How To Draw Scarlet Pimpernel Flower

click the image to enlarge

I Googled this one and just sketched it directly from the monitor of my computer.

It is always the best to draw the flower outdoors – live if possible.

click the image to enlarge

The easiest way to draw Scarlet Pimpernel is to sketch first a circle or circles if you draw more of them. Decide the size and the layout.

Sketch two similar circles and five petals in each as you see on this sketch.

click the image to enlarge

Use as many pencil sketch lines as you need. You may not get the right shape on the first try but that is perfectly OK.

click the image to enlarge

Here you decide the final shape of the petals. Do it in one single line and push the pencil very gently.

Notice that each petal is slightly covered by the adjacent one, on one of the sides. This is important!

click the image to enlarge

Begin to sketch the leaves.

click the image to enlarge

This is a “bird’s view” perspective so it may be a bit difficult to figure out how the leaves really look like.

click the image to enlarge

When you captured all necessary contours, take the eraser and very gently soften / weaken the pencil lines until they are just visible on the paper.

Do not erase them completely because you may lose your sketch forever.

Over the weak and thin pencil lines draw the petal contours by color pencil.

It is best to have a scarlet color pencil, but most likely you do not have one, so darker orange will do the job just well.

click the image to enlarge

Do the same with the leaves.

Now, you should have a Scarlet Pimpernel Flower Template ready.

Begin to color the petals. Always make the color pencil strokes in direction along the petals not across or diagonally. That would destroy the good natural look.

Leave the center of both flowers white (blank), because that part is of carmine color and we shall work it out in next steps.

click the image to enlarge

When you’re ready with the petals, continue on to work on the leaves. Color the leaves first by brighter green first. No shading yet, just flat coloring.

click the image to enlarge

Work out the center of each flower by color pencils. Don’t use graphite pencils.

Notice that the middle part of the flower is carmine red. Color those parts by carmine color.

click the image to enlarge

Add more tonal value on petals. I had no scarlet color pencil available so I did it by darker orange color with combination of dark-pink color.

If you are not sure how the color combinations will look like, always test the colors of two and more pencils on a separate paper or on the margins of the paper you draw. This will save you a lot of time and frustration.

click the image to enlarge

So, your Scarlet Pimpernel Flower is gradually emerging!

Important note: After you fill up the petals, make several thin darker lines along each petal as you see on the picture.

Those lines represent the veins of the petals and will make your drawing look more realistic and natural.

click the image to enlarge

It is good to complete the flowers (petals) first before you proceed on to coloring the leaves.

click the image to enlarge

Take darker green color pencil and begin to fill up the leaves in similar fashion as you did on the petals, make the pencil strokes along the leaves.

click the image to enlarge

It’s time for final touch. Gently color the outer edges on the leaves by carmine red. That will give your Scarlet Pimpernel a natural good look.