How to Draw a Tree in 6 Easy Steps!

Alexia Young 30/08/2023

4 3 minutes read

Level of difficulty: Easy Advanced

A stunning tree is an essential element in any landscape drawing. This step-by-step guide will help you create a lifelike tree using just six straightforward steps. The template provided represents a typical deciduous tree, serving as a foundation for countless variations that you can easily adapt with a little practice. To start your drawing, gather a thin pencil, an eraser-proof pencil, and colors of your choice.

Table of Contents

Step 1: Silhouette of the Trunk and Outer Branches

Begin by sketching the outer lines of the tree trunk using a pencil. Pay attention to the natural curves and embrace slight irregularities. The trunk should seamlessly merge with the branches at the top.

Tree drawing - template

Step 2: Branch Forks

Use thin pencil strokes to refine the branchwork.

Step 3: Finishing the Main Branches

Draw the branches in their entirety, ensuring they taper off slightly at the top, as the leaf canopy will connect them. The branches only need to extend into the tree canopy when depicting trees in the winter season.

How to Draw a Tree - Step by Step

Step 4: More Small Branches & Leaf Crown

With the pencil, outline the tree’s crown, again embracing natural and irregular lines.

Step 5: Adding Spatial Effects

To give the tree trunk and crown a three-dimensional appearance, incorporate striking highlights such as contours on the bark and additional sections in the leaf crown.

Tree drawing - Step by Step

Step 6: Coloring

In the final step, bring your drawing to life with color. Use the pencil to shade the outlined areas and apply different hues to create a more natural look.

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Draw a Simple Tree

This simple and beginner-friendly template provides step-by-step instructions for drawing a tree with just a few strokes. Prepare a harder pencil, an eraser-proof drawing pencil, and colored pencils in shades of green, red, and brown. Start by lightly sketching the contours with the harder pencil (HB, H2). If you make a mistake, use the eraser. Then, trace the contours with the drawing pencil.

Step 1: Silhouette of the Trunk and Outer Branches

Using the pencil, draw the trunk’s outline with two mirrored, symmetrical lines. Ensure they maintain the same shape as illustrated in the template.

Step 2: Branch Forks

Add two downward curved arcs to the upper part of the trunk, dividing it into three upward-pointing branches.

Step 3: Crown

Place a “lid” on each of the three branches, followed by sketching an irregular circle around the upper part of the trunk to form the crown. To achieve a natural look, avoid drawing the circle with precise measurements, and instead create wavy edges. Connect the lower part of the trunk with a line.

How to Draw a Tree - Step by Step