How to Draw Flowers and Plants

From the deepest valleys to the highest mountains, flowers and plants can be found in all shapes, sizes and colors. On the following pages, you can bring out your inner artist as you learn how to draw flowers and plants.

The easy, step-by-step instructions on the following pages will teach you how to draw everything from daisies and daffodils to strawberries and spider plants. All you need is a No. 2 pencil, a pencil sharpener, and an eraser. Then use How to Draw Flowers & Plants to practice drawing for hours!

When drawing a rose, examine the illustration of the rose carefully before proceeding to step 1.
Learn how to draw roses and other flowers and plants in this article.

Each drawing begins with a few simple shapes printed in red ink. The second step shows the first drawing in black. The new shapes and marks you're going to add appear in red. This shows you how to make step one's drawing look like that in step two.

The following steps also show the earlier drawings in black and the new marks and shapes in red.

A blank space near each step lets you practice your drawing skills. You can also compare your drawing with the printed one. Draw lightly with your pencil. This makes it easier to erase mistakes and other marks that change slightly in later steps.

When you have finished, use a pen or fine felt-tip marker to darken the pencil marks that make up the finished drawing. Then gently erase any remaining pencil marks.

When you are done, you will have 23 drawings showing many different types of flowers and plants.

If you wish, you can add color by using crayons or colored pencils or markers. You may want to cut out your drawings and tape or glue them onto colored construction paper. You can even frame them.

Then you will be able to display your colorful collection of drawings showing all sorts of flowers and plants. Have fun!

In this article you'll learn how to draw a variety of flowers and plants. Towards the end, you can push your art skills a little further by learning how to draw flower and plant arrangements. Here is a preview:

  • How to Draw a Daisy
    Whether you prefer to call it a wildflower or a weed, this bright and joyful flower is actually very unique. A daisy closes its head at night and opens in the morning. How's that for special? Let your imagination run wild as you learn how to draw a daisy.

  • How to Draw a Pansy
    A pansy is a beautiful garden flower that actually has a face. This flower ranges in color from gold and orange to purple, violet, and a blue that almost looks black. Expand your artistic abilities as you learn how to draw a pansy.

  • How to Draw a Violet
    The violet has a whopping 400-500 species throughout the world and it is popular for its many delightful scents. This flowering plant is the color of violet, of course, but it can also be blue, yellow, white or even a combination of yellow and white. Add another bright flower to the bunch. Learn how to draw a violet    .

  • How to Draw a Poppy
    A poppy is probably one the most flamboyant flowering plants in the world. Due to it’s bold red color and because it grows in groups, the showy poppy can be seen from hundreds of feet, and even miles, away. Use your deepest red colors as you learn how to draw a poppy    .

  • How to Draw a Daffodil
    A daffodil has the unique shape of a trumpet. It grows mostly in the Mediterranean and its color is golden yellow or a combination of golden yellow and white. Test your ability to create shapes as you learn how to draw a daffodil.

  • How to Draw a Tulip
    Believe it or not, a tulip requires a cold winter season to thrive, so it does not grow in tropical climates. Tulips grow in a wide variety of bright colors including yellow, red, purple, orange, pink or a combination of colors such as red and yellow. Add this flower to your art collection. Lean how to draw a tulip.

  • How to Draw a Spider Plant
    A spider plant is one of the most popular houseplants in the world. They are very easy to grow and they are admired for their ornamental features and filtering properties. Test your creative ability. Learn how to draw a spider plant    .

  • How to Draw an Orchid
    Would you believe that there are more than 24,000 orchid species? This colorful flower is extremely diverse and it is one of the most advanced flowering plants on the planet. Ready? Let’s learn how to draw an orchid!

  • How to Draw an Iris
    Much like a poppy, an iris is a showy flower. It is grown as an ornamental plant in gardens, and colors range from purple and sky-blue to yellow and a rare red. Pick your favorite colors get started on learning how to draw an iris.
  • How to Draw a Poinsettia
    These fiery flowers are shrubs to small trees that can actually grow up to 16 feet tall. Red poinsettias are America’s favorite, but poinsettias are also cream colored, orange, and pale green. Some even have marbled leaves. Sharpen your shading skills. Learn how to draw a poinsettia.

