How to Draw Roses

When we think of drawing roses, most people instantly get nervous or scared, as it can seem like a difficult flower to draw. All the beautiful petals that are folded within each other, to the spiky thorns on the stems, can be daunting for beginner or novice artists. However, drawing a rose can be fun and easy if you understand that each curved line is a simple shape slowly developing into your favorite flower bouquet.

So whether you’re a doodler or want to improve your drawing skills, get your pencils out and follow this step-by-step tutorial on how to draw a simple or advanced rose!

Supplies List

Typically, you only need a pencil and some paper to draw a rose. Still, if you plan on improving your artistic skills, you may need additional supplies for the finishing touches and elevate your drawing. Here’s a list of supplies you may need to draw the perfect rose:

How to Draw a Simple Rose

When you start with your drawing, begin with a softer pencil as it’s easier to erase your mistakes. A softer pencil is also perfect for sketching. Then, when you get done sketching your rose, you can use colored pencils, markers, blending pencils, paint, etc., to outline and blend to bring your rose to life. Now that your supplies are ready, let’s start drawing the perfect rose!

1. Draw a small circle with a petal above in the middle of the paper. Imagine a curved bell.
2. Now, draw curved lines on the bottom left and right sides of the circle. These will be the main petals you will build other petals around.
3. Add two more curved lines connecting the top middle petal and the two below.
4. Then, add two lines on the central petals to show the curves of the petals.
5. Here is how you can get creative. Draw layers of petals and build off the central petals.
6. Add the final petal on the bottom left of the main petal.
7. Draw a straight stem below your flower.
8. Draw three triangular-shaped leaves off the stem.
9. Lastly, fill in the rose with the color of your choice.

When adding color, be creative with different mediums. For example, you can use watercolors, paint, pastels, or colored pencils. This will give your image more depth and make your drawing pop. Don’t forget to shade and blend the different lines for a realistic approach.

How to Draw an Advanced Rose

Nip the easy rose in the bud (pun intended), and let’s up your drawing skills with an advance rose drawing! Use your blending and shading skills to elevate your rose more realistically.

1. Start by drawing simple lines that will form the base of your rose drawing. Use a flexible wrist, as your lines don’t have to be perfect.
2. Add more lines to create depth and shape the rosebud.
3. Keep building the lines to create layers of petals. Think of the fan effect on the edge of the petals. Finally, close off the leaves and stems.
4. Continue building the layers of petals and add bold, darker lines to create depth.
5. Add texture to the leaves and triangular thorns on the stems and darken more lines to shade. This creates a 3D-like image.
6. Fill in with color but pay close attention to where the light and dark shades are. Be creative in this step and use different mediums that interest you.

Look at you go! You can draw a rose. Now you can start practicing your new skill and improving your shading techniques. Play around with light and dark shades. You can use a real rose and see how the light hits the petals in different areas. Then, use your eraser to create negative space in those areas.

Get Creative

Drawing a rose is the perfect way to pass the time, relax, and get your creative juices flowing. It may seem difficult at first, but it is easier than it looks! Get creative with various artistic mediums, from watercolor paints to color markers.

Once you’ve perfected how to draw a rose, you can frame your best picture and gift it to someone special for Valentine’s Day, a birthday, or simply to decorate your bedroom wall!