A Cartoon Tree That Anyone Can Draw

Cartoon trees are one of the easiest things to learn to draw. Once you have a basic tree, you can start varying your tree types and shapes to create whole forests. But before you start experimenting, let's start with four basic steps to creating trees.

Step 1:
This is actually really simple. You are going to draw two vertical arcs, starting about the same height and about the same length. Make them curve a little differently, though, to give your tree character. I like to curve to the right. Connect the bottom of your two arcs with a line that is not quite straight but doesn't curve wildly, and you have yourself the trunk of your tree.

Step 2:
Adding branches is where a lot of people begin to sweat, thinking it's really difficult to make the branches of your cartoon tree look real. It's actually no harder than the trunk. To start the two main branches, turn your trunk into a "Y", still leaning a little to the right. These two lines will connect with a large "V" or "U" in the middle, making two skinny branches. On the right side of your trunk toward the top, add a very thin branch that is basically just a point, and on the left side at the angle of the "Y", draw something that resembles the blade of a knife. Now, you have some branches that will peek out through your leaves.

Step 3:
Okay, so this is going to be really easy. Remember when you were little and you used to draw houses with a sun in the corner and puffy clouds in the sky? The leaves of your tree are basically going to be a single cloud that has landed on top of your tree. However, instead of making all the puffs the same size, make some smaller and some larger so that it varies. You can put a smaller, skinnier cloud at the end of your little tree branch on the right. Now, you are going to erase overlapping lines. That will mean the branches disappear into the leaves and the leaves disappear behind the trunk.

Step 4:
Now you can add cute little details to your cartoon tree. More little bubble arcs can make additional leaves in your tree, and a couple of vertical arcs in the trunk give it texture, like bark on a real tree. For real pizzazz, draw some "lollipop" flowers at the base of the tree - three or four straight lines of different lengths topped with circles for buds.

At this point, you've finished the outline for your cartoon tree, and it should look really nice. You can color it in, or try your hand at a second and third, perfecting your technique so that you can move on to more unique tree structures. Other than that, you can consider yourself an expert artist for cartoon trees!