  • How to Draw a Lily of the Valley
    Also known as “Our Lady's Tears,” lily of the valley is native to Asia and Europe. It can also be found in a limited number of woodland areas in North America. This special flower is popular for it’s delicate scent and it’s white bell-shaped blossoms that change to red-berries.

  • How to Draw Grapes
    Grapes can grow in clusters ranging anywhere from 6 to 300 grapes. These grape clusters can grow just about anywhere, from the U.S. and Canada to Asia. Get ready to test your art skills. Learn how to draw grapes!

  • How to Draw a Lilac
    A lilac is famous for its strong, but pleasant scent and it can live for hundreds of years. They bloom in a wide array of colors such as white, purple, red, yellow, and orange, to name a few. Read through each step carefully as you learn how to draw a lilac.

  • How to Draw a Palm
    A palm (plant) is probably one of the only plants that most of us associate with vacationing in a warm climate. It is extremely popular due to its attractive appearance, and it is important economically. It provides food, fiber and even oil! See just how creative you can be. Learn how to draw a palm.

  • How to Draw a Lily
    This delicate flower typically grows in temperate and sub-tropical regions, but lilies can also grow in most gardens or as potted plants. These fragrant flowers bloom in a wide variety of striking colors such as gold, pink, and even black! Take your art skills to the next level. Learn how to draw a lily.

  • How to Draw a Geranium
    Not only are these flowers attractive, but they also have the ability to grow just about anywhere -- if properly cared for. Colors run the gamut from mauve, red, and maroon to pink, white, and even two-tone. Enhance your art skills. Learn how to draw a geranium.

  • How to Draw a Pumpkin
    A pumpkin is a very useful squash fruit that is used for everything from pies and snack foods to decorations and even home remedies. Depending on the variety, a pumpkin can grow up to 500 lbs. or more! Better grab a bigger piece of paper. Follow the steps to learn how to draw a pumpkin.

  • How to Draw a Marigold
    A marigold is an annual flower that thrives during the summer months. These flowering plants can grow anywhere from 6 inches to 3 feet tall, and some are even grown as herbs or for their foliage. In this section, learn how to draw a marigold.

  • How to Draw a Strawberry
    The strawberry is popular for its sweet taste and numerous health benefits. Did you know that a strawberry contains more vitamin C than an orange? Follow our simple steps to learn how to draw a strawberry.

  • How to Draw a Rose
    A rose is one of the most popular florists’ flowers and it is also popular for use as a fragrance. Most of us are familiar with red roses, but roses can be found in a variety of bright colors. Learn how to draw a rose -- everyone’s favorite flower.

  • How to Draw a Cactus
    A cactus is both an ornamental plant, due to its spiky appearance, and a crop plant. Some believe these unusual plants hold great healing powers.

  • How to Draw a Plant Arrangement
    A plant arrangement is a great addition to gardens, patios, offices and homes. You can create your own plant arrangement from a variety of attractive plants. Pick your favorite plants and learn how to draw a plant arrangement.
  • How to Draw a Flower Arrangement
    A flower arrangement is a decorative arrangement of flowers that may include any combination of colorful flowers and accessories. Learn how to draw a flower arrangement for your patio, garden or home.

Continue to the next page to begin your journey from beginner to pro. In our first art exercise, learn how to draw a daisy.

Want to expand your artistic abilities? See:

How to Draw a Daisy

Whether you prefer to call it a wildflower or a weed, this bright and joyful flower is actually very unique. A daisy closes its head at night and opens in the morning. How's that for special?

To draw a daisy, examine the illustration of a daisy before proceeding to step 1.
Learn how to draw this daisy.

In this section, we'll show you how to draw the above daisy. You can draw this flower freehand while looking at your computer monitor or print out this page to get a closer look at each step.

Follow the red lines in each illustration to learn exactly what to draw in that step. The lines drawn in previous steps are shown in gray. Here, we'll show you an illustration of each step and then give you a description of how to draw it.

To draw a daisy, start by drawing the circles and the stems.

Step 1: Lightly sketch circles to show the position of two of the daisy flowers. For the third one, which will be facing slightly to the right, lightly sketch an oval shape. Sketch a small oval for the center of each flower.

