Warli Art Drawing: Figures, Dance, Animals and Village Scenes
15 designs Warli art Updated 9 Oct 2026
Warli art drawing comes from the Warli tribe of the Sahyadri region of Maharashtra, around Thane and Palghar. It uses only circles, triangles and lines, with white paint over an earthy ground of red ochre or mud brown.
This page has 15 original warli art images: human figures, the tarpa dance circle, animals and trees, village scenes and round designs. Every card lists what it is painted with, its motifs and a handy tip, so you can copy it on paper, canvas or a wall.
New to Warli? Start with easy warli art. For background on the tradition, read warli art.
Warli Art Drawing of Human Figures
Each Warli person is a pair of triangles meeting point to point, topped by a round head and lines for arms and legs. Change the angle of the lines and the figure walks, carries or works.
Six figures doing daily tasks in one row. It is the best practice sheet before you try a full scene.
Artist tip Draw the upper triangle a little bigger than the lower one. Figures look more natural.
Four stages: two triangles, a head circle, arms and legs, then a pose. Handy for teachers showing how it is built.
Artist tip Keep the joining point of the two triangles small and sharp. It forms the waist.
Figures guide a plough pulled by two oxen across paddy rows. Farming is one of the oldest Warli themes.
Artist tip Draw the oxen as two rectangles with short leg lines, then add curved horns.
Warli Dance Drawing: The Tarpa Circle
The tarpa dance circle is the favourite Warli theme. Figures hold hands in rings around a musician playing the tarpa, a long wind instrument. The rings spiral inward and give the picture movement.
Three rings of dancers spiral around one tarpa player. A beautiful Warli art drawing that suits a large wall.
Artist tip Start with the musician in the centre, then add dancers ring by ring, outward.
A modern twist: white dancers on an indigo ground with a yellow sun centre. Warli art images with colour like this suit kids' rooms.
Artist tip Use only one accent colour beside white. More colours hide the clean Warli shapes.
Black figures outside, white figures inside. This creative Warli art drawing swaps the usual colours for a fresh look.
Artist tip Paint the white ring first and let it dry 15 minutes before adding black pen figures.
How to Draw Warli Art Step by Step
- Prepare the ground. Paint 180 to 300 gsm paper or a board in red ochre or mud brown. Let it dry about an hour.
- Plan in pencil. Mark the main things: a circle for a dance, a tree, huts or a river.
- Draw the figures. Two triangles joined at the tips, a circle head, then lines for arms and legs.
- Add animals and trees. Use triangles and rectangles for bodies and thin lines for branches.
- Paint in white. Use a size 0 or 00 round brush, or a white paint pen for small work.
- Finish with borders. A band of triangles or dots frames the scene.
Warli Art Animals, Birds and Trees
Warli art animals are built from the same shapes: triangles and rectangles for bodies, lines for legs. Trees are drawn branch by branch, often with birds sitting on them.
Two peacocks face each other below a palm. Fan tails are just lines with small circles at the tips.
Artist tip Draw the tail lines first from one point, then add a small dot at each end.
A big branching tree full of birds, with deer below. The tree trunk is drawn as many fine lines, not one block.
Artist tip Paint the trunk as a bundle of thin lines. It gives the classic Warli texture.
Six animals in a grid: deer, tiger, cow, rooster, fish and snake. Pin it up as a reference while drawing scenes.
Artist tip Give the tiger stripes and the fish a criss-cross body to tell them apart quickly.
Warli Art Designs, Patterns and Village Scenes
Village Warli art shows the whole day in one frame: houses, wells, fields, animals and work. Small border patterns of triangles and dots tie the scene together.
Huts, a well, a field and busy figures fill the frame. This warli art photo shows how much fits in one A3 sheet.
Artist tip Sketch the huts and well first in pencil, then fit figures in the gaps.
Three border strips: triangle chains, dot rows and small running figures. Use them around a chart or a wall panel.
Artist tip Rule two pencil lines 2 cm apart, then fill the band without measuring each shape.
A river curves across the page with a boat, nets and fish. Wavy lines for water keep it simple.
Artist tip Draw water as three or four wavy lines only. Too many lines crowd the fish.
Warli Art Drawings in a Circle
A circle frame suits Warli very well, because the dance and village life already move in rings. These designs work on plates, wall clocks and round boards.
Village life runs around the rim, with a sun in the centre. A beautiful warli art drawing for a hanging wall plate.
Artist tip Seal painted terracotta with matt varnish once it has dried for 24 hours.
Rings of figures, deer and birds circle a central tree. It blends Warli shapes with a mandala layout.
Artist tip Divide the circle into eight parts in pencil so each ring has even spacing.
A dance ring sits around the clock face with plain numbers left out. Makes a simple handmade gift.
Artist tip Paint the background two coats and let each coat dry an hour before the figures.
Materials and Colour Choices
| Surface | Background | White | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper | Acrylic or poster colour | White gel pen or acrylic | Use 250 gsm or more |
| Canvas or MDF | Acrylic, two coats | Acrylic with a 00 brush | Seal with matt varnish |
| Wall | Earth-tone wall paint | Exterior white acrylic | Wipe gently with a damp cloth |
| Terracotta | Natural or red primer | Acrylic | Seal after 24 hours |
Want a painted finish for your wall? See warli art painting. For other tribal styles, compare gond art.
Questions about these designs
Which state is Warli art drawing from?
Warli art comes from Maharashtra. It belongs to the Warli tribe of the Sahyadri region, mainly around Thane and Palghar.
How do you draw a Warli human figure?
Draw two triangles meeting at their tips, one above the other. Put a small round head on top, then straight strokes for the limbs. Angle those strokes to suggest walking or dancing.
What colours are used in Warli art designs?
Traditionally plain white over red ochre or a mud-brown ground. Modern pieces sometimes add one accent colour or use black, indigo or kraft paper. Keep the figures simple either way.
What is the tarpa dance in Warli art?
It is a circle of dancers holding hands around a musician playing the tarpa, a long wind instrument. The rings often spiral inward. It is the most loved Warli theme.
Which animals are common in Warli art?
Deer, cows, oxen, tigers, roosters, peacocks, fish and snakes. All are drawn with simple triangles, rectangles and lines, just like the human figures.
Can I make warli art images with colour?
Yes. Keep the figures white and change the background to indigo, black or mustard, or add one small accent colour like a yellow sun. Too many colours hide the clean shapes.
