many people talk about the luck o' the Irish on St. Patrick's Day. Horseshoes are considered lucky charms, but only if you draw them with the opening up to catch the luck. Otherwise, the luck will fall out.
Cartoon Leprechaun
Don't draw just one leprechaun - draw a bunch of them! This leprechaun has similar clothing and facial hair to the one above, but he is also holding a pot of gold.
Leprechaun Hat
Early drawings of leprechauns gave them pointed hats, but during the past century, top hats have prevailed. Some people wear green top hats on St. Patrick's Day.
Rainbow with a Pot of Gold
This scene puts together several symbols of St. Patrick's Day - a rainbow with a pot of gold at the end and green hills with three- and four-leafed clovers growing on them.
St. Patrick's Day Puppy
Who knew that dogs celebrated St. Patty's Day, too? This playful pup is wearing a belted top hat and a collar with a four-leaf clover on it.
More About Drawing St. Patrick's Day
St. Patrick's Day has a long religious history. It is named after the man thought to have taught Christian beliefs to the people of Ireland. His birthday and the date of his death fell on March 17, according to legend.
For over 1,000 years, the Irish celebrated March 17 by going to church and then eating and dancing. Some of the symbols of the holiday, such as the three-leafed clover, have religious symbolism.
In modern times, people have moved around more, and they brought their holidays with them. The first St. Patrick's Day parade was held in Florida in 1601. Over time, non-Irish people adopted the holiday as a time for celebration.

You will notice that most of our sample drawings are colored green. Why? Ireland is called "the Emerald Isle" because of its rolling green hills. The shamrock is also bright green.
But here's a fun fact: St. Patrick himself was associated with the color blue. It was a specific shade of blue known as St. Patrick's blue.

You can use both colors to shade your finished drawings!
See a Google Web Story of this St. Patrick's Day Drawing Ideas Blog Post.