Zen Vibes

How to Draw a Rose

  • 12 steps
  • Ages 7 and up
  • About 20 minutes
  • medium

This rose is a good drawing for children who are ready to try a flower with a few neat shapes. You start with light guide lines for the round flower head, stem, leaves, and small points under the bloom. Then you draw the black lines a little at a time, from the outer petals to the stem and leaves. At the end, you keep the lines you want and rub out the dotted guides. Take it slowly and use light pencil marks first.

What you need: a pencil, an eraser, black pen or dark pencil, paper.

Print this guide as a PDF, 347 KB
  1. A rose plan made with pale dotted lines, showing a round flower head, a spiral center, three small points under the bloom, a straight stem, two leaves, and one thorn.

    Step 1

    Sketch the guides

    Draw the pale guide shapes first. Make a big round flower head with a small spiral in the middle, three small pointed shapes under it, a long double stem, two leaves, and one tiny thorn.

  2. The flower head now has a bold black outer outline, rounded and slightly wider near the top sides, while the rest stays as pale guides.

    Step 2

    Draw the flower edge

    Draw a large rounded outline around the flower head. Let it bulge out a little on the left and right near the top, then curve down to a soft rounded bottom.

  3. A black petal is added on the upper left of the bloom, with a curved inner line reaching down into the flower.

    Step 3

    Add the left top petal

    On the upper left, draw a folded petal shape that curves out and back in. Then draw a long curved line dropping down inside the flower from that petal.

  4. Matching the left side, a black folded petal appears on the upper right with a curved inner line inside the bloom.

    Step 4

    Add the right top petal

    Repeat that shape on the upper right side. Draw the outer folded petal and its long curved line going down into the flower.

  5. A broad black petal band spans the lower front of the bloom, forming an oval-like petal shape.

    Step 5

    Draw the front petal

    Across the lower part of the flower head, draw a wide curved band like a smile. Close it with a second curved line underneath to make the front petal.

  6. A single small pointed sepal is drawn in black under the left side of the flower head.

    Step 6

    Draw one sepal

    Under the bloom, draw one small pointed leaf shape on the left. It should hang down from the base of the flower.

  7. A second small pointed sepal is added under the right side of the bloom, with the middle guide still pale.

    Step 7

    Draw the other sepal

    Draw a matching pointed shape under the right side of the bloom. Leave the middle one as a guide for now.

  8. The stem is now outlined in black from the flower down to the rounded bottom.

    Step 8

    Trace the stem

    Draw the long stem using the two straight guide lines. Round the bottom end so the stem looks smooth.

  9. The left leaf is finished in black with a jagged edge and simple veins inside.

    Step 9

    Draw the left leaf

    On the left side, draw the leaf edge with small bumpy points. Then add the center vein and two short side veins inside.

  10. The right leaf is outlined in black with a pointed, toothed edge and a few inner veins.

    Step 10

    Draw the right leaf

    Now draw the right leaf the same way. Make the pointed bumpy edge first, then add the center vein and short side veins.

  11. A small black thorn is added on the lower middle part of the stem, pointing left.

    Step 11

    Add the thorn

    Draw the small thorn on the stem with two short lines meeting in a point. It should stick out to the left.

  12. The finished rose has bold clean lines, a spiral center, three sepals under the bloom, two leaves, one thorn, and no dotted guides left.

    Finished

    Finish and clean up

    Go over the lines you are keeping, including the spiral in the middle of the rose and the center sepal under the flower. Rub out the pale dotted guides when you are done.

Tips for this one

  • Keep the first guide lines very light so they are easy to rub out.
  • Make the leaf edges with tiny bumps, not sharp zigzags.
  • If the petals do not match exactly, that is fine. Flowers are not perfectly even.

Now try this

  • Draw a longer stem with more thorns.
  • Add another rosebud beside this one.
  • Color the petals red, pink, or yellow and the leaves green.

Questions

My rose looks too round. How can I fix it?
That is okay for this drawing. You can make it look more like a rose by keeping the top petals folded and the front petal wide across the bottom.
Do both leaves need to match?
No. Real leaves often look a little different from each other. Keep the same general size and shape, but small changes are fine.
What if I drew the guide lines too dark?
Go over the final lines first so you know what to keep. Then rub the guides out slowly with a clean eraser so you do not smudge the drawing.

Now print the rose coloring pages →

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