How to Draw a Orchid

Today`s art lesson will help you to learn how to draw an orchid in pencil, gouache, acrylic, oil paints, and digital format step by step. The approaches to each of the techniques will be the same. The orchid is better be painted from nature, looking at the real flower.

I have used the orchid staying on my windowsill as an example.

How to Draw an Orchid Step by Step

The series of publications on the topic “How to draw flower” is continued; an addition to the fine art lesson on how to draw a rose.

So let`s come over to the first stage of our art painting lesson and

Make a Sketch to Draw an Orchid

There is a huge number of orchid kinds and each of them has its own peculiarities. And it is necessary to understand the orchid arrangement to draw a harmonious and beautiful flower.
Mark the center of a flower, all the leaves will be located around it.

Now we are coming over to the next stage of our drawing art lesson – the direction of orchid leaves
The blue marks the center of a flower and the direction of the main leaves which are located in the foreground and obstruct the sepals.
The red lines mark the direction of leaves that are located behind; these are the sepals. They are located at an angle approximately 160 degrees to each other.

The Orchid Labellum

The red marks the direction of the small leaves, the orchid labellum – it looks like a tiny flower.

 

The Location and Shape of the Orchid Leaves

The large leaves and labellum of an orchid are on the same level and obstruct the leaves that are behind. The leaves are located one opposite the other at an angle of 160-180 degrees.

The orchid labellum is located is centered between the large leaves and has an interesting shape.
The leaves and sepals, which are behind, significantly differ in shape – you should pay attention to this!

Here is the finished sketch of an orchid draw in pencil.

At the initial stage, the sketch should be drawn very slightly and barely noticeable. When you are sure that everything is correct, you can draw the flower more distinct and clear.

Now let`s come over to the next stage of our free art lesson online and learn

How to Draw an Orchid with Paints

You can follow this instruction to draw an orchid in gouache, acrylic, or oil paints step by step.
At first, the whole flower should be painted in one of the darkest and most saturated colors, suitable to this particular flower.

Then you should gradually mark the following:

•  The darker places on a flower. These can include the areas of leaves near the center of a flower, the shadows under the leaves and on the bends, the dark fibers.
•  The light areas of an orchid flower. The edges of leaves, fibers, and the center of a flower. There are big light spots on the lower sepals and in the center of an orchid labellum.
• You can mark the stamens, which are located on the orchid labellum, with the yellow.
  We gradually draw in our flower more and more, adding the shadows and light in the necessary places. When the flower gets a desired shape and color, we can draw the pointlets which decorate the orchid leaves. The leaves of this beautiful flower are usually covered with these dark and light spots.

Video Tutorial – How to Draw an Orchid Step by Step

Watch the detailed drawing and painting lesson video on how to draw an orchid in pencil or how to color an orchid with paints.

How to Draw the Branch of a Blooming Orchid

If you want to draw the branch of a blooming orchid, the following tips will be useful to you:

•  The orchid stems are quite hard. They gently bend over in the upper part many times. These bends usually happen to be in those places where the buds and flowers are attached. There are some thicknesses in the place of bends.
•  The orchid buds are dark and have a shape slightly similar to the shape of some fruit.
•  The green leaves of an orchid are easy to draw; they have an oval shape with slightly pointed edges.
• Also, you will have to draw the orchid flower in different foreshortenings. For this purpose, you should practice a bit and make several sketches in pencil. Draw an orchid flower in 3/4, tilted up and down.

I hope my tips will help you learn to draw the wonderful orchid flowers and draw the beautiful paintings with the branches of blooming orchids, using oil or acrylic paints.

I wish you inspiration and new successes in your creative work! Be creative together with us!