A waterfall is water tumbling down a cliff or rocky ledge into a pool below. In this tutorial Parikshet shows you how to draw a tall waterfall with rocks on either side, falling water lines, splashes at the bottom and trees in the background.

🎨 What You Need

  • White A4 paper (portrait)
  • HB pencil and rubber
  • Black fineliner
  • Blue, green, brown, grey and white colour pencils
  • Optional: white gel pen for splashes

How to Draw a Waterfall Step by Step

  1. Step 1 — Down the middle of the paper, draw two vertical lines a few centimetres apart — this is the channel of falling water.
  2. Step 2 — At the top, draw a horizontal ledge where the water tips over the edge of the cliff.
  3. Step 3 — On either side of the water, draw bumpy rock shapes going down the page — rough triangles and curves stacked together.
  4. Step 4 — At the bottom of the falling water, draw a wide curved pool or river with ripples going outward.
  5. Step 5 — Inside the falling water, draw long vertical lines going top to bottom to show the water moving downward.
  6. Step 6 — At the base where the water hits the pool, add small cloud-shapes for splashes and spray.
  7. Step 7 — Above the cliff, draw a few bumpy trees and bushes, and add some grass tufts on the rocks.
  8. Step 8 — Outline in black marker, colour the water bright blue with white lines, the rocks brown and grey, the trees green, and leave the splashes white.
💡 Parikshet's Tip: Leave white gaps in the falling water and around the splash zone — water that is full of white space looks fast-moving and powerful, while solid blue looks flat.

🌟 Did You Know?

Angel Falls in Venezuela is the tallest waterfall in the world. The water falls almost a kilometre — so far that much of it turns into mist before it ever reaches the ground.

Easy Variations to Try

  • Draw a small rainbow in the mist at the bottom
  • Add a deer or bird beside the pool
  • Draw a multi-step waterfall with three drops
  • Add a small wooden bridge crossing the river

🎯 Try This: Jungle Waterfall Scene

  1. Draw a tall waterfall in the centre of the page
  2. Add jungle leaves and vines hanging from the top
  3. Place colourful tropical birds on either side
  4. Add a small monkey peeking from a tree