Lightly sketch the stems using lines that curve downward from each flower. Use shorter curving lines to show where the leaves will go.

When drawing a daisy, add petals and leaves.

Step 2: Use long, U-shaped curves for the petals. The lines for some petals will start and end at the center circle. Other petals will be behind them.

The lines for these petals will meet the lines of the first petals. Sketch long U-shaped lines for the leaves.

When drawing a daisy, draw the centers so the ovals are bumpy and complete the stems.

Step 3: Redraw the ends of the petals, putting small bumps at the tips. Redraw the centers so the ovals are bumpy, to suggest that the centers are tufted.

Redraw the leaves so the largest ones have irregular indentations. Complete the stems with two sets of parallel curving lines.

When drawing a daisy, draw veins on the leaves and tiny circles in the bottom part of each center.

Step 4: Draw tiny circles in the bottom part of each center. Show ridges in each petal by drawing two parallel lines down the center. Draw a line down the center of each leaf to show the vein.

To finish drawing a daisy, add dots to the centers and shade the petals and leaves.

Step 5: Add some dots to each of the centers to give them more texture. Shade the petals with fine lines at the centers and the tips.

Shade the leaves with fine lines at their tips. Darken one side of each stem with many short lines.

Good Job! Now that you know how to draw a daisy, get ready to draw a "flower for all seasons." Continue to the next page to learn how to draw a pansy.

Want to expand your artistic abilities? See:

How to Draw a Pansy

A pansy is a beautiful garden flower that actually has a face. This flower ranges in color from gold and orange to purple, violet, and a blue that almost looks black.

To draw a pansy, examine the illustration of a pansy before proceeding to step 1.
Learn how to draw this pansy.

In this section, we'll show you how to draw the above pansy. You can draw this flower freehand while looking at your computer monitor or print out this page to get a closer look at each step.

Follow the red lines in each illustration to learn exactly what to draw in that step. The lines drawn in previous steps are shown in gray. Here, we'll show you an illustration of each step and then give you a description of how to draw it.

To draw a pansy, start by drawing three circles. Draw curved lines to show the position of the leaves.

Step 1: To show the position of each flower, lightly sketch three circles. Next to these circles, show the position of the leaves by lightly sketching curved lines that meet at a point. Use a curved line slanting upward to show the stem.

When drawing a pansy, add the petals, bud and stem.

Step 2: Lightly sketch in petals using shapes that are roughly triangular with rounded corners. Sketch the other side of the stem and add a bud at the top. Draw the bud in curved arcs.

Attach the bud to the stem with a semicircle. Scallop some of the edges of the leaves as shown.

When drawing a pansy, draw the leaves.

Step 3: For each of the bottom two leaves, show that the front edge of the leaf is curling upward. Do this by drawing a scalloped line above the smooth bottom line of the leaf.

Draw center veins in each leaf with two parallel lines. Draw the tips of the bud petals so they curl. Draw two small leaves where the bud is attached to the stem.

When drawing a pansy, draw the details of the petals and flowers including wavy lines and curved lines.


Step 4: Redraw the petals of the flowers with irregular wavy lines. Add another irregular curving line across the center of three of the petals in each flower.

Add a third, small irregular curve near the center of each of the three petals. Leave the top petal plain. Draw an irregular circle for the center.

To finish drawing a pansy, darken and shade the petals, leaves, and the bud.

Step 5: Darken the area of the petals between the two irregular lines with many lines radiating from the center. Put small dots within the center circle. Shade the outer edges of the petals and the leaves with short parallel lines.

Shade the bud in the same way. Add more short curving lines for the remaining veins in the leaves.

These next flowering plants appear to have faces too, but it's their heart-shaped petals that make these flowers a favorite.

Continue to the next section to learn how to draw a violet.

Want to expand your artistic abilities? See:

How to Draw a Violet

The violet has a whopping 400-500 species throughout the world and it is popular for its many delightful scents. This flowering plant is the color of violet, of course, but it can also be blue, yellow, white or even a combination of yellow and white.

To draw a violet, examine the illustration of a violet before proceeding to step 1.
Learn how to draw this violet.

