"Well, bust my buffers!"
- Thomas the Train
Thomas the Train, also known as Thomas the Tank Engine, is an old-fashioned steam engine with a human face.
Thomas and his friends live on the fictional Island of Sodor. Thomas's goal in life is to become a "really useful engine." He often tackles chores that would be better suited to a larger train. The railway manager Sir Topham Hatt and his railway friends Percy, Duck, James, Gordon, Toby, Annie, Clarabel, and others always help him out of trouble.
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Thomas made his first appearance in the British children's book The Three Railway Engines in 1945. Since then, he has starred in numerous books, merchandise, and the long-running television series, Thomas and Friends. Originally, the show was filmed using models and stop-motion animation; today, it is computer-animated. Real trains in Japan and Europe have also been designed to resemble Thomas.
Would you like to draw Thomas the Tank Engine? This easy, step-by-step character drawing guide is here to show you how. All you will need is a pen, pencil, marker, or crayons and a sheet of paper.
If you liked this tutorial, see also the following drawing guides: Stewei Griffin from Family Guy, Bart Simpson, and Harry Potter.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Drawing Thomas the Tank Engine
1. Begin by drawing a circle. This outlines Thomas's face, located on the front of the boiler.
2. Draw a narrow rectangle on each side of the face, rounding the corners. This indicates the water tanks on either side of the boiler.
3. Draw a small parallelogram beneath each of the water tanks. Then, draw a 5-sided shape. It should resemble a square with one corner replaced by a curved line.
4. Draw the chimney. First, draw a rectangle on top of the boiler. Draw two vertical straight lines within it. Then, use straight lines to enclose another shape on top of it. This shape should be a rectangle with the top corners replaced by concave straight lines.
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5. Draw the train's cab. Extend straight lines upward from the water tank. Then, connect them using a long, curved line that disappears behind the chimney. From the top of the straight lines, extend short lines at a diagonal angle. Connect these using a long, curved line, forming the roof of the cab.
6. Draw windows on the front of the cab. On each side of the chimney, draw a circle within a circle.
7. Draw the lower portion of the train, called the buffer or cowcatcher. First, enclose a long, narrow rectangle noting that the short ends are curved lines. Continue the lines to attach them to the sides of the train. Draw another narrow rectangle beneath the first, curving the short ends in the opposite direction. Draw two circles and a small square.
8. Draw Thomas's face. Enclose two pointed, curved shapes to indicate the eyebrows. Draw a large circle for each eye. Within them, draw smaller circles with a triangular slice cut out of them. Use a rounded "U" shaped line for the nose, and two wide "U" shaped lines for the smiling mouth. Contour the face with curved lines on each side of the mouth and chin.
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9. Draw the tracks and wheels. For each wheel, draw an oval within an oval. Draw straight lines for each side of the train trestle, and use three parallel lines for each track. Then, draw straight horizontal lines to indicate the planks of wood.
Color Thomas the Tank Engine. He is typically blue in color with a grey face.
You can learn to draw all of your favorite cartoon characters. Check out our selection of character drawing guides.
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The Complete Thomas the Train Drawing Tutorial in One Image
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