How to Draw a Leaf (Easy Step by Step)
A leaf is a fun first drawing because it is just a pointy teardrop with a few straight lines inside. You will draw the outline, a stem, a middle vein, and then add the side veins. Once you know the pattern, you can draw a whole tree full of leaves.
- Easy
- 8 minutes
- 8 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawingIn this article (7 sections)
How to draw a leaf step by step
How to Draw a Leaf · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: Guide shapes
Lightly sketch this oval. It only shows where the big parts go, so press softly. You will erase it at the end.
Step 2: The leaf outline
Draw a pointy teardrop shape, round and wide at the bottom left and narrowing to a sharp tip at the top right. Start at the bottom, curve up the left side, and let both sides meet at the tip.
Step 3: The stem
At the bottom left of the leaf, draw a short straight line going down and out from the outline. This little stick is the stem.
Step 4: The middle vein
Draw a straight line from the stem up toward the tip, going through the middle of the leaf. Then add a short line near the tip, leaving a small gap between the two pieces and a little space before the tip.
Step 5: First left and right veins
Near the bottom of the middle vein, draw a short line that slants up and to the left, and a short line that goes out to the right. They meet in a V on the middle vein. Then add one more short slanted line on the left, a bit higher up.
Step 6: A longer left vein
Higher up on the left side, draw one longer slanted line. Start it at the leaf's outline and slant it down until it touches the middle vein.
Step 7: Two right veins
On the right side, draw two lines that go out from the middle vein toward the right edge. Make them almost flat, sloping slightly down, and one above the other.
Step 8: Top veins
Near the top, join the gap in the middle vein with a short line. Then draw one line from that spot up to the left outline and one going out to the right edge, making a small Y.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your leaf? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a feather or how to draw a comet next.
Tips for drawing a leaf
- Draw the outline in one smooth swoop for each side, and let both sides meet at a sharp point at the top right.
- Draw the middle vein quickly, in one stroke from the stem toward the tip, so it stays straight like a ruler line.
- Slant the veins on the left side the same way each time, so they look like matching steps going up the leaf.
Free leaf coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this leaf coloring page at full size and print it. It is the same drawing you just learned, with clean lines ready for crayons or markers.
How to color your leaf drawing
Try bright greens for a summer leaf, or red, orange, and yellow for fall. For a creative twist, color each section between the veins a slightly different shade.
Leaf fun fact for kids
Leaves make food for the tree using sunlight, water, and air. The veins in a real leaf are tiny tubes that carry water into the leaf and carry sugar out of it.
Questions about drawing a leaf
What shapes do I need to draw a leaf?
You need one pointy teardrop shape, plus a handful of straight lines. The lines make the stem, the middle vein, and the side veins.
How do I make my leaf look more real?
Slant the side veins a little as they leave the middle vein, the way they do on a real leaf. You can also add a wavy edge if you want a different kind of leaf.
How do I draw a leaf for fall?
Draw the same shape, then color it red, orange, or yellow. Mixing two or three of those colors in one leaf makes it look like a real fall leaf.
