Orchid Drawings

If you are searching for simplistic orchid drawings to copy and practice, you are welcome to use the outline of an orchid shown below.

The basic shape depicted will give you good knowledge about this unusual flower, commonly known as an orchid.

In case you are interested to know what variety this outline is, it is from the species Disa racemosa.

In the picture I copied from, it was a cranberry pink color with cream inside the cup-like portion.

I freehand copied this orchid on a stem, straight from a photo.

In outline form, you can easily see the simple lines of this particular orchid's structure.

Give yourself an advantage by putting a border of the same dimensions on your paper before you start to copy it.

Have fun and be kind to yourself while you practice.

Your next drawing is another step closer to your perfect drawing.

Learn about this exotic bloom:

The orchid's form is comprised of 3 petal-like sepals and 3 petals.

One petal is much longer than the other two plus it is a special color and shape.

The two outside petals are alike but the middle petal (known as "the lip") is a different shape.

The lip is larger and more showy than the other petals and it could look something like a cup, a scoop, a trumpet or a bag.

The shape of the orchid flower is different in all varieties.

Once you know to look for the unique middle petal with the upside down flower, you won't have a worry identifying an orchid. (For some reason, I used to be confused about the difference between orchids and lillies!)

There are cultivated orchids and also wild orchids. You can find wild orchids where there is plentiful rainfall.

Orchids can be a variety of colors except black and they can be speckled or streaked.

They can grow on rocks, trees and on the ground.

Learn By Doing

Two orchid drawings on this page were done on a whim so they evolved as I held a pen and not a pencil.

Here is my first attempt (in pen) of a roughly sketched orchid that I drew as I was making some notes about orchids.

Remember that it's good to keep your drawings and sketches together in your sketchbook so you can monitor your drawing progress.

This sketch will be cut from my note pad and pasted into my sketchbook even though it's not of good quality.

You will surprise yourself when you attempt to draw this complex form. Once you finish one, you will have learned about the shape and you become more comfortable about drawing the next one.

After I had drawn several orchids, I put more effort into this orchid drawing on the left by squinting to help me see light and shade more effectively.

I love to see that I can produce something like this even though I still have a lot more to learn.

Drawing Tools

Where there are several orchids on a single stem that you wish to draw, you can use a grid for assistance.

If you have a photo on your computer that you'd like draw and you want to place a grid over it, you can use this free program called Photofiltre.

Follow the directions on that page to see how I placed this grid over my orchid photo.

Time To Ponder

There hasn't been a subject that I don't enjoy drawing and these orchid drawings have been no exception.

Flowers are such a joy to produce and a pleasure to view.

I wouldn't highly recommend drawings of orchids for beginner artists.

It's in your best interest to keep with simple line drawings and by practicing with easy subjects that interest you.

However, you can always try drawing the outline of an orchid (at top), it doesn't hurt you to do that and then you can judge the progression of your drawing skills.

The most important thing is to love and enjoy every drawing moment that you can manage.