In this section, we'll show you how to draw the above violet. You can draw this flower freehand while looking at your computer monitor or print out this page to get a closer look at each step.

Follow the red lines in each illustration to learn exactly what to draw in that step. The lines drawn in previous steps are shown in gray. Here, we'll show you an illustration of each step and then give you a description of how to draw it.

To draw a violet, start by drawing circles, leaves and stems.

Step 1: Lightly sketch four circles to show the position of the flowers. Lightly sketch two heart shapes below them for leaves. Sketch curving lines for the stems.

Behind the flowers, sketch three more leaf shapes using curved lines.

When drawing a violet, add the petals.

Step 2: Within the circles, sketch petals using circular shapes. Outline the leaves with scalloped lines. For the leaves behind the flowers, show that they are folded over.

Do this by drawing one side of the shape with a curving line. Draw a second, scalloped line inside the shape.

When drawing a violet, draw the leaves.

Step 3: Draw the outlines of the petals with slightly scalloped lines. Draw two short, curving lines in each petal to show ridges. Draw in the stems.

Add a scalloped line at the bottom of the stems. Draw a small arc below the scalloped line.

When drawing a violet, draw the veins on the leaves and draw tiny circles for the centers of the flowers.

Step 4: Draw in the veins of the bottom leaves using double branched lines. In the leaves that are folded, the center vein can’t be seen.

Draw narrow V shapes that curve toward the scalloped edges. Draw tiny circles for the centers of the flowers.

To finish drawing a violet, darken and shade the petals, leaves, and the centers of the flowers.

Step 5: Shade the leaves with short parallel lines on either side of the veins. Shade the edges of the leaves with very short lines.

Use just a few short lines to shade each of the petals at the tips, Shade the centers of the flowers with a few very short lines.

I’m sure you had fun drawing a violet. Ready to move on to the next flower? If you thought the violet was beautiful, wait until you see a poppy!

In the next section, learn how to draw a poppy.

Want to expand your artistic abilities? See:

How to Draw a Poppy

A poppy is probably one the most flamboyant flowering plants in the world. Due to its bold red color and because it grows in groups, the showy poppy can be seen from hundreds of feet, even miles, away. Poppies are also white, pink, yellow, orange or blue in color.

To draw a poppy, examine the illustration of a poppy before proceeding to step 1.
Learn how to draw this poppy.

In this section, we'll show you how to draw the above poppy. You can draw this flower freehand while looking at your computer monitor or print out this page to get a closer look at each step.

Follow the red lines in each illustration to learn exactly what to draw in that step. The lines drawn in previous steps are shown in gray. Here, we'll show you an illustration of each step and then give you a description of how to draw it.

To draw a poppy, start by drawing an oval for the flower, a circle for the bud, and stems.

Step 1: Lightly sketch a large oval for a flower and a smaller circle for a bud. Sketch the stems with curving lines. Sketch in three other curving lines to show the position of the leaves.

When drawing a poppy, draw triangular petals using wavy lines, outline the bud, and draw a line for each stem.

Step 2: Sketch roughly triangular petals using wavy lines. Draw an arc shape for the center of the flower. Outline the bud and show petals by drawing a wavy, Y-shaped line. Draw in a second line for each stem.

When drawing a poppy, add inner petals and leaf shapes.

Step 3: Draw the petals more carefully using wavy lines to suggest ruffled edges. Add two inner petals as shown. With curving lines, draw leaf shapes with deep notches in the edges.

When drawing a poppy, draw the center of the flower, a row of tiny ovals, stems, and veins with branches.

Step 4: Define the center of the flower with several inverted V-shaped lines. Above them, draw a row of tiny ovals. Draw the two stems, making the sides as smooth as possible.

In the right-hand leaf, draw veins with branches, using curved double lines. You can see only the sides of the other two leaves, so draw veins from the smooth line to the irregular line.

To finish drawing a poppy, add small dots and lines to the center of the flower. Shade the poppy.

Step 5: Add many small dots and short lines to the center of the flower. Shade the edges of all the petals and leaves using short lines. Vary the length of the lines.

