How to Draw a Big Truck

In this simple step-by-step guide, we will demonstrate you how to draw a big truck – a vehicle specially designed for the transportation of especially large loads.

Such trucks are produced by a huge number of different companies, and each of them has its own characteristics.

In this guide, we traditionally chose the most average truck appearance so that the knowledge gained from the article is applicable to different types of large trucks.

So, if you are ready to draw, and your art tools are already in front of you, then scroll down the page and proceed to the tutorial on how to sketch a big truck.

How to draw a big truck: step-by-step tutorial

Step 1 – Frame the cab and elongated cargo section

First, sketch the outline of the big truck using light lines. Clearly show the cab in front and the long cargo section behind it. Keep proportions and shapes simple, as this is a heavy-duty have large basic outlines. You can make the cab smaller or make it aerodynamic and extended. Also, you can make the hood longer, to illustrate a large American truck, like in our semi-truck drawing tutorial.

Step 2 – Adjust the body edges and detail the bottom

Add the front wheel arch with a smooth semicircular line. Correct the body contours so the truck looks solid, smooth, and proportional. At the very bottom of the cargo section, mark a horizontal line to show its base frame. If you want to depict a container hauler, make the lower part thicker; for a flatbed cargo truck, keep it narrower.

Step 3 – Draw the big door and window of the truck

Move on to the cab details. Draw the side edge of the windshield and the large side window. Use straight lines to outline the cabin door and add a horizontal decorative line across it. This step makes the cab look realistic and recognizable. For a European-style truck, keep the windows larger; for an American freight hauler, make them narrower and taller.

Step 4 – Mount the tall vertical mirror and handle

In the front corner of the window, sketch a tall vertical side mirror. Then draw the visible part of the radiator grille in front of the big truck and a simple handle on the door. These parts can also be adjusted, to give the sketch a different look.

Step 5 – Draw the rows of big wheels of the truck

Erase the construction lines around the chassis. Sketch the large wheels, making them equal in size and shape. Inside them, add rims with perfectly round contours. Multiple axles are typical for heavy-duty freight transport, so you can include extra wheels if you want to make the drawing closer to a semi-trailer truck.

Step 6 – Refine the cargo area lower frame

Add supporting details along the lower edge of the cargo section. These reinforcements help show the structure of a freight vehicle. For realism, you can add extra beams or side compartments. If you want a different cargo hauler, give the frame a different shape.

Step 7 – Polish linework and complete heavy truck drawing

Trace over the main contours with confident strokes, making the lines darker and cleaner. Remove any remaining unnecessary lines. Finally, add shadows under the truck, in the wheel arches, and along the cargo section to enhance realism. Highlights on the windows and grille will complete the look of a powerful big truck ready for transport.

Next steps in drawing trucks

Just like the “large car” or “big vehicle” we studied in our big car drawing tutorial, the term “big truck” is broad and can apply to many different types of transport.

In this lesson, however, by “big truck” we specifically mean heavy-duty vehicles designed for carrying large loads.

If you’d like to draw smaller, city-oriented trucks that carry lighter cargo, visit our pickup truck drawing tutorial, where we focus on the structure and proportions of a pickup.

For those who want to learn the core fundamentals that apply to both massive heavy-duty trucks and lighter pickups, check out our main truck drawing lesson.

In that tutorial, we explain the basic construction principles that form the foundation for sketching any type of truck, presented in a clear and accessible way.

You can also visit our flatbed truck tutorial, where we focus on this specific type of vehicle and show how to illustrate its distinctive extended cargo platform.

If you completed this big truck tutorial and want to continue learning, subscribe to our free email updates to receive new drawing guides straight to your inbox.

Share this lesson with others who are interested in sketching trucks, and keep expanding your skills with our wide range of tutorials on pickups, flatbeds, and other heavy-duty vehicles.