One cupcake in a pleated paper wrapper with a modest frosting swirl and one small cherry. Black and gray fineliner drawing on warm textured sketchbook paper.

Drawing referenceAbout reference use

Cupcake fine ink study

One cupcake in a pleated paper wrapper with a modest frosting swirl and one small cherry. Practice form, overlap and selective shading in fine ink.

Food & drink Medium Fineliner40 min, at your pace

A way into the drawing

Establish the main shapes
Draw the wrapper as a tapered cup.
Connect the structure
Build the frosting swirl above it and attach the cherry.
Develop the drawing
Use selective interior marks and local shadow groups to explain the overlaps. Keep the lighter planes open rather than shading every surface.

A small thing to tryKeep the frosting wider than the wrapper rim.