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Learn how to draw a realistic rose step-by-step with pencil in this easy drawing tutorial! Sketching this flower might seem complicated but when you break it down into simple steps anyone can do it.

If you have always wanted to learn how to draw or simply want to sketch a rose then this is the art lesson for you. Beginning with simple pencil drawings is a great way to practice art skills and techniques.

Pencil Sketch of a rose with pink and red pastel drawings of roses with drawing materials

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Roses are not only a symbol of love and other emotions but are also a timeless flower of great beauty. This art lesson demonstrates all the details about drawing a rose from real life.

“That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”? Call it whatever you want but roses definitely have a certain glamour and appeal.

Different colored roses actually symbolize different feelings. Red, represents love while white is a symbol of purity or innocence. Yellow stands for friendship and orange for passion. Black roses are often thought of in times of mourning or death.

In ancient greek mythology roses were associated with Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Aphrodite also protected the body of Hector using the “immortal oil of the rose”, in The Iliad.

The rose is also the national flower of England. This tradition dates back to the fifteenth century during the English Civil Wars.

Many cities around the world have festivals and special days that celebrate roses. Just consider the Tournament of Roses Parade and Rose Bowl in Pasadena California or St. Georges Festival in Catalonia Spain.

Everyone can draw and be creative, just try it and see! Drawing this dramatic and enchanting flower is a fun challenge to tackle.

Remember that drawing a rose is not an easy thing to do. You might not get it perfectly on your first try, so just keep practicing!

Materials

The materials needed for this art lesson are very simple, you probably have them on hand already:

  • Pencil
  • Paper (Drawing paper is best but you can use whatever you have available. I am using a 5.5 x 8.5 inch spiral bound multimedia sketchbook with 98lb paper)

Art Lesson

Sketch an oval with a bowl shape underneath Add leaves and stem to bottom of roseShade areas where petals overlapStarting from the center, draw in the petalsErase guide linesAdd finishing touches and details

  1. Begin by sketching in some guide lines very lightly. Draw a circle or an oval. This will be the top of the rose. Then drawn a semi circle or bowl shape below that. This is the front of the rose.
  2. Sketch in the petals starting at the center of the flower. The first petal will probably look like a backwards “c”. Look at the photo I have provided you or look at your own rose for reference.
    The rest of the petals will fan out in a spiral getting larger as they move towards the outside of the rose.
    Each petal will start by touching the petal inside it, and then go up and over. Finally the petal will turn back toward the center, usually touching the inner petals.
    Do not get too concerned about drawing each petal exactly the way it appears. Petals and flowers are always shifting and changing so just try to go for the basic shapes.
  3. Add any parts of petals that fold over on themselves (these will usually be highlighted with shadows beneath them).
  4. Sketch in several leaves at the base of the flower. The sides of the leaves round outward and come together into a point. Think about a triangle shape with rounded edges. The back part of the leaf sits under the flower and is not visible.
  5. Draw in a stem coming down from the bottom of the rose, if you want.
  6. Erase any of your guide lines that you don’t need anymore.
  7. Shade it in by starting at the center of the flower. The center will be fairly dark. You can turn your pencil on the side and push from the top to shade in large areas quickly.
    The areas where the petals meet will be shaded in darker. Look at the picture or a rose from life to really determine where the lights and darks are.
    Darken the areas where the petals overlap and then shade out to the edge of the petals lighter and lighter. Your shading will blend out from dark, to medium, to white, or the color of the paper.
    Take your time shading to get a nice even transition between the lights and darks.
    Shade in your leaves and stem as well.
  8. Now you can go back over the entire drawing and darken up any areas that need a little more shading. Now is also a good time to erase any lines or shading that need to be cleaned up or removed.
  9. Finally, look at your overall drawing. Make sure it feels balanced and everything is the way you want it to appear.
  10. Add any other finishing touches or extra details. You could also draw in the background if you want.

Pencil sketch of a rose

Tips and tricks

Turn your pencil on the side and push from the top to shade large areas more quickly.

