How to Draw Tennessee's State Flower
In 1933, Tennessee adopted the purple iris as the state flower. The iris has three petals that symbolize bravery, faith and wisdom. Iris was the messenger of the gods in Greek mythology, and the goddess of the rainbow. This beautiful flower, with it's distinctive look, is a favorite among artists. Follow these simple steps to draw Tennessee's state flower, the purple iris.
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Things You'll Need
- Pencil
- Drawing paper
- Eraser
- Iris or photo of Iris
- Color pencils
- Watercolors
- Brush
Instructions
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Select your reference image to work from. The ideal reference is a live purple iris, placed right in front of you. More likely, you will need to find a reference photo of a purple iris. Choose a photo with a crisp, clear composition, with clearly defined petals that will lend itself to a distinctive drawing.
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Note the overall shapes of the petals relative to each other. Start your drawing with a light sketch of this composition of shapes. There will be some upright petals on top; sketch an oval for their overall shape. Then detail each petal by drawing it as a long, skinny sausage shape along the side of the oval. Right below this, sketch ovals for the petals that are pointing down. If petals are seen from the side, sketch half ovals for these petals.
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Check your reference image. Note the stem below the flower: It probably arcs to one side or the other. Draw the stem as two lines joining the flower petals from below, trying to duplicate the bend of the stem from your reference artwork. Next, note any flower buds or leaves coming up from below. Use lines to compose the shapes of the leaves, noting their arc. Buds can be started as ovals, and their stems will be lines. Again, note their arc. If you do not like the result, erase and redraw.
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Add details to the flower petals. Note that the edges are ruffled, and look almost like the edge of a sea shell. The wavy lines start from the center of each petal and radiate out. Draw the strongest lines first, then add the more minor lines. Draw a shaggy oval at the center of each flower for the stamen, as per your reference image. Work on the petals as long as you like, adding details from major to minor as you go. Check your reference image for details of the stem right under the petals, if any. Use lines to recreate these details in your drawing. Note the flowing lines in any unopened buds, looking somewhat like closed shells. Add these details using curved lines.
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You now have a finished pencil drawing of the Tennessee state flower, the purple iris. Go ahead and color it if you like, using color pencils or watercolor. Check the shade of the purples and greens in your reference art, and test colors on scratch paper before committing them to your finished art. Work with color based on shapes from your reference image, starting with the lightest shades and working to the darkest.
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Tips & Warnings
Transfer your drawing to canvas using carbon paper and color with acrylic paint.
Scan your drawing into Adobe Photoshop and color on your computer screen.
