A sunflower with a broad open center

Practice a sunflower with clear forms and selected overlaps. Add one ring of broad tapered petals with gentle overlaps. Avoid building several dense layers. Draw two broad leaves around the stem and choose only a few veins. Use graphite at petal roots and one leaf fold.

A way into the drawing

1. Place the broad center

   Sketch a large tilted oval and mark where the stem will meet it. Keep the center mostly open.

2. Arrange one ring of petals

   Add one ring of broad tapered petals with gentle overlaps. Avoid building several dense layers.

3. Fold the leaves

   Draw two broad leaves around the stem and choose only a few veins. Use graphite at petal roots and one leaf fold.

A small thing to tryLet the petals vary in direction while still growing from the same oval center.