How to Draw a Simple Tree

⏱️ 7 min 📊 Beginner 🖌️ Tool: Pen

Why this matters: Trees are everywhere in art – from landscapes to storybook illustrations. Learning to draw a simple tree teaches you how to combine organic shapes (the canopy) with straight, structured lines (the trunk). This skill is essential for drawing nature, landscapes, and even fantasy environments.

🎯 A gentle reminder: Your first tree might look like a lollipop with a stick – and that's completely okay! What matters is understanding how the trunk and canopy work together to create a natural shape. Every tree you draw will grow more beautiful!

🖥️ For the full interactive experience, try this tutorial on your desktop.

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Challenge

1 Setup Your Canvas

Look to the right panel – that's your live drawing app. Make sure the Pen is selected. Set your brush size to 5 or 8 (click the gear icon on the right toolbar). Pick a dark, natural color like #2D3436 or #4A3728 (brown-ish).

Optional: Turn on the Grid (Settings → Show Grid) – it can help you keep things centered!

💡 The app auto-saves every stroke. Don't worry if you refresh the page!

2 Draw the Trunk

Every tree starts with its trunk. Let's build the foundation first.

Draw two parallel vertical lines coming up from the bottom of the canvas.
Make them slightly wider at the bottom and narrower at the top.
Connect them at the bottom with a curved line (the roots).
The trunk should take up about 1/3 of the total tree height.

Pro tip: Trees in nature are rarely perfectly straight. Try adding a slight curve to your trunk for a more natural look!

🌳 Pro Tip: Look at a real tree outside your window. Notice how the trunk gets wider at the bottom and branches split off as they go up. You'll add branches in the next step!

3 Add the Canopy

Hit Clear on the right toolbar. Draw the trunk again, then let's add the canopy (the leafy top part).

Draw a large bubble-like shape on top of the trunk – like a cloud or a big oval.
Make the canopy wider than the trunk.
Use curved, organic lines – it shouldn't look perfect or geometric.
Add some smaller bubble shapes on the edges for a more natural look.

Try this: Draw the canopy in sections – three or four overlapping bubbles – instead of one perfect circle. It will look much more natural!

🌿 Pro Tip: Nature is perfectly imperfect. The canopy should look fluffy and organic, not like a perfect geometric shape. Don't be afraid to make it lopsided!

4 Add Branches & Details

Now let's make your tree look more realistic with some details.

Branches: Add a few curved lines coming from the trunk into the canopy.
Roots: Draw some curved lines at the base of the trunk going into the ground.
Grass: Add some small lines at the bottom of the canvas for grass.
Leaves: Add small dots or short lines inside the canopy to show leaves.

Try this: Add a small swing hanging from a branch or a little bird sitting in the tree – it adds so much personality!

🌳 Pro Tip: The details are what make a tree feel alive. Even just a few extra lines for bark texture or a handful of leaves can transform your tree from basic to beautiful!

5 🏆 The Challenge

Click "Clear" on the right toolbar. Now set a timer for 5 minutes.

Your mission: Draw three different trees – each one with a different canopy shape.

Tree 1: A tall, narrow tree (like a pine tree – pointed top!)
Tree 2: A wide, round tree (like an oak tree – big, fluffy canopy)
Tree 3: A weeping willow (branches hanging down, soft canopy)
Bonus: Add a tree house, a swing, or some birds in one of your trees!

When the timer is up, hit the Save button to download your tree collection!

✅ Remember: Every artist starts with lollipop trees. The more you draw, the more natural they become. Keep growing – your forest is just beginning!

✨ What's next?

⬅️ Previous: How to Draw a Simple Dog – learn to draw dogs!
➡️ Next: How to Draw a Simple House – master squares, rectangles, and triangles!