Queen of the Night — Colored Example

Shading Petals to Make "White" Pop

Instead of leaving the white flower plain white, try using fun colors for the shadows! This makes the petals look clear and glow from the inside.

• Use cool colors for a clear look: Lightly add light blue or lavender (light purple) where petals overlap or deep in the shadows. This is the secret trick to make the white stand out!

• Add warm colors near the center: Color a tiny bit of light yellow or cream color near the bottom of the petals. It will look like a bright light is shining on them!

• Leave the paper white: Don't color the tips and edges of the petals where the light hits the most. Using the white of the paper is the best key!

Coloring the Soft, Fancy Center

The little stems grouped together in the middle are super important. They bring out all the cool details of this flower!

• Put warm colors in the back: Blend a little pale yellow or apricot (light pink-orange) near the base and back to make it look deep.

• Make every line sharp: Use a very sharp colored pencil to carefully draw the thin lines and the tips. Making them pop against the shadows will make them look 3D!

Rich and Deep Stems and Leaves

To make the main flower pop, color the stems and leaves with a calm, deep green that is not too bright.

• Mix colors for a night feel: Don't just use green! Lightly layer indigo (dark blue) or dark brown on top. This creates a cool, real texture that blends into the night.

Fun Backgrounds to Make It Shine

If you color the background dark black, the Queen of the Night will pop out like magic!

• Start carefully around the flower: Color black carefully from the edges so you do not go outside the lines of the flower.

• Add sparkling spots of light: Use a light blue or white colored pencil (or a white gel pen) to draw tiny dots or soft spots in the black background around the flower. It will feel magical, like outer space or a starry night sky!

One Little Tip to Get Better! Instead of pressing hard all at once, try to "gently overlap light colors many times." This gives you smooth, pretty color mixes that only colored pencils can make! For the black background, press softly and layer it over and over. You will get a smooth, beautiful dark night!

Make it Look 3D with Light from Above

The light shines from right above! If you color the top and bottom with light and shadow in mind, your picture will look cool and 3D.

• Keep the top petals bright: Light shines directly on the top petals near the full moon. Keep these light! You can leave the paper white, or color them with very light cream or lemon yellow.

• Make shadows darker as you go down: From the center of the flower going down, add dark shadows where petals overlap. Use lavender (light purple), magenta (red-purple), or indigo (deep blue).

The "Aura" Effect to Make the Flower Pop

The best part of this picture is how the flower looks like it glows against the soft background!

• Leave a tiny white border: Leave a little white space just outside the pointy petals. Or, use a white colored pencil to blend softly outward.

• Contrast with the night sky: Outside the blended white, smoothly change the colors from light blue to navy, and then to black. This makes the flower look like it shines out from the dark night!

How to Color the Glowing "Full Moon" in the Center

The full moon in the middle is super important! Layer your colors gently to make it shine.

• Dab to make craters: For the moon's spots, tap softly with gray or sepia (light brown). Rub it softly with a tissue or a cotton swab to make it look like a real moon!

• Glow around the moon: Don't draw a hard line around the moon. Add a soft touch of very light yellow or white spreading outward to show the moonlight filling the sky.

Petal Lines and Color Accents

If you carefully color all the sharp outer petals, your Queen of the Night will look amazing!

• Follow the petals: Move your pencil from the base flicking out to the tip. This gives the petals a neat, sleek look!

• Add green and magenta accents: Add little lines of light olive green or faint pink and magenta on the edges and backs of the white petals. This brings out the true, vivid beauty of the Queen of the Night!

Pro Tip to Get Better

When you color the dark night sky, make it darker near the bottom. This brings balance to your picture and makes the moon look super bright! Don't push hard all at once. Gently layer your colors in this order: Blue → Navy → Black. You will get a rich, beautiful night sky with your colored pencils!

Petals Filled with Warm Morning Sun and Fresh Air

The Queen of the Night bloomed all night long. You can color its soft petals with a nice mix of warm and cool colors!

• Add warm colors where the sun hits: Think about where the light comes from. Color the top and right side softly with apricot, salmon pink, or cream color.

• Add cool shadow colors for the morning air: Where petals overlap or underneath, put light layers of lavender or light blue. This makes it look like cool morning air!

Lively Stamens Showing Their Last Bright Shine

The many stamens sticking out from the center show how bright the Queen of the Night shines at the end.

• Make them stand out with bright yellow: Sharpen your colored pencils really well. Carefully color them with lemon yellow and golden yellow.

• Add deep shadows at the bottom: Add a tiny bit of brown or olive green near the bottom. This makes every stamen pop out!

Thick Leaves and Pot Soaking Up the Light

Color the thick leaves and the clay pot with care. It makes your whole picture look real and wonderful!

• Make light and dark parts on the leaves: Do not color them just green! Put yellow-green and yellow where the sun hits. Use dark green and navy blue for shadows to show how thick the leaves are.

• Make the pot look rough: Use reddish-brown for the flowerpot. Leave pencil strokes on purpose to make it look like a real clay pot!

A Glowing Background Filled with Morning Light

The dark night is gone! You can color the background to show the lovely morning light spread out.

• Blend the colors gently: Color soft light orange and yellow behind the right side of the flower. Rub it softly with a tissue or cotton swab. This makes a smooth, warm glow!

One Little Tip to Get Better!

Color softly without pushing down too hard. Layer light colors gently to make it look clear like a watercolor painting. Leaving lots of white paper helps you draw a gorgeous Queen of the Night that glows in the morning light!