The calla lily is a flowering plant native to South Africa. Its name is derived from a Greek word for beauty. Famously, the flower has been featured in the artwork of Georgia O'Keeffe.
The flower was a fixture of ancient mythology. It is said that the goddess Venus gave the flower its large central pistil so that its beauty would not rival her own. In another myth, Zeus brought his son Hercules to nurse from the goddess Hera. She pushed him away, and her milk formed the stars of the Milky Way. Some milk landed on the earth and grew into calla lilies.
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In floriography, the language of flowers, the white calla lily means purity and innocence; the yellow, gratitude; pink, appreciation and romance; purple, royalty and admiration; black, elegance and mystery; red, beauty and courage. It is considered a good luck charm when carried by brides, and is also used in funeral arrangements.
Would you like to draw a lovely calla lily? Doing so is easy with the help of this simple, step-by-step drawing tutorial. All you will need is a pencil or pen and a sheet of paper. You may also wish to use crayons, markers, or colored pencils to shade your finished drawing.
If you liked this tutorial, see also the following drawing guides: Orchid, Poppy, and Magnolia Flower.
Step by Step Instructions for Drawing a Calla Lily
1. Begin by drawing a "U" shaped line to form the base of the first flower.
2. Draw a long, curving line, beginning within the base of the flower. Overlap the top of the "U" shaped line and extend the curved line upward. Draw another, shorter line, meeting the first in a point at the bottom and running parallel to it for about half its length. Draw a third line connected to the first line's upper point, and enclose the top of the flower by connecting it with the second line.
3. Draw a short, curved line loosely parallel with the other side of the flower. Emerging from the flower's center, enclose a small oval shape. Below the flower, extend a pair of lines that slowly converge, forming the stem.
4 . Draw a pair of parallel lines alongside the first flower, forming the stem of a second flower.
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5. Draw a "U" shaped line at the top of the stem, forming the base of the flower.
6. Draw a curved line, beginning within the flower's base, touching the top of the "U" shaped line, and ending above the flower. Begin a second line, also within the flower, touching the opposite side of the "U," and meeting the first line in a point. For each line, draw a short, curved line parallel to half its length, and meeting it in a point within the flower's base. Connect the two pointed shapes using a short line, and enclose a small oval within the flower's center.
7. Draw a leaf extending from the stem. Draw two wavy lines that meet in a point. Then, draw the leaf vein by placing a curved line along the length of the leaf.
8. Draw a leaf on the remaining stem. Extend two curved lines, allowing them to meet in a point. Draw a vein down the leaf's center.
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9. Draw grasses behind, beside, and between the two flowers. For each blade of grass, use two long, curved lines that meet in a sharp point at the top. Notice that the grasses vary in length and width.
10. Color your calla lilies. Many of these flowers are white or cream with a green base, as in our illustration. Others may be pink, purple, orange, or red.
Don't forget to check out our other plant drawing guides.
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The Complete Calla Lily Drawing Tutorial in One Image
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Thank you for this lesson. Very easy to follow instructions. Love Calla Lillies!
I"m happy I could help you draw these beautiful flowers ❤️
Love this. You made it so easy Thank you so much!
Thanks, Joyce. I'm happy I could help you draw this beautiful Calla Lily. What flower are you drawing next? If you like lilies, I would recommend trying my how to draw a Lily of the Valley drawing tutorial! 😎
Tricky but turns out really pretty.
Glad to hear that, Dylan! 😎