Draw an island in 6 easy steps
- Sketch the coastline. Draw a soft, uneven blob in the middle of the page. Avoid perfect curves: real islands have bays and points.
- Add the beach. Draw a second line just inside the coastline to mark a ring of sand, wider in some places than others.
- Draw the water. Add a few wavy lines and small ripples around the island, getting lighter and fewer as they move away from the shore.
- Raise the land. Add a hill or a small mountain in the centre, and a few rounded shapes for bushes or forest.
- Add details. Palm trees (a curved trunk with a few long leaves), rocks, a hut, a boat, or a small stream.
- Colour and shade. Fill the water with blues, the beach with pale yellow, the land with greens, and add darker tones on the side away from the light.
Ideas for your island
- A tropical island with palm trees and a lagoon.
- A desert island with a single tree and a message in a bottle.
- A treasure island map with a dotted trail and an X.
- A volcano island with smoke and lava.
- A floating fantasy island with waterfalls and clouds.
See how other artists drew theirs in the community gallery, for example Tropical Island or Island.
Draw your island in the full editor
DrawIsland (draw island!) is a free online drawing site. In the full editor you can use watercolor and spray brushes for the sea, the fill tool for the sand, layers to keep the island, trees and water separate, and shapes like circles and triangles for quick hills and sails. When you are happy with it, export a PNG, JPG or PDF, or share it in the gallery with a free account.