How to Draw or Paint A Simple Rose

A step by step guide to help you draw or paint a simple rose!

When looking at something to draw, it can be overwhelming! As with many thing in life, it helps to simplify! We can take the complicated, beautiful, organic shape that roses take, and break them down into simple lines to help us get the general shape we want. I hope this DIY tutorial helps you in learning to draw or paint a simple rose!

Here is What You Will Need to Draw a Simple Rose

Materials to Draw a Simple Rose:

Pencil (graphite or red/pink and green depending if you want to erase and trace over later or just get right to the color!)
Paper
This tutorial!

Materials to Paint a Simple Rose:

Green and red or pink paint
Paint Brush
Water

How to Use This Tutorial

I tried to make this tutorial easy to follow, but there is still work involved! In each step, a new line is added to the rose. Do your best to copy the lines in the order that they appear. Remember roses are made of organic shapes so variations are good! Try to keep a loose hand and press lightly if you will be erasing.

Let’s Get Started to Paint or Draw A Simple Rose!

The first few steps do not seem like they will be part of a rose! As you add lines for petals it begins to take shape! Here you have completed the inner section, yay! You can leave as is or add lines when you are all finished to your liking!

As you go the lines become larger and more curved. If using a paint brush they also start to get thicker!

Every line represents a petal and they all overlap. That is what makes roses so intricate! We get this look by allowing the start and end of each line to touch another line.

Almost Time for the leaves!

As you complete your rose in the last few steps try and balance the circular shape of the rose with the outside circular. If using a paint brush these lines should be the thickest.

Switch to green if needed and add your leaves! There you have it! A simple outline of a rose in under 30 strokes!

Paint Please!

I like to make these roses just using a paint brush. The lines get thinner with less pressure and thicker with more pressure for more variation in the petals. When the whole rose and leaf outline is dried like to make a wash by mixing a little paint with a lot of water. This thins the paint out. Then you can paint it over the dried rose!