Free Activity Page from How to Draw: Grumpy Faces
Learn How to Draw A Grumpy Old Man Step by Step
Today I’m sharing a free step-by-step drawing page straight from my book How to Draw: Grumpy Faces. This free activity page walks young artists through How to Draw A Grumpy Old Man using the same six-step drawing format found throughout the book. The character featured on this page is a balding older man with a deeply grumpy expression, heavy eyebrows, a frown, and exaggerated cartoon features that make the drawing fun rather than intimidating.
As with all of my books, this character was hand-drawn by me—no AI, no shortcuts. Every line was designed to be clear, expressive, and easy for kids ages 5 and up to follow. If your child enjoys drawing faces, expressions, or characters with personality, learning How to Draw A Grumpy Old Man is a great place to start.
About the Book: How to Draw: Grumpy Faces
This free lesson on How to Draw A Grumpy Old Man is just one example of what kids will find inside How to Draw: Grumpy Faces. The book focuses entirely on facial expressions, giving kids the tools they need to draw faces that actually show emotion.

Inside the book, young artists learn how to draw:
- Grumpy faces
- Angry expressions
- Annoyed looks
- Confused faces
- Tired expressions
- Silly grumpy characters
- Exaggerated cartoon emotions
Every character in the book follows the same six-step format used in the free page. This consistency helps kids feel comfortable turning the page and tackling the next drawing.
Learning How to Draw A Grumpy Old Man is often one of the most fun pages for kids because the expression is so bold and easy to recognize. It shows them that drawings don’t always have to be “happy” to be fun.
Why Drawing Faces Is Such an Important Skill
Drawing faces is one of the most challenging—but rewarding—skills for young artists. The free page that teaches How to Draw A Grumpy Old Man helps kids practice several important artistic concepts at once.
Understanding Expression
Kids begin to recognize how eyebrows, eyes, and mouth shapes work together to communicate emotion.
Building Observation Skills
They learn to look closely at shapes and angles rather than guessing.
Improving Confidence
Completing a face successfully gives kids a strong sense of accomplishment.
Encouraging Character Creation
Once kids understand How to Draw A Grumpy Old Man, they often start inventing their own characters with different moods and personalities.
Faces are the foundation of character design, comics, and storytelling—and this book gives kids a friendly way to practice without pressure.
Hand-Drawn Art, Not AI
Every face in How to Draw: Grumpy Faces, including the one featured in this free page, is drawn by me by hand. I don’t use AI-generated artwork in my books. I believe kids learn better from drawings that feel human, expressive, and intentionally designed for their age and skill level.
When kids learn How to Draw A Grumpy Old Man from a hand-drawn example, they’re not copying something stiff or generic. They’re learning from a character created with personality, exaggeration, and warmth—even when the expression itself is grumpy.
Part of the Larger How to Draw Series
How to Draw: Grumpy Faces is part of my larger How to Draw series, which includes many different themes designed to help kids build drawing skills step by step.

Across the series, kids learn how to draw:
- Animals
- Monsters
- Dinosaurs
- Robots
- People
- Faces and expressions
- Cute characters
- Silly characters
Every book uses the same six-step method, making it easy for kids to move from one theme to another. If a child enjoys learning How to Draw A Grumpy Old Man, they’ll likely enjoy exploring other characters that focus on expression and personality.
Why Parents Appreciate This Format
Parents often tell me they love these books because they provide a creative, screen-free activity that still feels structured. Learning How to Draw A Grumpy Old Man isn’t just about copying a picture—it’s about building skills gradually.
This format helps kids:
- Stay focused
- Follow step-by-step instructions
- Practice patience
- Develop fine motor skills
- Express emotions through art
And because the drawings are fun and exaggerated, kids stay engaged rather than frustrated.
About the Free Grumpy Old Man Drawing Page
The free page breaks down How to Draw A Grumpy Old Man into six simple steps that build on one another. Kids begin with basic shapes and gradually add details like facial structure, wrinkles, eyebrows, and that unmistakable grumpy expression.
This character features:
- A balding head with hair around the sides
- Thick, downward-angled unibrow
- An open-mouthed frown
- Simple cartoon wrinkles
- A rounded, expressive face shape
The goal of this page isn’t just to copy a face—it’s to help kids understand how expressions work. By learning How to Draw A Grumpy Old Man, kids start to see how small changes in eyebrows, eyes, and mouth shapes can completely change a character’s mood.

Once the drawing is complete, kids can personalize it even further by adding:
- Glasses
- A hat
- Facial hair
- Different expressions
- Color and shading
Printing the free page multiple times allows kids to experiment and draw different versions of the same character, reinforcing what they’ve learned about facial expressions.
Final Thoughts
I hope your young artist enjoys working through this free page and learning How to Draw A Grumpy Old Man. It’s a great way to explore facial expressions, practice drawing faces, and build confidence with character design.
If your child has fun with this activity, How to Draw: Grumpy Faces offers many more expressive characters to explore, all using the same approachable six-step format.





Kevin Coulston is an accomplished cartoonist, animator, and writer. He is the author and illustrator of over 80 (and still counting) children’s drawing books available here on FirstArtBooks.com. Kevin has also authored numerous kid-friendly comic book series, including “Dylan McVillain: A Super Villain with the Best Intentions” and “The Adventures of a 4th Grade Space Captain,” along with the Children’s Picture Book series “Alexis and the T-Rexes.”












































