How to Draw Beautiful Flowers
Drawing basics are the same no matter what subject you use. Botanical drawing can be either complicated or simple depending on the subject. The best place to begin is with pencil drawing. The principles of light and dark are important, and so is showing texture. Certain techniques will help create dimension and detail. More than anything else, it simply takes practice. Drawing a subject is more about training the eye than the fingers. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Flower
- Camera
- Sketch pad
- #2H pencil
- #4B pencil
- Pink pearl eraser
- Pencil sharpener
- Paper towels
- Bristol board
Instructions
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Choose your subject. A live subject will make your piece more authentic. Choose a flower that will be in bloom for awhile. Go out in the garden and cut the flower in three different phases. One in full flower, one partially opened and one in bud. Leave the stems so the flowers can be kept in water.
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Take a photograph. A closeup photo will supply you with a reference when your subject is no longer available. You can also dissect the flower and photograph each part. Take a picture of your flower in a group to study the growth habit.
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Set up your composition. Choose a realistic pose. Sometimes a fully opened flower can be more difficult to draw. Flowers with many petals are also a challenge. You can draw a bud or a side view if it seems less complicated.
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Study your subject. Look at the flower as if it were many pieces to a whole. Look for lines and ruffles in the petals. Study the leaf edges and veins. Look into the flower at the pistol, stamens and seeds. Details help define a drawing.
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Record your work. Use an inexpensive sketch pad to take notes in and keep your practice drawings. Write down information about flower details you may want to enhance. Also note the date and plant name for future referencing.
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Practice using your pencils. The #2H is great for detail and will be your main tool. The #4 is soft and used in shading. Using a soft pencil is optional but it is important to experiment. You will need to use an eraser, but try to keep this to a minimum. You will also need to continually sharpen your pencil to keep your lines uniform.
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Practice drawing the parts of the flower. If the petals have lines or ruffles, practice drawing them. If the leaves are serrated, draw the serration. Repeat each part until you achieve the desired results.
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Practice drawing the subject. Lay out the flower on a paper towel the way you will do the final drawing. Draw the entire subject. This will allow you to make changes to the composition if necessary.
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Do the final drawing. Use your bristol board for the final piece. This is a smooth paper great for drawing details. Use a size that suits your subject. Lay out a fresh flower the way you will draw it. You may not finish this in one sitting, but try to set aside a good amount of time.
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Tips & Warnings
Botanical drawing books are helpful. They will show pictures of different drawing techniques. Always keep your work. Keep a sketch pad and paper handy. Practice whatever you see, wherever you are. Master pencil first then experiment with ink and colored pencil.