Shade the bottoms of the flower and bud. Use very short lines to shade one side of each stem. Add a few small spikes at the top of each stem with short, V-shaped lines.

Take a bow. Your poppy drawing is complete! Let’s move on to yet another show-stopper -- the gorgeous, golden yellow, daffodil.

Continue to the next section to learn how to draw a daffodil.

Want to expand your artistic abilities? See:

How to Draw a Daffodil

A daffodil has the unique shape of a trumpet. It grows mostly in the Mediterranean and its color is golden yellow or a combination of golden yellow and white.

To draw a daffodil, examine the drawing of a daffodil before proceeding to step 1.
Learn how to draw this daffodil.

In this section, we'll show you how to draw the above daffodil. You can draw this flower freehand while looking at your computer monitor or print out this page to get a closer look at each step.

Follow the red lines in each illustration to learn exactly what to draw in that step. The lines drawn in previous steps are shown in gray. Here, we'll show you an illustration of each step and then give you a description of how to draw it.

To draw a daffodil, start by drawing the flower’s cup, and the position of the stems and leaves.

Step 1: Show the position of the three flowers by lightly sketching ovals. In the center of each one, draw the flower’s cup using a U shape and a circle. Sketch the position of stems and leaves with slanting, curved lines.

When drawing a daffodil, draw oval petals and the second side of each leaf.

Step 2: Using the ovals as a guide, draw oval petals using irregularly curved lines. Draw the second side of each leaf with a slanting, curved line that meets the first line at the top.

Don’t worry if your lines overlap the flowers. These lines are guidelines to follow in drawing your final lines.

When drawing a daffodil, draw curving petals and draw a wiggly line to show the petal overlapping the cup.

Step 3: Show that the petals curve upward by drawing a second, irregularly curving line inside the first one. At the bottom of each cup, draw a wiggly line to show the petal overlapping the cup.

Give each cup a ruffled edge by drawing a wiggly oval.

When drawing a daffodil, draw two tiny teardrop shapes in each cup and draw grooves in the petals.

Step 4: Draw two tiny teardrop shapes in each cup for the flower’s center. To show grooves in the petals, lightly draw two curving lines down the centers.

Redraw the lines for the stems and leaves, making sure your lines don’t go into the flowers.

To finish drawing a daffodil, shade the leaves, stems, petals, and cup.

Step 5: Shade each leaf using long, curving lines parallel to the sides of the leaf. Shade one side of each stem using short crosswise lines. Shade the petals and cups with lines of varying lengths.

Our next flowering plant is the famous tulip. After drawing a daffodil, drawing a tulip should be a piece of cake!

Continue to the next page to learn how to draw the delicate tulip.

Want to expand your artistic abilities? See:

How to Draw a Tulip

Believe it or not, a tulip requires a cold winter season to thrive, so it does not grow in tropical climates. Tulips grow in a wide variety of bright colors including yellow, red, purple, orange, pink or a combination of colors such as red and yellow.

To draw a tulip, examine the illustration of a tulip before proceeding to step 1.
Learn how to draw this tulip.

In this section, we'll show you how to draw the above tulip. You can draw this flower freehand while looking at your computer monitor or print out this page to get a closer look at each step.

Follow the red lines in each illustration to learn exactly what to draw in that step. The lines drawn in previous steps are shown in gray. Here, we'll show you an illustration of each step and then give you a description of how to draw it.

To draw a tulip, start by drawing a stem, leaf, and tulip shape.

Step 1: If you’re careful, you can draw two tulips in only three steps. First, draw a straight stem for one tulip. Make the line for the left side half as long as the line for the right side.

On the left side of the stem, draw a large, curving leaf. At the bottom of the stem, draw another leaf shape. At the top, draw the sides of the tulip like an inverted bell.

Behind the right-hand leaf, draw another, curving stem with a tulip shape at the top. Behind the stem, draw another leaf curving upward between the two tulips.

When drawing a tulip, draw the outside petals, the inner petals, and the right-hand tulip.

Step 2: For the left-hand tulip, draw the outside petals with two wavy lines that curve downward toward the stem. Draw the inner petals with wavy lines. For the right-hand tulip, draw a center outside petal as a large oval.

