Japanese iris — Colored Example

Getting Your Colors Ready

First, let's get these colored pencils ready to draw the special colors of the Japanese iris!

• Petals: Deep blue-violet, purple, light lavender, and bright yellow for the "signal" part in the middle.

• Stems and leaves: Bright yellow-green, medium sap green, and dark forest green.

How to color the petals

Blending colors is the key.

1. Base: Color the whole petal lightly with the lightest lavender or blue-purple.

2. Follow the lines: Move your colored pencil along the veins of the petals. Layer dark blue-purple and purple as you go.

3. Depth: Press down with a dark purple to add deep shadow in the center of the flower near the stamens and in shaded areas.

4. Yellow "Signal": Don't forget the yellow patch in the middle of the large outer petals. Color this part bright yellow, and make the area around it a deep purple. This will make your flower look more 3D!

How to color the stems and leaves

You can also use color gradients here to make it look 3D.

1. Base: Color all the stems and leaves lightly with a bright yellow-green.

2. Leaf veins and shadows: Change your color shade for upright leaves and for the front and back of bent leaves. Layer sap green and forest green. Use fine colored pencil strokes along the length of the leaves to show the texture of the leaf veins.

3. 3D effect: Keep the stems a smooth sap green. Use a dark green to make shadows where leaves bend or overlap.

Finishing touches and 3D look

Last little tweaks make it look real.

• Make it look 3D: Layer dark green or purple only in the darkest shadow areas. This makes the contrast stronger and helps the shapes pop out!

• Highlights: Instead of coloring it in completely, leave the bright spots a little bit white, or rub them gently with an eraser to show the shiny light.

How to Choose Colors and Get Ready

First, let's get these colored pencils ready so you can draw the special colors of the Japanese iris!

• Petals: Deep blue-violet, purple, light lavender, and bright yellow for the signal section in the center.

• Stems and leaves: Bright yellow-green, medium sap green, and deep forest green.

Make the Japanese iris petals look 3D

Blending colors is the key.

1. Base: Color the whole petal lightly with your lightest lavender or blue-purple.

2. Along the veins: Color along the veins of the petals. Layer dark blue-purple and purple with your colored pencils as you go.

3. Depth: Press down hard with dark purple to add rich depth to the inner parts of the flower (near the stamens) and the shadowy areas.

4. Signal (the yellow center): Keep the yellow nice and bright! Color a deep purple right around it to make it pop. This creates a 3D effect, making the yellow look like it goes deep inside the petal.

How to Color the Stems and Leaves

Use color gradients here too to make it look 3D!

1. Base: Lightly color all of the stem and leaves with bright yellow-green.

2. Shadows and textures: Change the color tones for upright leaves and for the front and back of curved leaves, and layer sap green and forest green. Use fine strokes with your colored pencils along the length of the leaves to show the texture of the leaf veins.

3. Overlapping parts: Add shadows with dark green where the leaves overlap. This makes them look 3D!

Finishing touches and 3D look

Last little tweaks will make your picture look so real!

• Shadows: Add dark green or purple shadows deep inside the flowers and behind the leaves. This makes your art pop!

• Highlights: Don't color it in completely. Leave the bright parts a little bit white, or rub them gently with an eraser to show the shine.

Color Choices and Getting Ready

First, let's get these colored pencils ready to draw the special colors of the Japanese iris.

• For the flowers: Deep blue-violet, purple, red-purple, light lavender, pink, and white. Plus bright yellow for the center signals.

• For the leaves: Bright yellow-green, medium sap green, and deep forest green.

• For the background: Very light blue or gray.

Petal Color Blends and 3D Effect

Gradation is the key.

1. Base: Color all the petals lightly with your lightest color (like light lavender or pink).

2. Depth: Layer dark blue-purple and purple colors while moving your colored pencil strokes along the lines of the petals.

3. Highlighting the veins: Layer darker colors sharply along the flower veins. This makes the veins look more three-dimensional.

4. Signal: Color the deep part of the petals with bright yellow. Keeping this part bright makes the flower pop!

5. 3D effect: Color overlapping parts and back parts with light layers of dark purple or gray. This makes shadows. It makes your drawing look real and 3D!

How to Color the Stems and Leaves

Try coloring with up-and-down strokes.

1. Base: Lightly color all the stems and leaves with a bright yellow-green.

2. Shadows: Layer Sap Green or Forest Green on the upright leaves and in the shadows where leaves overlap. Make fine strokes with your colored pencil along the length of the leaves.

3. 3D effect: Keep the stems a smooth sap green. Use a dark green to make shadows where leaves bend and overlap.

Background and Finishing Touches

• Background: Leaving it completely white is okay, but using very light blue or gray to blend from top to bottom adds depth and makes it look great.

• Fine-tuning: At the end, add a little bit of very dark green or purple to only the darkest shadow areas to make the colors pop!