This Christmas tree drawing looks a lot harder than it is. You build it from four stacked tiers with ragged zigzag edges, add a trunk, a star and a handful of ornaments, then color it with oil pastels so the branches look like real pine needles. The lesson comes from Rob at Art for Kids Hub, who draws it side by side with his son. Kids around six and up can follow along, and the outline takes about ten minutes.
You need a black marker, a sheet of paper and something to color with. That is the whole list.
Why messy zigzags work better
Most kids draw a Christmas tree as a neat triangle with even teeth along each tier. It reads as a tree, but it looks like plastic. Rob calls his version crazy zigzags: some points long, some short, a few leaning sideways. That uneven edge is what makes the tree look like a real fir. If you want to practice tree shapes without the holiday trim, try our how to draw a tree lesson first.
Markers, paper and oil pastels
A fine point black permanent marker gives you a bold outline that will not smear when you color over it. Plain printer paper works for practice. Use a heavier sketch paper for a drawing you want to keep, because oil pastels are waxy and thin paper can tear or curl.
Oil pastels are what give this tree its texture. They are soft, so you can lay dark green down in short strokes and blend light green over it with your finger or the pastel itself. They also snap easily. A broken piece still colors fine. No oil pastels? Crayons give a similar waxy look, and colored pencils let older kids layer the greens with more control.
Light, shadow and the 3D look
Two small tricks make this drawing pop off the page. The dark band under each tier makes the branches above look like they stick out. And every ornament keeps a white spot in the same corner, with a little shadow on the opposite side. Pick one direction for your light and stay with it. For more on this, see how to shade.
Make it your own
This version is an indoor tree on a red tree skirt. You can put it outside instead, with snow on the ground and birds in the branches. Swap the round ornaments for candy canes, stars or a looping garland. Try a gold star or a purple tree. There is no wrong answer here.
Ideas for the holidays
Draw a small tree on the front of a folded card and you have a homemade Christmas card. Cut a few out to make Christmas gift tags. Teachers can run it as a classroom art lesson and tape the finished trees to a window. For a 3D version, build a paper Christmas tree next.
Common Christmas tree drawing problems
- The tree runs off the bottom of the page. Start the top point about an inch down and stop the last tier well above the edge. You need room for the trunk and skirt.
- The tree leans. Keep the top point in the center and let each tier stick out a little farther on both sides.
- The green looks flat. Go back in with dark green under each tier. That shadow does most of the work.
- The ornaments disappear. Color around them in green first, then fill them red and leave the white highlight.