Turn your paper as you shade in your drawing to make it easier.

Avoid rubbing your hand over your drawing as you are working to prevent smears.

Don’t worry too much about the individual petals just go for the basic overall shapes and shading.

Variations

It is fun to add color to your sketch. Try adding color with water color paints, soft pastels, colored pencils or even markers.

Practice drawing a rose from real life. For an extra challenge draw it from different points of view like looking down from the top, from a three quarters angle or directly from the front.

Observe rose buds. They have the same structure as open roses but you would draw them with a tighter outward spiral.

You could also go all out and draw a whole bouquet of roses!

What to do with your Sketch

Framed drawing of a rose hanging in a living room

Your sketch will make a lovely homemade gift for Christmas, Hanukkah, birthdays or any other special occasion. Who wouldn’t love to receive such a thoughtful present.

You can also frame your drawing and decorate your home. A hand drawn rose is a stunning addition to any room.

Video

Transcript

Read TranscriptPencil Sketch of a rose with pink and red pastel drawings of roses with drawing materials

How to Draw an Easy Rose

Equipment

  • Pencil
  • Paper (Drawing paper is best but you can use whatever you have available. I am using a 5.5 x 8.5 inch spiral bound multimedia sketchbook with 98lb paper)

Instructions

  • Begin by sketching in some guide lines very lightly. Draw a circle or an oval. This will be the top of the rose. Then drawn a semi circle or bowl shape below that. This is the front of the rose.
  • Sketch in the petals starting at the center of the flower. The first petal will probably look like a backwards “c”. The rest of the petals will fan out in a spiral getting larger as they move towards the outside of the rose.Each petal will start by touching the petal inside it, and then go up and over. Finally the petal will turn back toward the center, usually touching the inner petals.
  • Add any parts of petals that fold over on themselves (these will usually be highlighted with shadows beneath them).
  • Sketch in several leaves at the base of the flower. The sides of the leaves round outward and come together into a point. Think about a triangle shape with rounded edges. The back part of the leaf sits under the flower and is not visible.
  • Draw in a stem coming down from the bottom of the rose.
  • Erase the guide lines.
  • Shade in the rose, starting at the center of the flower. Darken the areas where the petals overlap and then shade out to the edge of the petals lighter and lighter. Your shading will blend out from dark, to medium, to white, or the color of the paper.Take your time shading to get a nice even transition between the lights and darks.
  • Shade in your leaves and stem as well.
  • Now you can go back over the entire drawing and darken up any areas that need a little more shading. Now is also a good time to erase any lines or shading that need to be cleaned up or removed.
  • Finally, look at your overall drawing. Make sure it feels balanced and everything is the way you want it to appear. Add any other finishing touches or extra details.

Notes

Lesson Downloads

Frequently Asked Questions

Sketch in some guide lines very lightly. Draw a circle or an oval. Then drawn a semi circle or bowl shape below that.
Add petals starting at the center of the flower. The first petal will probably look like a backwards “c”.
The rest of the petals will fan out in a spiral getting larger as they move towards the outside of the rose.
Sketch in several leaves at the base of the flower. Finally, draw in a stem coming down from the bottom of the rose, if you want.

Shade your drawing by starting at the center of the flower. The center will be fairly dark. The areas where the petals meet will be shaded in darker.
Darken the areas where the petals overlap and then shade out to the edge of the petals lighter and lighter. Your shading will blend out from dark, to medium, to white, or the color of the paper.
Take your time shading to get a nice even transition between the lights and darks.
Shade in your leaves and stem as well.

Look at the colors in your real rose or that the picture that you are drawing from. Many different colors usually make up one flower. Think about the main color of the flower, highlights, shadows, and a variety of hues in between.
The highlighted areas will often be white or a lighter version of the rose. The shadows will appear to be the the main color of the flower with black or brown added in.
You can add color to your drawing with watercolor paint, colors pencils, soft pastels or even markers.

You are watching: How to Draw a Realistic Rose Step-by-step with Pencil. Info created by Gemma selection and synthesis along with other related topics.