Show that the petal is turning over by drawing another wavy line at the top. Draw in the remaining petals with wavy lines. Draw two tiny ovals for the center.

Show that the leaves are folded over by drawing curving lines for the front edges.

To complete a drawing of a tulip, shade the insides and outsides of the leaves, the stems, and the petals.

Step 3: Because this drawing has very little detail, shading is important. Darken the insides of the leaves with many long, fine lines. Use shorter lines to shade the curves in the outsides of the leaves.

Shade the stems with a few long lines. Shade the petals near the tips and around the bottoms.

Congratulations -- you conquered the tulip in three easy steps! In the next section, learn how to draw a popular houseplant called the spider plant.

Want to expand your artistic abilities? See:

How to Draw a Spider Plant

A spider plant is one of the most popular houseplants in the world. They are very easy to grow and they are admired for their ornamental features and excellent filtering ability.

To draw a spider plant, first, examine the spider plant illustration before proceeding to the first step.
Learn how to draw this spider plant.

In this section, we'll show you how to draw the above spider plant. You can draw this plant freehand while looking at your computer monitor or print out this page to get a closer look at each step.

Follow the red lines in each illustration to learn exactly what to draw in that step. The lines drawn in previous steps are shown in gray. Here, we'll show you an illustration of each step and then give you a description of how to draw it.

Begin drawing a spider plant by sketching the plant pot, leaves, and stems.

Step 1: Lightly sketch the plant pot. First sketch a gently curving, four-sided shape for the rim. Underneath it, sketch a similar but shorter shape for the saucer. Connect the two with gently curving lines for the sides of the pot.

Sketch in many long, narrow, curving leaves. Have some of the leaves curving over the edge of the pot. Show that some leaves are behind others.

Do this by interrupting the lines for some leaves where they meet the lines for the front leaves. Sketch in three long, curving stems that come down below the bottom of the pot.

When drawing a spider plant, add more leaves and narrow leaves for the baby plants.

Step 2: Fill in the plant with more leaves around and behind the ones you have drawn. At the end of the stem lines, draw more long, narrow leaves for the baby plants.

Add the second side to each of the stems. Add a fourth stem at the bottom of the pot. Give it long, narrow leaves that go behind the stem next to it.

When drawing a spider plant, redraw the pot and draw the roots.

Step 3: Redraw the pot, interrupting the lines of the pot where the leaves cover it. Draw tiny oval roots at the bottom of each of the babies.

To draw a spider plant, draw a center vein in most of the leaves.

Step 4: Draw a center vein in most of the leaves with a long line that follows the curve of the leaf.

To finish drawing a spider plant, shade the undersides of the leaves and the sides of the pot.

Step 5: Shade the undersides of the leaves with lines that follow the curve of the leaf. Darken the leaves close to the pot with many short lines. Shade the sides of the pot with short, curving lines.

That was a tough one, but the spider plant is quite detailed, so give yourself a pat on the back. In the next section, learn how to draw the pretty, and plentiful, orchid.

Want to expand your artistic abilities? See:

How to Draw an Orchid

Would you believe that there are more than 24,000 orchid species? This colorful flower is extremely diverse and it is one of the most advanced flowering plants on the planet.

To draw an orchid, first, examine the orchid illustration before proceeding to the first step.
Learn how to draw this orchid

In this section, we'll show you how to draw the above orchid. You can draw this flower freehand while looking at your computer monitor or print out this page to get a closer look at each step.

Follow the red lines in each illustration to learn exactly what to draw in that step. The lines drawn in previous steps are shown in gray. Here, we'll show you an illustration of each step and then give you a description of how to draw it.

To begin drawing an orchid, draw an oval for the center of the flower.

Step 1: Lightly sketch an oval for the center of the flower. On each side, sketch a large curve that connects to the top of the oval. Connect the bottoms of these two lines with a wide U shape.

Sketch three large ovals near the small oval center. Sketch two half circles for the remaining petals. Draw two straight lines for the stem. Sketch a leaf shape with two curving lines. At the top, sketch another leaf shape.

When drawing an orchid, redraw the outlines of the petals and the center of the flower.

Step 2: Redraw the outlines of the petals with wavy lines. Redraw the center of the flower so that it is an irregular oval. Add another line to each leaf to show that the edge is turned over.

