Hawaiian Flower Drawing: Easy Color Tutorial

Easy Hawaiian Flower Drawing: A Guide for Beginners

Ah, the lush landscapes of Hawaii, brimming with vibrant and unique flowers. If you've ever wanted to capture the essence of these tropical blossoms on paper, you're in the right place. This step-by-step guide will walk you through the process of drawing four common Hawaiian flowers in simple, easy-to-follow steps.

We'll be using basic colors—green, pink, yellow, and orange—to keep it accessible for beginners. So, grab your pencils, colored pencils, or markers, and let's dive right in!

Plumeria (Lehua)

The plumeria, also known locally as lehua, is a staple of Hawaiian floristry. Let's start with this iconic flower.

For our plumeria, we'll use pink for the petals and green for the leaves and small stem.

Basic Shapes

Begin by drawing a simple, basic shape for your plumeria. The main body consists of an ellipse (oval shape) with a pentagon (five-sided shape) at the bottom. For the fancy, lighter petals, draw two overlapping ellipses.

Next, add two green, linear leaves at the base of the flower. These should be larger than the pentagon. Finally, draw a short, simple green stem.

Coloring

Using your pink crayon or colored pencil, fill in the main body and lighter petals. Remember, you don't have to color within the lines! For the leaves, use your green color.

For that realistic touch, add some green shading to the underside of the larger leaves and use your pencil to lightly trace over the outlines to darken and define the shapes.

Hibiscus

Another recognizable Hawaiian flower is the hibiscus, often depicted in red, but we'll use pink today.

For this flower, you'll need pink, yellow, and a bit of green.

Basic Shapes

Start by drawing a large, curved petal at the bottom, followed by a smaller petal on one side. Then, draw two overlapping, curved petals at the top. Add more petals around the center, making them gradually smaller.

Lastly, draw a simple, thin stem and a few linear leaves at the base.

Coloring

Fill in the main body and petals with pink. For the center, use yellow. Add some green to your leaves and trace over the outlines to define the shapes.

Add some subtle shading to the underside of the petals for depth. You can also add a highlight to the top petal or any other areas that would catch the light.

Bird of Paradise (Nenúº)

The Bird of Paradise, known as Nenúº in Hawaiian, is a striking flower with its vibrant orange and blue hues.

For this one, you'll need orange, yellow, and blue.

Basic Shapes

Begin with the central body, which resembles an upside-down drop. Then, draw three long, curved petals coming off the central body. Add smaller, round petals on top and at the tips of the long petals.

Finally, draw the stem and a few green leaves.

Coloring

Fill in the main body and most of the petals with orange. For the center, use yellow. Fill in the small, round petals on top with blue. Add green to your leaves and outline the shapes.

To make it pop, add some highlighting to the edges of the petals and some shading in the crevices.

Bromeliad (Ananas)

The bromeliad, or pineapple plant, also plays an important role in Hawaiian floristry. Let's finish with this exotic flower.

For this, we'll use green, yellow, pink, and a bit of orange.

Basic Shapes

Start with a central, circular body with some radiating lines. Then, draw several long, curved petals coming off this center. Make sure the petals areClosest at the base and spread out as they go up.

Add a long, thin stem and some green leaves at the base.

Coloring

Fill in the central body with yellow. For the petals, use pink at the base, transitioning to a lighter shade or even white as they go up. Add some green to your leaves and outline the shapes.

To give it that tropical feel, add some orange highlighting to the tips of the petals and a bit of shading in the crevices.

That's all for today's tutorial! With a bit of practice, you'll be able to capture the beauty of Hawaiian flowers like a local artist. Why not give it a try and share your creations with the world? Until next time, happy drawing!