Let’s be real: most people fail at drawing cheerleaders because they treat them like a regular person just standing there in a pleated skirt. It looks stiff. It looks boring. If you really want to know how do you draw a cheerleader, you have to understand that you aren't just drawing a person; you are drawing kinetic energy frozen in time.
Cheerleading is a high-impact sport. Whether it’s sideline cheering or competitive Level 7 stunts, the body is under immense tension. If your drawing doesn't show that tension, it's gonna look like a mannequin in a costume. I've spent years looking at anatomy and sports photography, and the biggest mistake is usually the "line of action."
Basically, your drawing needs a spine that curves.
Start With the Line of Action (Seriously)
Don't start with the head. Seriously, stop doing that. When you ask yourself how do you draw a cheerleader, start with a single, sweeping gesture line. This is the "line of action." If she’s doing a "toe touch" jump, that line is going to be a deep C-shape or even a V-shape.
Cheerleaders are basically professional launchers. Their bodies are coiled springs.
Think about the physics. If a base is tossing a flyer into a basket toss, their legs aren't straight. They are deep in a squat, heels glued to the floor, backs straight as an arrow. If you draw those legs straight, the physics of your drawing is broken. It won't look "right" to the human eye because we subconsciously know that you can't jump without bending your knees.
Use a light pencil. Or if you’re digital, use a low-opacity brush. You want to capture the vibe of the movement before you even think about where the eyes or the hair go. Focus on the tilt of the pelvis versus the angle of the shoulders. In a classic "high V" motion, the shoulders are actually slightly shrugged up to protect the neck and show power. It's not a relaxed pose. It's rigid.
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The Uniform Isn’t Just a Dress
Let’s talk about the gear. People mess this up constantly. A cheerleader’s uniform—usually called a shell and a skirt—is made of stiff, heavy polyester or high-stretch spandex blends like Varsity Spirit’s "Powerstretch."
It doesn't drape like a silk dress.
The skirt, especially if it’s pleated, has weight to it. When she jumps, that skirt doesn't just fall down. Centrifugal force pulls those pleats outward. If you’re drawing a flyer mid-air, the skirt should be flaring out like a disc, showing the bloomers (or "spankies") underneath. Honestly, if you don't include the spankies, the drawing looks unfinished and inaccurate to the sport.
Breaking Down the Shell
The "shell" is the top part. It’s usually sleeveless or long-sleeved with a mock neck. Notice how the seams work. Most high-end uniforms have "braid"—that's the colorful trim along the edges. This braid doesn't stretch as much as the fabric, so it creates distinct lines that help define the character's torso shape. Use these lines to your advantage! They act like a topographical map of the body’s muscles.
Poms, Hair, and the "Spirit" Face
The pom-poms are a nightmare to draw if you try to draw every strand. Don't do that. You'll lose your mind. Instead, think of poms as two large, textured spheres. Start with a solid mass of color and then use a "scumbling" technique—messy, circular scribbles—around the edges to show the individual plastic streamers.
And the hair? It’s part of the equipment.
Most cheerleaders wear a "high pony" with a massive bow (the "Texas bow"). The bow is often stiffened with hairspray or fabric stiffener so it stands up straight. It shouldn't flop. If the cheerleader is mid-tumble, the hair should be whipping in the opposite direction of her movement. If she’s falling, the hair goes up. If she’s spinning, the hair wraps around the neck.
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Common Pitfalls: What Most People Get Wrong
If you want to know how do you draw a cheerleader that actually looks professional, you have to avoid the "doll face."
Cheerleaders are athletes. They are breathing hard. Their mouths are often open in a "chant" or a wide, performative smile that reaches the eyes (the "Smize"). If you draw a tiny, closed-mouth smile, it looks like a pageant contestant, not a cheerleader.
- The Feet: They aren't wearing sneakers. They’re wearing "mats" or cheer shoes (like Nfinity or Kaepa). These are very thin, flexible, and have a distinct indentation in the arch so the bases can grip the flyer's foot.
- The Hands: In a "High V," the hands are in fists, but specifically "cinnamon roll" fists. This means the thumb is on the outside, and the "O" of the thumb and fingers faces forward.
- The Muscle: Don't be afraid to draw quadriceps and calves. These girls (and guys) are incredibly strong. A little bit of muscle definition in the legs makes the drawing feel grounded and real.
Anatomy of a Stunt
If you're drawing a group, the "stunt" is the ultimate challenge. You have the flyer (at the top), the two bases (holding the feet), and the back spot (supporting the ankles and calves).
The flyer's body must be "locked." This means her muscles are tight—if she's soft, the stunt falls. In your drawing, this translates to straight lines and tension. Her toes should be pointed (unless she's in a "flex" position for a specific stunt). The bases, meanwhile, should look like they are lifting something heavy. Their necks should show a bit of strain, and their eyes should be glued to the flyer.
One real-world detail that adds massive E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) to your art: The "grip."
Bases don't just hold the bottom of a shoe. For a "cupie" or an "awesome," their hands are wrapped around the middle of the foot, fingers overlapping. If you draw the hands correctly, cheerleaders who see your art will know you actually did your homework.
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Lighting the Performance
Most cheerleading happens under stadium lights or harsh gymnasium fluorescent bulbs. This means high-contrast lighting. You’ll have bright highlights on the top of the head and shoulders, and deep shadows under the skirt and chin.
Using "rim lighting"—a bright line of light along the edge of the silhouette—can help the cheerleader pop off the background, especially if you're drawing a Friday Night Lights football game scene. It gives that cinematic, heroic feel.
Step-by-Step Practical Application
- Sketch the "Skeleton": Use circles for joints and lines for bones. Keep the "Line of Action" dominant.
- Add Volume: Turn those lines into cylinders. Don't worry about clothes yet. Just get the anatomy right.
- Drape the Uniform: Add the shell and the pleated skirt. Remember: the skirt follows the motion, not gravity.
- Detail the Accessories: Draw the "Texas bow," the pom-poms (as textured clouds), and the specific cheer shoes.
- Refine the Face: Go for an expressive, high-energy look. Eyes wide, mouth open or in a large, genuine smile.
- Inking and Color: Use bold, clean lines. For colors, use high-saturation school colors (Navy and Gold, Red and Black) to make it look authentic.
Drawing a cheerleader is about capturing a moment of peak human performance. It’s not just about a girl in a uniform; it’s about the power of the jump, the tension of the stunt, and the sheer volume of the spirit. When you sit down to answer the question of how do you draw a cheerleader, remember that motion is your best friend.
Go look at slow-motion footage of the UCA College Nationals. Watch how the fabric moves. Watch how the muscles in the legs ripple during a back handspring. That’s where the real "magic" of the drawing lives.
Actionable Next Steps
To truly master this, your next move should be focusing on "gesture drawing." Set a timer for 30 seconds and try to capture the pose of a cheerleader from a photo. Don't worry about details. Just get the energy. Do this 20 times.
Once you have the gesture down, move on to studying the "pleat physics" of the skirt. Draw a circle and then try to "fold" it into pleats as if it were spinning. These two exercises—gesture and fabric physics—will do more for your art than any single tutorial ever could.
Capture the tension. Keep the lines fluid. And most importantly, make sure that character looks like they’re about to jump right off the page. That's the secret.