To draw an orchid, draw lines in the leaves, outline the petals, and draw small circles and squiggly curves.

Step 3: In each leaf, draw several long parallel lines in the small section that is turned over. Outline the petals, giving them a more irregular edge. Draw a design of small circles and squiggly curves near the center of the flower.

Draw a line from the bottom of the right-hand side of the stem to the petals to show that the top leaf is attached to the stem.

To draw an orchid, add a series of small dots in the center and add a line to the petals.

Step 4: Add a series of small dots surrounding the center design. For some of the petals, add a line to the contour to show that the petal is folded over.

To finish drawing an orchid, shade the center of the flower, the petals, and the leaves.

Step 5: Shade most of the center of the flower with short parallel lines. Shade the petals at their tips and centers with more lines. Vary the lengths of the lines. Shade the leaves and stem with long parallel lines.

Whenever you’re done putting the finishing touches on your beautiful orchid, continue to the next section to learn how to draw a flowering plant whose name means “rainbow” in Greek.

In the next section, learn how to draw an iris.

Want to expand your artistic abilities? See:

How to Draw an Iris

Much like a poppy, an iris is a showy flower. It is grown as an ornamental plant in gardens, and colors range from purple and sky-blue to yellow and a rare red.

To draw an iris, first, examine the iris illustration before proceeding to the first step.
Learn how to draw this iris

In this section, we'll show you how to draw the above iris. You can draw this flower freehand while looking at your computer monitor or print out this page to get a closer look at each step.

Follow the red lines in each illustration to learn exactly what to draw in that step. The lines drawn in previous steps are shown in gray. Here, we'll show you an illustration of each step and then give you a description of how to draw it.

To begin drawing an iris, draw an oval shape for the top of the flower. Underneath it, sketch a circle.

Step 1: Lightly sketch an oval shape for the top of the flower. Underneath it, sketch a circle. For the second iris, sketch another oval and circle to the right and a little below the first set.

To make petals, sketch a sausage-shaped loop on both sides of the ovals. Sketch half-circles on both sides of the circles.

When drawing an iris, add stems to the flowers and draw three long, narrow leaves behind the flowers.

Step 2: Add stems to the flowers by drawing two slightly curving lines coming down from each flower. Draw three long, narrow leaves behind the flowers.

Make sure the leaf lines don’t go into the petals of the flowers. Draw another leaf curving below the two flowers.

When drawing an iris, add ruffled edges to the petals and draw an oval in the center of each flower.

Step 3: Give the flowers ruffled edges with wavy lines along the petal edges. Draw a rough, long oval in the center of each flower. Add a fold at the top of each stem by drawing two vertical lines to make the top of the stem wider.

Then draw a diagonal line across the stem. Draw a second diagonal line from the top of the stem to the center of the first line.

When drawing an iris, make the flower look fuzzy and draw the fold of the leaf.

Step 4: Sketch many short lines all around the centers of the flowers to make them look fuzzy. On the lower petals of each flower, sketch in a wavy line as shown. Draw many tiny circles on both sides of the line.

Draw a series of parallel lines in the top area of each stem above the fold you drew in step 3. In the bottom leaf, draw the fold of the leaf with a long line through the center, following the curve of the leaf.

To finish drawing an orchid, shade the petals, draw the stems, and add veins to the leaves.

Step 5: Add short, curving lines to the petals for shading. Vary the lengths of the lines. Use short lines to add shading on one side of each of the centers.

For the stems, draw in several long lines at the bottom and a few short lines at the top. Draw a series of long, vertical lines in each leaf, following the curve of the leaf.

Your iris drawing is complete! Ready for another? Continue to the next section to learn how to draw a flaming red plant that some like to call “winter rose.”

In the next section, learn how to draw a perfect poinsettia.

Want to expand your artistic abilities? See:

How to Draw a Poinsettia

Poinsettias are native to the Pacific Coast of Mexico. These fiery flowers are shrubs to small trees that can actually grow up to 16 feet tall.

Red poinsettias are America’s favorite, but poinsettias are also cream colored, orange, and pale green. Some even have marbled leaves.