How To Draw a Wooden Bark?

Here are the steps.

Step 1 – Sketch the Tree Trunk Cylinder

Start by drawing two long, slightly curved vertical lines to form the sides of the tree trunk.
Make the trunk subtly uneven—one side can bow outward a little—to avoid a stiff, perfectly straight look.
Add a light oval at the top to show the trunk’s opening and give it a cylindrical, 3D form.
Keep the outline thin and sketchy, since the bark texture will become the main focus later.
Lightly refine the trunk width so it feels consistent from top to bottom, with a gentle natural taper if you like.
Avoid texture in this step; think of it as building the “tube” that the bark will wrap around.
Check that the trunk edges are smooth and parallel enough to read as a solid form, but not so perfect that it looks artificial.

Begin drawing long, irregular vertical crack lines down the trunk, following the direction of the trunk’s length.
Create jagged, broken paths rather than smooth lines—bark splits are uneven and angular.
Let some cracks branch into smaller offshoots, forming a natural “lightning-bolt” look.
Keep these cracks lightly sketched, spacing them so the trunk doesn’t become overcrowded too quickly.
Vary the lengths: some cracks can run almost the full height, while others can stop and restart.
Slightly curve a few cracks to match the trunk’s cylindrical shape, especially near the edges.
At this stage, the bark should look like a simple network of splits, with no heavy shading yet.

Expand the cracks into larger bark “plates” by adding extra lines that connect and form chunky, irregular shapes.
Make some bark pieces tall and narrow while others are wider, creating variety and realism.
Darken a few key crack lines to establish depth and make the texture more readable.
Add small broken edges and notches along some plates to suggest rough, peeling bark.
Keep the pattern consistent with the trunk form: plates should curve slightly around the cylinder, not appear flat.
Lightly erase any confusing overlaps or messy sketch marks so the plate shapes remain clear.
By the end of this step, the trunk should look textured, with recognizable bark segments instead of just random lines.

Deepen the darkest areas by shading inside the cracks and gaps between bark plates, making them look recessed.
Use layered pencil strokes or cross-hatching to create darker shadows, especially along one side of each bark plate.
Add mid-tone shading on some bark surfaces to show uneven thickness and roughness.
Increase contrast near the trunk edges to enhance the cylindrical look—slightly darker shading can help the trunk “turn” away from the light.
Strengthen a few plate outlines selectively so the bark pattern stands out without becoming overly outlined everywhere.
Blend lightly in places, but keep some scratchy texture visible to match the rough bark feel.
Finish by cleaning the trunk outline and balancing highlights and shadows so the bark looks deep, natural, and fully detailed.