Magnolia Drawing Ideas
Twelve magnolia drawings you can copy straight onto paper, from a single bloom to a whole tree in flower. Every one is a clean pencil outline drawn by hand, with no shading and no colour. Pick one, keep it next to you, and copy it line by line.
How to draw a magnolia step by step
A magnolia is a handful of thick cupped petals on a bare branch. The petals are heavy and solid, which is the opposite of a poppy or a cherry blossom.
- Draw a narrow U shape, like a tall cup. This is the base of the flower where all the petals gather.
- Add three petals standing up out of the cup, the middle one tallest. Magnolia petals are thick and rounded at the tip, more like spoons than blades.
- Add two or three more petals curving outwards on either side, overlapping the first ones.
- Draw the small oval seed cone in the middle if the flower is fully open. It sits low, surrounded by the petals.
- Add the branch. Magnolia branches are bare and smooth, and the flowers sit directly on them with barely any stalk.
Darken the branch more than the petals. That contrast is what makes a magnolia drawing look finished.
Which magnolia should you start with
If this is your first flower
Start with the single magnolia bloom or the flower bud. The bud is especially good here, because it is one pointed oval and it teaches you the petal shape.
If you have drawn flowers before
Try the branch with buds, the magnolia with falling petals or the leaf close up. The leaf is worth doing on its own, because magnolia leaves are large and simple.
If you want a challenge
The tree in bloom is the most ambitious drawing here. The wreath and the branch border both need several flowers spaced evenly along a shape.
What you need
An HB pencil, plain paper and an eraser. A 2B pencil helps if you want darker final lines. Nothing on this page needs a tablet, a light box or special paper, and none of these were drawn with any.
Three things that make a magnolia look right
- The petals are too thin. Magnolia petals are thick and solid, rounded at the tip. Thin pointed petals turn it into a lily.
- The flowers have stalks. Magnolia blooms sit almost directly on the branch. A long stalk makes the tree look wrong.
- There are leaves on the branch. Many magnolias flower on bare branches before the leaves come out. Adding leaves around the blooms is usually a mistake.
Magnolia or tulip
A closed magnolia looks a lot like a tulip, which catches people out. A tulip sits on a smooth green stem with long blade leaves at the base. A magnolia sits on a woody branch, usually with no leaves at all, and its petals are thicker and less even. Look at what it is growing on, not the flower.
Ways to use these drawings
Copy any of these by hand, or download and print them for yourself, for your children or for your classroom. They work as colouring sheets, tracing practice, a warm up before a bigger drawing, or line art for a card. If you want to use one in something you sell, write to us first.
Questions people ask
What is the easiest magnolia drawing on this page?
The magnolia flower bud. It is one pointed oval with a furry base, and it takes a minute. After that, the single magnolia bloom.
Are these magnolia drawings free to download?
Yes. Every drawing here can be downloaded and printed for personal use, school use or classroom use at no cost. For commercial use, please contact us first.
How many petals does a magnolia have?
Usually six to nine, though it varies a lot by variety. For drawing, six thick cupped petals gives the shape people recognise.
Why are the branches bare in these drawings?
Many magnolias flower before their leaves appear, so the blooms sit on bare branches. That contrast between smooth dark branch and pale flower is a big part of how a magnolia looks.
What is the difference between a magnolia and a tulip drawing?
Look at what it grows on. A tulip sits on a smooth green stem with blade leaves at the base. A magnolia sits on a woody branch, usually with no leaves, and has thicker, less even petals.
Can children draw these?
The bud, the single bloom and the leaf close up suit children around six and up. The tree in bloom and the wreath suit older children and adults.
What pencil should I use?
An HB for the petals and a 2B for the branch. Making the branch darker than the flowers is what gives these drawings their contrast.
Are these drawings made by hand?
Yes. Each one was drawn in pencil on plain paper and photographed. They are not computer generated or traced from photographs.