Ever tried to sketch a cheerleader and ended up with two giant, fuzzy lollipops instead of actual spirit gear? It’s frustrating. You see these vibrant, exploding bursts of color on the sidelines, but translating that movement to paper feels like trying to draw a cloud with a permanent marker. Drawing cheer pom poms isn't just about scribbling. If you just scribble, it looks messy. If you draw too many straight lines, it looks like a dead sea urchin.
The secret is volume. And layers.
Most people fail because they think of a pom pom as a circle. It’s not. It’s a sphere made of hundreds of individual plastic or metallic ribbons tied at a center point, usually called the "baton" or the "handle." To get it right, you have to understand how those ribbons—often called "strands"—behave when they're shaken, compressed, or just resting.
The Anatomy of a Professional Pom Pom
Before you even touch your pencil to the page, look at a real Varsity or Chassé brand pom. Notice how the strands aren't just flat? They have a slight "crinkle" to them to catch the light. This is why metallic poms sparkle more than plastic ones; the light hits those tiny bends and reflects back at different angles.
If you're drawing a "show" pom, the strands are usually shorter and thicker. If it’s a "rooter" pom, they’re long, thin, and often look a bit limp if they aren't being shaken. You need to decide which vibe you're going for before you start. A stiff, perfectly round pom pom looks iconic and "cartoony," while a drooping pom pom suggests a cheerleader at rest, maybe during a timeout or between cheers.
Getting the Core Right
You start with the handle. Honestly, most people forget this part and then wonder why the pom pom looks like it’s floating in the cheerleader’s hand. The handle is usually a hidden plastic bar or a "loop" handle that the fingers slide through. Draw the hand first. If the fingers are curled, the pom pom strands should erupt from between the fingers and around the back of the hand.
Think of it like a fountain. Everything flows from that center grip.
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How to Draw Cheer Pom Poms Without Losing Your Mind
Let's get into the actual technique. Don't start with the individual strands. Seriously, don't. You'll go crazy, and it'll look like a giant hairball.
First, lighty—and I mean barely visible—sketch a rough circle or oval where the pom pom will be. This is your "containment zone." It keeps the size consistent so one hand doesn't look like it's holding a beach ball while the other holds a tennis ball.
Now, instead of lines, think in "V" and "U" shapes.
- Start at the center handle.
- Flick your wrist outward to create long, slightly curved lines that reach the edge of your ghost circle.
- Vary the length. Some strands should be shorter because they are pointing "at" the viewer (foreshortening), while others are fully extended to the sides.
The layering trick:
Draw about twenty strands. Then, go back and draw twenty more behind those, using a slightly darker pencil or a thicker line weight. This creates depth. If every line is the same thickness, the pom pom looks flat. It looks like a sticker. You want it to look like it has a front, a middle, and a back.
Dealing with Different Materials
Vinyl poms are matte. They don't reflect much light, so you focus on the shadows between the strands. Use a soft lead pencil like a 4B to get those deep blacks in the center of the pom pom where the ribbons are most crowded.
Metallic poms are a whole different beast. Here, the "white space" is your best friend. Leave gaps of white paper on the outer edges of the ribbons to simulate the stadium lights hitting the foil. If you're using colored pencils, use a white gel pen at the very end to add "sparkle" dots. It’s a game changer.
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Common Mistakes That Ruin the Drawing
The "Sunflower Effect" is the biggest killer of realistic cheer art. This happens when you draw every single strand pointing perfectly away from the center, like petals on a flower. Real poms are messy. Strands overlap. Some bend back over the hand. Some are tangled.
Another big mistake? Neglecting the weight.
Gravity is real, even in art. If the cheerleader's hands are down at her sides, the strands shouldn't be a perfect sphere. They should sag. The ribbons at the top will curve down over the handle, and the ribbons at the bottom will stretch out toward the floor. It should look heavy.
Why Texture Matters More Than Detail
You don't need to draw 500 lines to represent 500 ribbons. You just need to suggest them. Using a "shorthand" method works wonders. This involves drawing a few very detailed ribbons in the foreground and then using "scribble-shading" (scumbling) for the interior.
- For the foreground: Sharp, crisp lines with clear ends.
- For the mid-ground: Softer lines, maybe some cross-hatching to show density.
- For the background: Just a dark mass of tone to give the pom pom its round shape.
Using Color to Create Volume
If you're working in color, don't just grab a "Red" marker and go to town. A red pom pom isn't just red. It’s dark maroon in the shadows, bright crimson in the mid-tones, and maybe even a peachy-pink or white on the highlights.
Try this: Lay down your lightest color first over the whole shape. Then, take a medium shade and draw the "valleys" between the clusters of ribbons. Finally, use your darkest color only near the handle. This "gradient of density" makes the pom pom look like it has a heart, rather than just being a flat disc of color.
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If you're doing two-tone poms (like blue and gold), avoid mixing them perfectly. Real poms are made by layering different colored sheets. You’ll often see "chunks" of one color and then "chunks" of another. Drawing them in alternating "slices" looks much more authentic to how they are actually manufactured by companies like Epic Cheer or Cheerleading Company.
Movement and Motion Blurs
If your cheerleader is in the middle of a high V or a T-jump, the poms shouldn't be sharp. They should be a blur.
To achieve this, don't finish the ends of the strands. Let them fade out into quick, wispy strokes. You can even add a few "speed lines" (tiny, detached flick marks) trailing behind the direction of the movement. This gives the drawing energy. A perfectly still pom pom in a high-action pose looks unnatural, like a photo taken with a way-too-high shutter speed.
Action Steps for Your Next Sketch
- Step 1: The Skeleton. Sketch the hand and the handle first. If you don't know where the pom pom is attached, the physics will always look wrong.
- Step 2: The Silhouette. Lightly mark the outer boundary. Remember, it’s rarely a perfect circle. Make it a bit jagged.
- Step 3: The "Anchor" Strands. Draw 5-10 ribbons that define the main direction. If she's shaking them, these lines should be wavy.
- Step 4: The Fill. Add the "mass" in the center. Use darker tones here to show that the light can't reach the middle.
- Step 5: The Highlights. Use an eraser to lift some color off the top edges, or use a white pen to add that plastic sheen.
Getting the hang of how to draw cheer pom poms really comes down to observing how light plays on plastic. Next time you're at a game, or even watching a movie like Bring It On, look at the poms during the close-ups. Notice how they aren't one solid mass, but a collection of shadows and highlights.
Don't get discouraged if the first one looks like a tumbleweed. It takes practice to get that "burst" effect just right. Try varying the pressure of your pencil—press hard at the start of the strand and flick it upward so the line naturally tapers off. This mimics the thinness of the ribbon perfectly.
Ready to level up? Try drawing the poms from a "top-down" perspective where you're looking directly into the ends of the ribbons. It’s a totally different challenge, involving lots of little "dots" and short, stumpy lines, but it's the best way to master the three-dimensional aspect of the prop. Keep your lines loose, keep your wrist moving, and stop overthinking every single ribbon. Accuracy comes from the overall feel, not the individual strand count.
Once you've mastered the basic shape, try experimenting with different textures—like the "crinkle" cut ribbons which require a zig-zag line instead of a smooth curve. This adds a level of realism that sets professional sports illustration apart from basic sketches. Focus on the "clumping" of the ribbons, as they rarely stay perfectly separated, often sticking together in small groups due to static or moisture. Understanding these small, real-world details is what makes a drawing pop off the page.