How to Draw a Rose (Easy Step by Step)
A rose is a fun flower to draw because it is built from curves and one little spiral. You will draw a small bowl shape, add a swirl in the middle, wrap a big cup around it, and finish with a stem, two leaves, and a couple of tiny thorns.
- Medium
- 12 minutes
- 9 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawingIn this article (7 sections)
How to draw a rose step by step
How to Draw a Rose · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: Guide shapes
Lightly sketch these 2 ovals. They only show where the big parts go, so press softly. You will erase them at the end.
Step 2: Center bowl
Near the top, draw a rounded shape that is flat across the top and curves down into a U at the bottom, like a small bowl. This is the middle of the rose.
Step 3: Center swirl
In the middle of that bowl, start with a tiny dot and spiral outward, round and round, to make a small snail shell.
Step 4: Big outer cup
Start at the top left of the little bowl and curve out to the left, then down. Sweep around under the whole flower in one wide U shape, and curve back up the right side to the top right of the little bowl.
Step 5: Petal folds
On each side, draw a gentle curved line from the bottom of the little bowl down and out to the edge of the big cup. They look like two slides.
Step 6: Wavy rim line
Draw one long, wavy smile across the flower, from the left edge of the cup to the right edge. Make a tiny dip in the middle.
Step 7: The stem
From the bottom middle of the big cup, draw a long, straight line going down. Make it a little wobbly, like a real stem.
Step 8: Two leaves
Draw a pointy oval leaf on each side of the stem, one a little higher than the other. Start each leaf at the stem, curve out, and come back to the stem.
Step 9: Fold line and thorns
Draw a short curved line going down from the wavy rim to where the stem meets the cup. Then add two tiny curly thorns on the stem, one above the leaves and one below.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your rose? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a butterfly or how to draw a rainbow next.
Tips for drawing a rose
- The swirl is the trickiest part. Start at the center dot and curve outward slowly instead of drawing a circle, and it will look like a snail shell.
- Draw the big outer cup wide and round so it hugs the little bowl on both sides. If the two sides are not exactly even, that is fine, because real roses are never perfectly even.
- Keep the thorns tiny and put one above the leaves and one below, so the stem looks balanced.
Free rose coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this rose coloring page at full size and print it. It is the same drawing you just learned, with clean lines ready for crayons or markers.
How to color your rose drawing
Try red, pink, or yellow for the flower with green leaves and a green stem. For a twist, color the little bowl, the two sides, and the cup in different shades of the same color.
Rose fun fact for kids
After a rose blooms, it can grow a round fruit called a rose hip, which is full of vitamin C.
Questions about drawing a rose
What shapes do I need to draw a rose?
You need a rounded bowl shape for the middle, a spiral for the center, a big U-shaped cup around it, curved lines for the folds, and pointy ovals for the leaves.
How do I make my rose look more real?
Let the swirl in the middle be a little wobbly and make the stem slightly bendy. Real roses are never perfectly neat.
How long does it take a kid to draw a rose?
Most kids can finish this rose in about 10 to 15 minutes, with extra time for coloring.
