How to Draw a Lily
Draw a circle attached to a line., Arrange seven short lines in the center of the circle., Surround the petal lines with contours., Flesh out the necessary lines., Add leaves to the stems., Create more detail within the blossom., Shade or color the...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Draw a circle attached to a line.
Sketch a small circle, then draw a long, slightly curved line extending down from the 5-o'clock position of the circle.
The circle will become the bud of the lily and the line will become the stem.
Connect the line directly to the outline of the circle and make it roughly five to seven times longer than the circle diameter. -
Step 2: Arrange seven short lines in the center of the circle.
Draw seven short, slightly curved lines extending outward from the center of the circle.
These lines will set the direction of the lily petals.
The curve of each line should open slightly downward.
The lines do not need to be even in size, but they should range from one-fourth to one-half the size of the stem.
Note that the lines pointing opposite the stem should be longer than those directly next to it.
The lines do not need to be symmetrical, either, but they should be spaced apart at relatively even intervals. , Draw an outline around each petal line, allowing the contours to meet and overlap near the center of the flower.
These contours will become the petals.
Center the petal line within each contour, keeping an even amount of space on either side of each line.
Note that the amount of space between center lines and contours may vary from petal to petal.
The contours should touch without intersecting one another.
If you do cross some of the contours, you'll need to erase the intersecting segment later. , Erase the initial petal lines, leaving the contours in place.
Correct the petal contours as needed to make each one look more realistic.
Some contours may not need any adjustments, while others will.
In particular, you should try to narrow the tips of the contours to prevent them from looking like perfect ovals.
Add detail to the stem during this step, as well.
Make the bend appear sharper, and draw a parallel line to one side of the original line to give the stem width. , Sketch several leaves on both sides of the stem.
You'll only need roughly five to eight.
Vary the direction and size of each leaf.
Each should look like narrow, curved teardrops.
Some should curve upward while others should curve downward.
Do not draw the leaves in even pairs.
Space them apart at random intervals. , Draw the stamen in the center of the lily and lightly sketch line markings inside each petal.
The stamen will look like a cluster of short, narrow stems, and each stem should have a small rounded block at the tip.
Place five to eight of these shapes within the center of the lily, making it no higher than the largest, most upright petal.
For the petal lines, lightly sketch two to three lines in each petal that highlight the direction of the petal. these lines should only occupy part of the petal interior, though, and should not extend from the base to the tip. , By this point, you should already have a completed lily form.
You can add shading or colors to the picture to make it even more realistic.
To add shading, try to visualize which areas of the lily would receive direct light if it were real.
Any area that would not get hit with light should be shaded, with the darkest areas being those hidden by other parts of the flower.
If you want to add color, use lighter shades on the areas that would receive direct sunlight and darker shades on those that would be hidden in shadow. -
Step 3: Surround the petal lines with contours.
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Step 4: Flesh out the necessary lines.
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Step 5: Add leaves to the stems.
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Step 6: Create more detail within the blossom.
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Step 7: Shade or color the lily as desired.
Detailed Guide
Sketch a small circle, then draw a long, slightly curved line extending down from the 5-o'clock position of the circle.
The circle will become the bud of the lily and the line will become the stem.
Connect the line directly to the outline of the circle and make it roughly five to seven times longer than the circle diameter.
Draw seven short, slightly curved lines extending outward from the center of the circle.
These lines will set the direction of the lily petals.
The curve of each line should open slightly downward.
The lines do not need to be even in size, but they should range from one-fourth to one-half the size of the stem.
Note that the lines pointing opposite the stem should be longer than those directly next to it.
The lines do not need to be symmetrical, either, but they should be spaced apart at relatively even intervals. , Draw an outline around each petal line, allowing the contours to meet and overlap near the center of the flower.
These contours will become the petals.
Center the petal line within each contour, keeping an even amount of space on either side of each line.
Note that the amount of space between center lines and contours may vary from petal to petal.
The contours should touch without intersecting one another.
If you do cross some of the contours, you'll need to erase the intersecting segment later. , Erase the initial petal lines, leaving the contours in place.
Correct the petal contours as needed to make each one look more realistic.
Some contours may not need any adjustments, while others will.
In particular, you should try to narrow the tips of the contours to prevent them from looking like perfect ovals.
Add detail to the stem during this step, as well.
Make the bend appear sharper, and draw a parallel line to one side of the original line to give the stem width. , Sketch several leaves on both sides of the stem.
You'll only need roughly five to eight.
Vary the direction and size of each leaf.
Each should look like narrow, curved teardrops.
Some should curve upward while others should curve downward.
Do not draw the leaves in even pairs.
Space them apart at random intervals. , Draw the stamen in the center of the lily and lightly sketch line markings inside each petal.
The stamen will look like a cluster of short, narrow stems, and each stem should have a small rounded block at the tip.
Place five to eight of these shapes within the center of the lily, making it no higher than the largest, most upright petal.
For the petal lines, lightly sketch two to three lines in each petal that highlight the direction of the petal. these lines should only occupy part of the petal interior, though, and should not extend from the base to the tip. , By this point, you should already have a completed lily form.
You can add shading or colors to the picture to make it even more realistic.
To add shading, try to visualize which areas of the lily would receive direct light if it were real.
Any area that would not get hit with light should be shaded, with the darkest areas being those hidden by other parts of the flower.
If you want to add color, use lighter shades on the areas that would receive direct sunlight and darker shades on those that would be hidden in shadow.
About the Author
Christina Chapman
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow creative arts tutorials.
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