This article was created by the illustrators and manga artists who teach at the illustration and manga school, egaco, based on the knowledge and skills they have honed through commercial production and other work. If you would like to learn more about content that is tailored to what you want to draw, we recommend taking a private lesson at egaco.

Have you ever wanted to draw flowers in your illustration or manga?

A screen with flowers on it can give a gorgeous impression, or a sense of brightness and freshness, or depending on the type of flower, a mysterious atmosphere.

If you understand the structure of flowers, you can create more convincing works and improve your flower illustrations.

If you know how to draw flowers that can give a variety of impressions to a picture, it will be the key to expanding your range of expression.

What are the basics to draw flowers？ Let’s understand the structure and the shape

The elements you need to draw flowers are basic structure, types of shapes, and the way that petals overlap and the number of petals.

Since the shape and characteristics of each type of flower are different, let’s practice drawing various flowers by grasping the characteristics of each type.

Let’s learn about the structure of flowers

The structure of flowers can be broadly divided into pistils, stamens, petals, calyx, and peduncle.
● Pistil: The part that receives pollen.
● Stamen: The part that produces pollen.
● Petal: The part that wraps around the stamen and pistil,
● Calyx: The part directly below the petal, the part that supports the stamen and pistil is called the blossom-end.
● Peduncle (flower stalk) – The branch that bears each flower.

Let’s learn the shapes of petals

Once you have a good understanding of the structure, let’s take a look at the shape of the petals.

● Wheel-shaped: cherry blossoms, daffodils, etc.
● Tongue-shaped: cosmos, marigolds, etc.
● Funnel-shaped: morning glories, coleus, etc.
● Bell-shaped: lily of the valley, etc.
● Cross-shaped: shepherd’s purse, houttuynia, etc.
● Butterfly-shaped: sweet peas, wisteria, etc.

Important points taught by the instructor

There are also several other types, such as the tubular type like chrysanthemums and rose type. The petals are eye-catching parts, so make sure to observe the samples and reference materials carefully when drawing them.

Let’s understand the impression of flowers and extend the range of your expression

The impression varies by flower

The impression of the viewer will differ depending on the type of flower.

When drawing flowers in illustrations or manga, you need to think about whether the image of the flower matches the picture.

This is also closely related to the message of the illustration, so you should consider whether the flower matches the theme you want to draw.

The above illustrations all feature the same person, but each one has a different flower, so the impression you get from the picture will differ.

Summary of common flowers and their images in illustrations and manga

When drawing flowers in manga or illustrations, think about the image that the flower conveys.

Each flower has a different impression, so the image of the picture will change depending on which flower you draw.

Image of cheery blossoms: spring, start, transience, encounter, warmth

Cherry blossoms are one of the flowers that symbolize spring.

They not only evoke a sense of the season, but also images of encounters with people and new beginnings.

Cherry blossoms in full bloom are very powerful, but when they fall, they seem ephemeral, so they are a motif that can give a picture multiple images.

Image of sunflowers: mid-summer, refreshing, powerful, single-minded, the sun

With their bright yellow petals and large size, sunflowers are a popular flower that makes the screen look more colorful.

They also give a positive impression because they have an image of being active and summer itself.

It is also possible to create a darker atmosphere by deliberately drawing sunflowers that have withered.

Image of roses: elegant, passionate, gorgeous, graceful

Roses, which give a different impression depending on the color of their petals, appear in various media, including manga, anime and games.

They are a highly convenient flower that can be used to delve into the character of a person, as they can be used not just as flowers, but also as attack effects, motifs for ornaments and to give a snobbish impression when worn by characters.

Image of lilies: pure, innocent, elegant, weddings

With their wide variety of types and colors, lilies are often used in illustrations that evoke the image of a wedding, based on the meaning of the white lily (purity, dignity).

Although they have a strong feminine impression as a flower that symbolizes the Virgin Mary, they also go well with elegant and dignified characters.

Image of spider lilies: end of summer, mysterious, equinoctial, Japanese style, parting

Spider lily is often used in dubious works.

It goes well with Japanese-style motifs, and can add a sense of ennui and strong impact to the screen.

It is also suitable for directions with a dual aspect, as it is called manjusaka in sanskrit (meaning heavenly flower) as well as having a horror atmosphere.

Image of wisterias: wisteria-colored, graceful, Japanese-style, feminine

The wisteria growing wild in Japan for a long time has been depicted in various media, including Japanese tanka poetry, novels and kimono patterns.

It is often compared to a feminine flower, and the way it blooms in clusters like bunches of grapes is both powerful and beautiful.

The way it blooms and the time of year it blooms is similar to cherry blossoms, but it has a bluish tinge that gives it a more mysterious impression.

A simple and easy-to-understand guide to drawing flowers with specific examples

In this article, we will introduce the steps and tricks for drawing roses using the shapes of everyday objects.

If you have the actual flowers, it will be easier to feel the texture and three-dimensionality, so if possible, we recommend having them on hand as reference materials.

How to draw flowers; here is the steps to draw roses!

1. First, draw the base.
   When drawing flowers with a lot of volume, like roses, it’s important to draw the petals while maintaining a sense of three-dimensionality by setting the base.
2. Next, draw the center of the petal, and then add more petals to wrap around it.
3. Increase the number of petals from the inside out. At this point, make sure you get the feature of the petal’s shape right. For roses, draw the tips of the petals slightly pointed.
4. Turn the petals over to show the backside, and you will get a sense of three-dimensionality.

Add petals so that they fill in the gaps between the petals. Also, add sepals and stems as well and your flower illustration is complete!

If you understand the structure, you can draw flowers

If you understand the structure of flowers, you can raise the level of persuasiveness and quality of your work.

To do this, you need to observe flowers carefully and express the information you have gained.

In order to draw flowers as you imagine, draw them after observing a variety of flowers carefully.