How To Draw A Floral Monogram

Hot summer days are a perfect time to take out the sketchbook and work on drawing skills or lettering skills or collage or anything that feels right! Floral monograms are a perfect exercise with amazing results even for those whose skills are undeveloped. So pick a letter, get out some reference for drawing simple flowers and leaves, and get started, Or first practice drawing flowers and leaves, and then give your botanical monogram a try, you decide! Either way the key is to start, so lets get started, shall we?

You’ll Need:

• a sketchbook or drawing paper of any weight, though if you use multi media paper you can then opt to paint it and use it!
• fine black pens, permanent if you think you’d like to add color later
• a pencil and good eraser
• some drawing reference, take a look at my floral doodles here, or my botanical doodles here

How To:

1. Draw an outline of your letter of choice in pencil in the middle of your paper.
2. In pencil sketch roughly where large flowers and leaves will be and roughly design your placement of elements. OR, just go for it without the pencil step, even more enjoyable for some, and torture for others, you decide!
3. Start drawing everything in pen, and DO NOT be tempted to outline the letter or add edges to elements that butt the letter. I’ll admit I did that in one spot at the bottom of the letter, but it is not necessary and reduces the ethereal feeling of a blurry edged letter.
4. Take a look and see if there are any visual holes that need to be filled, and then also fill in some of the small leaves and flowers with black to create some spots of contrast.
5. Erase all of  your pencil lines, which I did not do very well, as you can see!
6. Add color if you like with which ever medium suits the paper you’ve used: watercolor and/or markers for watercolor paper, gouche or acrylic paint for thinner paper, and or course colored pencils for any paper. Truthfully I love this in black and white, but maybe just a touch or color here and there could be lovely.
7. If you’ve practiced this in a sketchbook, get some loose paper and some frames and go make a bunch for friends and family! You could even start now for holiday gift giving!