how to draw a simple bow
To draw a simple decorative bow , think of it as a circle in the middle with two “ear” shapes and two ribbon tails hanging down. This works well for cute doodles, gifts, or planners.
Basic shape (super simple)
- Draw the knot
- Sketch a small vertical rectangle or oval in the center.
- This is the knot of your bow.
- Add the two loops
- From the left side of the knot, draw a curved triangle or “ear” shape that flares out and comes back to the knot.
- Repeat on the right side, trying to keep them roughly the same size but not worrying about perfect symmetry.
- Draw the ribbon tails
- From the bottom of the knot, draw two long narrow rectangles or slightly curved ribbons going downward.
- At the ends, you can add a “V” cut by drawing a small triangle missing from each ribbon tip.
Add quick details
- Inner folds:
- Inside each loop, draw a short curved line starting near the knot and curving outward to suggest the fabric folding.
- Wrinkles:
- Add one or two tiny curved lines on the knot so it looks slightly scrunched.
- Shading (optional but powerful):
- Lightly shade the areas closest to the knot and inside edges of the loops to give it a bit of 3D depth.
Tiny bow doodle formula
For quick, tiny bows (like in notes or planners):
- Draw a small dot or tiny oval for the knot.
- Draw two simple sideways “D” shapes for the loops.
- Add two short lines or tiny “V”-ended strokes as the tails.
- Keep lines clean and minimal so it reads clearly even when small.
Little storytelling tip
Imagine you are tying a real gift ribbon: the knot in the middle pulls everything tight, the loops puff out like little ears, and the tails droop down under gravity. Thinking of that physical action helps keep your lines loose and natural instead of stiff.
TL;DR:
Knot in the middle → two puffed “ear” loops → two ribbon tails → add a few
fold lines and light shading, and you have a simple, cute bow drawing.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.