1. Home
  2. Hobbies & Games
  3. Drawing / Sketching

Draw a Rose - Learn How to Draw a Rose in Colored Pencil

By , About.com Guide

9 of 10

Final Layers of Colored Pencil

H South, licensed to About.com, Inc.
The process of layering is continued on each petal, first layering dark tones with reds in the shadows then bringing the reds forward to the tips of the petals. Using the red pencils with colorless blender on the edges of the petals keeps them bright and luminous. Where they are too dull, a little pink or white can be used, though I prefer to minimize use of white, as it can look dull. In a couple of places I've used an eraser to remove a little color and add white for better contrast.

It seems like a lot of drawing has happened in this stage, but really it's just a continuation of the process as you work your way around the petals, constantly referring to your reference source to check where lights and darks need to be. You could continue layering, working heavily into the drawing to create a burnished surface. Burnishing means that you've layered until there can be no more pencil added. This creates a rich, jewel-like surface. This soft paper doesn't lend itself well to burnishing, so I've stopped just short.

Once the bloom is complete, you're ready to add the stem and leaves. Here I've lightly drawn a foundation layer using PC946 Dark Brown, and PC909 Dark Green.

Explore Drawing / Sketching

About.com Special Features

Holiday Central

What to eat, where to go, fun things to do and how to save money on the perfect gifts. More >

Scrapbook Technique Gallery

Use these ideas to inspire your own uniquely beautiful pages. More >

  1. Home
  2. Hobbies & Games
  3. Drawing / Sketching
  4. Sketching
  5. Draw Flowers and Trees
  6. Flower Drawing
  7. Final Layers of Colored Pencil

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.