A magnolia with six broad petals

Practice a magnolia blossom with clear forms and selected overlaps. Place the remaining broad petals behind them with clear overlaps. Add a small simple center. Draw a short twig and two oval leaves. Use gray only where the lower petals overlap.

A way into the drawing

1. Cup the lower petals

   Draw the lower broad petals as a shallow cup. Keep their bases gathered at one point.

2. Open the upper petals

   Place the remaining broad petals behind them with clear overlaps. Add a small simple center.

3. Attach the twig and leaves

   Draw a short twig and two oval leaves. Use gray only where the lower petals overlap.

A small thing to tryLet the outer petals curve away from the center without adding many interior creases.