How to Draw a Rose

Drawing flowers is by far my favorite past time and I cant wait to share this step by step with you!

Step 1. Elongated Circle

The first step is to draw a circle that is wider than it is tall, think of a cute little puddle. The circle doesnt have to be perfect! just try to capture similar proportions (notice how it looks like a squished circle).

Here is a video version of the tutorial if you want to see it drawn in real time
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Step 2. Add a line to the Left Side

Draw a line from the corner left side of the circle we drew downwards. Tilt this line slightly towards the middle.

Step 3. Add a line to the Right Side

Draw a similar line on the opposing side, right corner of the circle going down slightly towards the middle. Make sure the two vertical lines dont touch and that there is slight space between.

Step 4. Close the Cylinder

Draw a line that is curving downwards (like a rope bridge) to finish up this cylinder like shape. It should look like we are looking down at a cylinder and we can see the top side of it.

Step 5. Semicircle

Now lets draw a semicircle that fits inside the initial circle. This semicircle will look like the sun coming over the horizon or a sunset. Notice that the semicircle is more round than the initial circle so there is extra room on its sides.

Step 6. Curving Line

Now we are going to add a line that runs over the top of the semi circle we just drew. This line will curve slightly and go slightly past the middle point of the cylinder.

Step 7. Opposing Curving Line

Add a curving line that runs opposite to the line we just drew, these two lines should intersect and this second line will be shorter than the first.

Step 8. Close the Gap

Draw a line between the gap of the two curving lines.

Step 9. Add first Petal

Woooo! we have made the core of the flower and now we can start adding petals. Drawing petals can be a little challenging at first but with a little practice this will become really easy and TONS of fun. The mistake that a lot of new artists make is that they will make the petals too round, which doesnt give the petal enough dimension.

Look at the image below for a second and come back and read the rest. Did you notice how i broke the petal down into two lines (in red) and one curving line (in purple)? This is the key to drawing petals with dimension. Make sure to take sometime and look at diagrams on the left because understanding this will make everything so much easier.

Copy the lines on your drawing and make a clear separation between the 3 lines at first to help you digest this information!

Step 10. Opposing Petal

Lets add another petal, draw a line that starts at the previous petals line. This petal is behind the one we drew before, so its line will get hidden behind the first one. Understanding this overlapping will help us give these flowers more dimension which gives it so much elegance and life.

Step 11. Complete the Petal

Finish the petal by adding a line that is quite a bit more curvy than the last few lines. This helps describe how this petal is moving back in space behind the core of the flower.

Step 12. Backside Petal

Now we will add a petal that is behind the core, notice how this petal has a similar line anatomy to the one we first drew. The (almost) straight lines on the sides are moving up and away from the core. The petals grow from the core so these lines will move away from the central region.

Step 13. Right Backside Petal

Using the same technique as the last few we will add a petal to the right side, notice how this petal is slightly more hidden and has less surface area than the last one. This helps us indicate that its further behind than the last petal.

Step 14. Completing Front Right Side Petal

Lets come back to the front side of the flower and add a line that connects the front right petal to the bottom of the cylinder / core. The line begins where the two curvy parts of the petal meet, use the diagram on the left to see the line.

Step 15. Completing Front Left Side Petal

Now we will do the same thing with the left petal but this line is slightly more curved, this petal is leaning more outward than the last one so this bottom curve will be more round. You can see how the previous petal is more upright.

Step 16. Erase Away the Overlap Lines

Erase away the lines of the core / cylinder that are running overtop the front side of the petals. Compare the image below with the one above if you have a hard time seeing which line to erase.

Step 17. Outer Left Side Petal

Now we will add a petal to the left side of the flower, pay attention to how the blue line that is further away is much shorter than the one in the front. Try to capture ths in your drawing.

Step 18. Front Right Side Petal

This drawing is really starting to look like a flower! now lets add another petal using the method we have been so far, two lines moving away from the core and then a curved line that connects the two.

Step 19. Front Left Side Petal

This petal is moving towards us so its curve will be wider and flatter. Pay attention to how the red lines go underneath the lines of the other petals

Step 20. Add the Stem

Draw a stem by drawing two lines that go under the flower, try to keep the stem connected towards the center of the flower. You can curve the stem slightly to give it a more realistic look.

Step 21. Details on Inner Cone

Lets return to the initial cylinder and add some petal details. Draw the large line first, following the top of the cylinder and then coming down. Once you have done that, add the smaller line that describes a petal moving under the first line.

Step 22. Details Backside of Cone

Draw a similar arrangement to the backside of the cone, start with the longer blue line (the left one) and then draw the one going underneath.

Step 23. Add a Cute Leaf

Draw in a leaf, I like to start with the center line and then draw the leaf like shape around it but you can do it however you please :D leafs come in all shapes and sizes so play around with shapes. Slightly jagged lines will help sell the difference between soft flower petals and the sharper leafs.

Step 24. Start Shading

Woo you completed the building portion of the flower, now lets add some shading. the amount of shading is up to personal preference but I really like minimal lines that describe the form. Notice how im adding the line in the corners of the flower toward the center. Its in these areas that light wont reach and shadows will form.

Try to add your shading in the direction of the petal. Notice how the blue lines below move away from the core, similar to how children will draw sunrays flowing out from the sun.

Step 25. Complete Shading

Add more shading until you feel satisfied with the result. Add a little shading where the stem meets the flower to help describe that its underneath.

Final Steppp!

Celebrate your drawing!

Yaay finished the drawing! Thank you so much for letting me share my love for drawing flowers with you! I really hope this was fun for you and maybe (just maybe) this tutorial has helped you realize that you can totally learn how to draw. I learned drawing at a later age so I know that this is a learn-able skill that anyone can pick up at any time (with effort, of course).

Check out more of the tutorial on the site! I've put lots of effort into creating these free resources because I want more people to fall in love with drawing. So feel free to share the link to this tutorial with friends :D That would be tremendously helpful to me on this mission to spread the love for drawing.

I have created a 20 page Printable Workbook (PDF) that will teach you how to draw different floral arrangements. I wanted to create something that could really speed up someone's learning and actually get them drawing. I poured tons of time into it to make it as useful as possible to someone who wants to capture the elegance and beauty of flowers, I would looove it if you grabbed your copy and drew with me some more!