Pansy Drawing Ideas
Sixteen pansy drawings you can copy straight onto paper, from a single face to a teacup arrangement and a wreath. 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.
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How to draw a pansy step by step
A pansy has five petals arranged like a face, which is exactly how most people recognise it. Draw the centre first and build outwards and it comes together quickly.
- Draw a small circle low in the middle of your page. This is the throat of the flower, where all the petals meet.
- Add two rounded petals above it, sitting side by side like ears. These are the back petals.
- Add two wider petals on either side, overlapping the back ones slightly.
- Draw one large petal below, wider than the rest. A pansy is bottom heavy, and that big lower petal is what gives it a face.
- Mark the dark blotch in the middle and add a few short vein lines running out from the centre of each petal.
Darken your final lines and keep the veins light, or they take over the drawing.
Which pansy should you start with
If this is your first flower
Start with the classic single pansy face or the cartoon pansy. Both face straight at you with nothing else on the page. The bud is a good warm up if you want something quicker.
If you have drawn flowers before
Try the pansy in a teacup, the one growing from a cracked clay pot or the three pansies in a row. The flower stays the same and you are adding a container or repeating it.
If you want a challenge
The side view pansy is the hardest single flower here, because the petals foreshorten. The initial letter and the corner border both need several flowers arranged neatly.
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 pansy look right
- The petals are all the same size. A pansy is bottom heavy. The lower petal should be clearly the largest, or the face disappears.
- There is no dark blotch. The dark markings in the centre are what make a pansy a pansy. Without them it is just a round flower.
- The petals do not overlap. Pansy petals sit on top of each other. Drawing them with gaps between makes the flower look flat.
Pansy or violet
They are close relatives and easy to confuse. A pansy has four petals pointing up and one pointing down, with a wide face and bold markings. A violet is smaller, with two petals up and three down, and much simpler markings. If your drawing looks too neat and small, you have drawn a violet.
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 pansy drawing on this page?
The classic single pansy face. It faces straight at you, has five petals and nothing else on the page. The cartoon pansy is just as easy and works better for young children.
Are these pansy 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 pansy have?
Five. Two at the back, two at the sides and one large one at the bottom. That uneven arrangement is what gives a pansy its face.
How do I draw the dark centre of a pansy?
A rough blotch spreading out from the throat onto the lower petals, with short lines running outwards from it. Keep it loose, because real pansy markings are never symmetrical.
What is the difference between a pansy and a violet?
A pansy has four petals up and one down, with a wide face and bold markings. A violet is smaller, with two petals up and three down, and much plainer markings.
Can young children draw these?
Most of them. The cartoon pansy, the classic face and the bud all suit children around five and up. The side view flower and the initial letter suit older children and adults.
What pencil should I use?
An HB for the light guide shapes and a 2B for the final outline. Keep the petal veins in HB so they stay light.
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.