How To Draw A Rose

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This rose drawing exercise is focused to begin from the center of the flower and gradually evolve outward.

It is only one of the possible ways to draw. The flip side of this approach is that it is a bit difficult to predict exactly the final size of the whole rose.

This is a simplified way of drawing such a complex flower like a rose. Draw a couple of wavy shapes. These wavy lines represent the tips of the central petals sticking out in the middle.

In the beginning, it resembles a cartoon illustration rather than a rose drawing.

Analogically you can learn how to draw a rose from the outside in – of course, but you would have to draw more accurate curves and contours to match the central point when you reach there.

Continue to draw – add – petals. Notice that almost every rose has its petals curled outward on the edges. 

Draw only the outline contours of petals. You need not draw them perfectly and exactly; you are a human, not a scanner.

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The shape of the rose’s head is gradually emerging.

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Draw the last petal on the bottom and add three visible sepals. Then by a single pencil line outline the stem.

This line is the guideline around which you draw two parallel lines. See the picture.

You choose how long or how curved will be the stem. I made it like this but you can make yours as you like.

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Outline the petioles and leaf lines as you see in the picture. Using this simple technique you’ll learn how to draw a rose that will look as realistic as possible.

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You can notice that on every flower stem there are several petioles with leaves.

The shape of the rose’s leaves is very simple and very easy to draw. Notice that every leaf has visible veins.

You can outline the side veins as you like but the central vein is always running along with the leaf.

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When you are learning how to draw a rose, do not forget to add a few thorns.

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The process of coloring the rose is virtually the same like Hibiscus or Tulip Flowers or any other flower. You need two color pencils: pink and light green.

Over the graphite pencil lines, outline the contours of the rose. This time make sure the lines are exact.

The Head of the rose is pink and the rest is light green.

When you are done, erase the rest of the initial graphite pencil lines. The only colored pencil lines remain – similar to in this picture.

Now you have a perfect “how to draw a rose template”.

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Begin to color the head in pink and the leaves in light green. No shading, no pushing the color pencil at this stage.
Just gentle and even basic coloring as you see in the picture.

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First, start to shade the rose from the head. Use the same pink color pencil and create shade by stronger pencil strokes.

Be careful, always move your pencil strokes in the same direction as the petals are growing.

Observe these pictures, you’ll get the idea.

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The pencil strokes are better visible here. They should always follow the direction of petal growing.

Always remember this important point when you learn how to draw a rose.

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Gradually create shade and the rose head is getting nicer. Always try to make it better than mine!

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One more detail. Let’s give this rose an even better look. Refine the shade with short round strokes only on the edges of the petals.

If you have kneaded eraser you can create the lighter part on the edges.

A kneaded eraser is good because you can remove the color simply by touching that part on the rose by eraser.

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This rose head looks a little like from an old painting…;-)

When practicing how to draw a rose, you may discover your new ways of adding up final touches. This will give your rose drawing a personal print.

Now you know how to do both. Make your drawings always better than mine!

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Get your dark green color pencil and continue to color the rest. Start with the sepals first.

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Darken the flower stem and the leaves. Add a gentle touch of dark red color along the stem before you darken it with green color. This will add to the rose stem a natural look.

The thorns should be colored with a combination of green, red and brown.

On the leaves, please leave the area around the vein lines brighter.

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Color the leaves with a dark green color pencil. Brighter areas around the vein lines give the drawing a three-dimensional impression.

As you see, learning how to draw a rose is not only making the perfect rose head but quite a many details on the green parts too.

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When you’re done with leaves, now, take a dark red color pencil and slightly, really very gently add a weak red color shade on the leaves.