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A banana leaf drawing adds instant tropical magic to any journal spread

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If you’re looking for something a little bold, a little tropical, and a whole lot of fun to draw, let me introduce you to the banana leaf doodle.

It’s got those relaxed jungle vibes, looks super pretty on your journal pages, and it’s honestly way easier than it looks. Big leafy shapes are very forgiving. No perfection needed.

You can dress it up with color or keep it as a banana leaf line drawing for a more minimalist look. Either way, this is one of those doodles that works in so many styles, boho, planty, earthy, modern. Love that.

What Do Banana Leaves Symbolize?

Banana leaves actually have some beautiful symbolism behind them.

In lots of cultures, especially in the tropics and Southeast Asia, banana leaves represent abundance, prosperity, and peace. They’re often used in celebrations, offerings, and even as plates for meals (which I love).

In spiritual or wellness-inspired journaling, they can also symbolize growth, healing, and connection to nature.

So when you draw a banana leaf, it’s not just a pretty plant, it’s a little reminder to slow down, reconnect, and welcome calm, lush energy into your space.

Why Try a Banana Leaf Drawing?

First off: they’re cool. Let’s just say it. A banana leaf drawing simple or full-blown detailed style can totally transform a blank corner of your page into a planty paradise.

Where to Use Banana Leaf Doodles in Your Bullet Journal

Now for the fun part. There are SO many ways to sneak these leafy beauties into your Bujo, art journal, or planner pages.

Monthly Covers: Pair with tropical lettering or hand-lettered quotes.
Trackers: Add one or two leaves at the corners or edges to frame your layout.
Daily Pages: Use a banana leaf drawing for kids style for a playful, sketchy look.
Quote Pages: Draw a large leaf behind a calming mantra or affirmation.
Mood Tracker: Create a giant banana leaf and divide it into segments for each day of the month.
Borders: Layer a few overlapping leaves along the side of your pages.

You can also use them to break up white space in your spreads or even create a leafy frame around important notes or reflections.

Tips to Make Your Banana Leaf Drawing Stand Out

You don’t need to be an artist for this, just a little play and practice.

Here’s how to get creative with it:

Start with basic shapes: A banana leaf drawing easy version can be done with one long curved shape and a few lines. You can build detail from there.
Add texture: Once your outline is done, sketch in the natural lines of the leaf veins, they give it depth and character.
Layer up: Try overlapping a few leaves in different angles to create a jungle feel.
Use color blends: Greens are great, but also try deep blues, purples, or sunset colors for a dreamy twist.
Make it mini: Tiny banana leaf doodles are adorable as bullet points or page markers.

Banana Leaf Drawing: How To Draw A Banana Leaf Doodle

Follow along with our easy Banana Leaf doodle tutorial. Simply follow each step by drawing the part of the doodle in ORANGE.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Active Time 5 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Difficulty Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Decide where you want your Banana Leaf drawing doodle on the page and start by drawing the stem of your leaf. This is two lines close together, and don't worry, you don't have to make it straight!

Step 1 of drawing a banana leaf: Outline a curved line with orange strokes on a white background.

Step 2

Next, draw the outline of the leaf. This is just a guide so do it very lightly in pencil as you will erase this line.

Illustrated guide to drawing a banana leaf, step 2, showing outlined leaf shape and details.

Step 3

Then start to draw the distinctive banana leaf shape. Follow the guide you did in step 2 around the bottom of the leaf then dip in towards the stem, back to the outline for a little while then dip to stem again. These lines do not have to be perfect and even look better with a bit of unevenness and texture.

Step 3: Drawing a banana leaf with outlined shape and guidelines, diaryofajournalplanner.com.

Step 4

Now draw the rest of the side using the same technique.

Drawing guide: Step 4 shows how to draw a banana leaf with colored sections.

Step 5

The top of the leaf is a solid shape.

Step 5 drawing guide for a banana leaf illustration with outlines and sections.

Step 6

Then start down the other side of your leaf doodle, using the same technique as Step 3. Remember for a more natural looking leaf you do not want these to be too perfect and even.

Illustration tutorial on drawing a banana leaf, step 6 outline with guide lines.

Step 7

Next, draw the final part of your leaf shape.

Drawing tutorial: Step 1 of how to sketch a banana leaf outline.

Step 8 & 9

This step is optional but to create a realistic banana leaf drawing you can add texture by drawing lines along your leaf.

Step-by-step drawing guide for a banana leaf, featuring outlined illustration with step 8 highlighted.

Step 9: Drawing a banana leaf. Simple black and white leaf illustration for journal planners and sketching guides.

Step 10

The last step is to have fun and color your banana leaf drawing.

Illustration of a banana leaf labeled Step 10, from a drawing guide by diaryofajournalplanner.com.

Fun Prompts to Try

If you’re stuck for ideas or just wanna fill a page with leafy goodness, try one of these:

Draw one big leaf and fill it with patterns or doodles inside.
Create a page full of banana leaves in different styles, sketchy, watercolor, outlined, filled.
Make a tropical mood board with leaves, fruit, and words that feel summery.
Mix banana leaves with florals like hibiscus or plumeria.
Create a “Plant Lady Vibes” spread using only leafy doodles.

Your banana leaf drawing doesn’t have to be realistic or perfect. It’s all about that jungle feeling and creative flow. A simple banana leaf drawing can totally shift the energy of your page, making it feel a little more alive, a little more connected to nature.

You can even turn them into little characters, give your succulents faces, hats, or sleepy eyes for a soft kawaii vibe.