Step 1
Start off with basic shapes to represent the flower's core. Make sure to sketch lightly with a pencil in the HB-2H range.
Step 2
Sketch in a few lines that will serve as guidelines later on when defining the water lily's stamen.
Step 3
Start sketching in the petals from the inside out.
Step 4
Continue adding petals.
Step 5
Add in the remaining petals.
Step 6
Finish up the sketch.
Step 7
Outline the water lily.
Step 8
After outlining the water lily, shade in the background. A 2B pencil should suffice for this.
Step 9
Lightly blend over the water lily using a cloth or blending stump. The aim here is to soften up the guidelines.
Step 10
Start detailing from the center of the lily outwards. From here on out a 2H or H pencil should suffice.
Step 11
Draw in the stamen. This is by far the hardest part of the drawing but once you have this done the rest of the drawing will be a piece of cake. Once the stamen are drawn in lightly outline the surrounding petals.
Step 12
Still using an H or 2H pencil, shade in the petals. Make the shading as light and smooth as possible. Erase the highlights as needed.
Step 13
Finish up the drawing by shading in the rest of the petals. Go ahead and rework the outline and background as well.