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Mary, the mother of Jesus, is sometimes referred to as the Virgin Mary, Saint Mary, or the Madonna. Who was Mary?
Historians agree that Jesus was a real historical figure. According to the Bible, his mother conceived him while still a virgin by means of the holy spirit. Before his birth, she was married to the carpenter Joseph, who raised Jesus as his own son. Mary and Joseph then went on to have at least six other children. Upon his death, Jesus entrusted the care of his mother to the Apostle John. She was present in the upper room at Pentecost 33 C.E. when the first Christians were anointed with the holy spirit.
Said The New Encyclopaedia Britannica: “Veneration of the mother of God received its impetus when the Christian Church became the imperial church under Constantine and the pagan masses streamed into the church. . . . Their piety and religious consciousness had been formed for millennia through the cult of the ‘great mother’ goddess and the ‘divine virgin,’ a development that led all the way from the old popular religions of Babylonia and Assyria.”
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In the time since, the Virgin Mary, often with the child Jesus, has been depicted in art. Art forms often mirrored those of pre-Christian religious artwork of mother-goddesses such as Diana, Artemis, or Cybele.
Images of the Virgin Mary are still popular today, especially in nativity scenes during the Christmas holiday. She is often seen with a halo about her head. Candles bearing the likeness of Mary may be lit for religious purposes.
Would you like to draw the Virgin Mary? This easy, step-by-step drawing tutorial is here to show you how. All you will need is a sheet of paper and pencil, pen, marker, or crayon.
If you liked this tutorial, see also the following drawing guides: Jesus, Jesus on the Cross, and Angel.
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Step-by-Step Instructions for Drawing the Virgin Mary
1. Begin by sketching the maiden's face. Use curved lines to sketch the wide "U" shaped jaw and the inverted "V" shaped hairline. Notice the opening on one side of the face.
2. Extend a long, curved line from the hair, enclosing the face and continuing beneath it. Draw a second curved line nearly parallel to the first. This forms Mary's headscarf. Use various curved lines to detail the folds of cloth.
3. Continue the lines of the headscarf at the top of the head, allowing them to meet at a point. From this point, extend a long, curved line, and another from the cheek. This forms the other side of the draped headscarf.
4. Extend two short, curved lines from beneath the head, forming the neck. Enclose the neck with a curved line. Draw another parallel to it, and connect them on the end, forming the neck of the garment.
OTHER EASY DRAWING GUIDES:
5. Draw a curved line from the neck of the garment to the side of the headscarf. Then, connect the two sides of the headscarf using a series of overlapping curved lines. This outlines the bodice of the garment.
6. Draw a horizontal curved line parallel to the bottom of the bodice. Connect them with two short, curved lines. Draw curving zigzag lines on each side of this rounded square shape. This forms the sash or belt of the garment.
7. Finish enclosing Mary's hair by drawing a short line from the face to the headscarf. Texture the hair and the scarf with curved lines of various lengths. Then, draw two thick, curved lines to indicate the eyebrows.
8. Draw the eyes. For each, use three successively smaller circles nested one within the other. Shade between the two smallest circles to indicate the pupil.
OTHER EASY DRAWING GUIDES:
9. Draw small "U" shaped lines to indicate the nose and mouth.
Color Mary.
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The Complete Virgin Mary Drawing Tutorial in One Image
Printable PDF of the Drawing Guide
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