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The Fixes / How to Draw / Mechanical Moth
All year · Grades 6–8 · 15 steps

How to Draw a Mechanical Moth

Mechanical Moth from The Drawing Fix™. An easy step-by-step drawing for Grades 6–8. Draw it with your class in about 20 minutes, one step at a time. Free to use and print. No sign-up.

By Christopher Allen · Ontario elementary educator15 stepsAbout 20 minutesUpdated Nov 5, 2026
Run it on the projector →Printable step sheet (PDF)

A challenge drawing for older students. Structure first, detail last. Good practice for line control, proportion and slowing down.

Before you start: a pencil, an eraser, a sheet of paper and something to colour with.

Draw lightly at first. Dark lines come at the end, once the shapes look right.

Step-by-step: how to draw a mechanical moth

  1. Step 1. Body

    Draw the long segmented centre body.

  2. Step 2. Head and antennae

    Add the head and two curved antennae.

  3. Step 3. Upper left wing

    Build the large upper-left wing shape.

  4. Step 4. Upper right wing

    Mirror the large upper-right wing.

  5. Step 5. Lower left wing

    Add the smaller lower-left wing.

  6. Step 6. Lower right wing

    Mirror the lower-right wing.

  7. Step 7. Wing circles

    Place the four circular wing details.

  8. Step 8. Upper wing lines

    Add the long mirrored lines across the upper wings.

  9. Step 9. Lower wing lines

    Add the mirrored lower-wing pattern lines.

  10. Step 10. Body bands

    Add the horizontal body bands.

  11. Step 11. Body rivets

    Place the repeated centre circles.

  12. Step 12. Mechanical marks

    Add the two angular mechanical wing marks.

  13. Step 13. Head accents

    Add the two short head accent marks.

  14. Step 14. Ground line

    Add the long quiet baseline underneath.

  15. Step 15. Create

    Make one part completely yours.

The pink line is the new part in each step.

Make it theirs

  • Add a background that tells a story. Where is it?
  • Give it a name and write it underneath.
  • Try it again tomorrow from memory.
  • Colour last. There is no wrong colour for a mechanical moth.

Teaching it with the projector

The projector version draws each step slowly on the board, pauses while students copy it, then checks in before the next step. Nobody has to talk, so you are free to walk around and help.

Quick Fix: 10 steps, about 10 minutes. Good for a brain break or the last few minutes before recess. Full Focus: all 15 steps, about 20 minutes, with the extra detail.

Open Mechanical Moth on the projector → It works on any classroom screen. No accounts, no student names, no ads.

Curriculum connections

Visual arts: the elements of design (line, shape, space and proportion) and creating art for a purpose. Language: listening to and following multi-step directions. Directed drawing also builds fine motor control and focus.

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