Plants · Free in the app
How to Draw a Tulip
An easy step-by-step drawing for kids and beginners: 10 steps, about 3 minutes, on paper.
- 10steps
- 3 minabout
- Colorat the end
Quick answer
Draw a tulip in 10 steps: draw the zigzag top, draw the cup's left side, draw the cup's right side, then carry on one line at a time and color it in. It takes about 3 minutes with a pencil or a pen.
- Steps: 10
- Time: about 3 minutes
- You need: paper, a pencil or a pen, something to color with
- From: the Plants path in Paper Coach
A tulip is one of the easiest flowers to draw. The bloom is a cup with a three-point zigzag on top, and it sits on a thin stem between two tall, pointed leaves. Once you learn this cup shape, you can draw a whole row of tulips.
Step by step
Draw it in 10 steps
Each picture shows the lines so far: the faded ones are done, the dark ones are this step’s.
1Draw the zigzag top
The tulip's top edge is a zigzag with three points. Make the middle point the tallest.
2Draw the cup's left side
Now the cup. From the left point, curve down and around to the bottom middle.
3Draw the cup's right side
From the right point, curve down to meet it. The bloom is closed.
4Draw the stem
The stem drops from under the cup. Two long lines, close together, joined at the foot.
5Draw the left leaf
A tall leaf grows from the foot of the stem. Each edge curves out and up to a sharp tip.
6Draw the right leaf
The leaf on the right is a little shorter. Draw its two edges the same way.
7Draw the center lines
Each leaf gets one line down its middle, bending the way the leaf bends.
8Color the bloom
Color the bloom pink.
9Color the stem
Color the stem green.
10Color the leaves
Make both leaves dark green.
Tips
Draw a tulip well
Tips for drawing a tulip
- Keep the zigzag fairly small. The cup below it should be a bit taller than the zigzag is wide, so the bloom looks round and full.
- Start both cup sides at the outer points and aim them at the same spot at the bottom middle. Then they meet neatly.
- Draw the two stem lines close together, about the width of a pencil. A thin stem makes the bloom look lighter.
- Let the left leaf reach about halfway up the stem, and stop the right leaf a little lower. The uneven heights look more natural.
- Draw each center line with a soft bend that follows the leaf's outer edge, so the leaf looks like it curves.
Common mistakes
- Drawing all three zigzag points the same height, so the top looks like a crown. Lift the middle point higher than the two side points. That one taller point makes it read as a tulip.
- Leaves that are wide and rounded at the top, like ovals. Curve each edge out, then bring both edges back in to one sharp tip. The widest part sits low, near the stem.
- The stem starts beside the cup instead of under it, so the bloom looks like it is falling off. Begin the stem lines right at the bottom middle of the cup, where the two sides meet.
Make it your own
- Color the bloom red, yellow or purple instead of pink. Keep the leaves dark green so the flower stands out.
- Draw three tulips side by side with stems of different heights to make a small bunch.
- Bend the stem into a gentle curve so the bloom tips to one side, like it is leaning toward the sun.
- Add a fourth or fifth zigzag point for a wider, more open-looking cup.
Done
Your finished tulip
Color it in as you like: the colors here are only a start.
Print it
All the steps on one page
Save it, pin it or print it, and draw from the paper.
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Good to know
How do I make the tulip cup look round?
Bulge each side out past the zigzag points before curving in to the bottom middle. The cup should be wider in the middle than at the top.
Why does my tulip look like a crown?
The zigzag points are probably all the same height, or the zigzag is too big. Make the middle point tallest and keep the cup deeper than the zigzag.
Should the leaves be the same size?
No. One leaf a little shorter than the other looks more like a real plant. Here the left leaf is taller and the right one stops lower.
Is a tulip a good flower for a young child to draw?
Yes. It uses only a zigzag, two curves, two straight lines and two leaf shapes. A child can say each shape out loud while drawing it.
How long does it take to draw a tulip?
About 3 minutes for the lines, and a few more to color it in.
Can kids follow this guide?
Yes, children from about six can follow it on their own, and younger ones with a grown-up beside them.
What do I need?
Paper and a pencil or a pen, and crayons, markers or colored pencils for the colors. An eraser helps but isn’t needed.
Updated 2026-10-26
Draw it with Lina
Paper Coach shows each line of a tulip being drawn, then waits while you draw it. This lesson is one of the free ones. 10 lessons on the Plants path, and more on every path.
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