If drawing flowers feels a bit beyond you, here’s the good news – you really don’t need to draw realistic flowers to make something lovely.
Most of the floral designs I use on cards come from the same five super simple doodles. Once you know those shapes, you can mix them together in different ways and make cards that look far fancier than the effort they actually take.
This is one of my favourite little shortcuts because it works with whatever you’ve got – pen, paper, cardstock, scrap bits, all of it counts.
Supplies Used
- A pen or fine liner
- Paper, cardstock, or blank cards
- A pencil for light guidelines, if you want one
- A ruler or straight edge for lettering
- Something round to trace for a wreath design
Rather watch than read? Check out the full video by clicking the video below!
Let’s Get Started!
These are seriously SO simple. You don’t need any fancy supplies. AND you can use these in so many ways. Win win win! Let’s get started.
The 5 Doodles You Need to Learn
Every one of these starts with a stem, which is part of why they work so well together.
First, there’s the leafy stem – just a curved line with long soft leaves attached. Then there are simple buds, made with an oval or teardrop shape and a couple of overlapping lines near the base.
Next come berries, which are perfect for filling awkward little gaps. After that, you’ve got your main flower – a stem, a filled centre, and a few petals around it. Last is a lavender or herb-style sprig, with smaller shapes at the top and slightly fuller ones as you move down.
That’s it. Five shapes, and they can take you surprisingly far.
Three Easy Ways to Use Them
One of the easiest layouts is a floral border along the bottom of a card. Start with leaves for structure, add a few buds and flowers, then tuck berries and sprigs into the gaps. Leave room for a sentiment like happy birthday and you’re done.
For a wreath, lightly trace a circle and build your doodles around it. Put some shapes to the inside, some to the outside, and don’t overfill it too quickly. Even a mostly leafy wreath can look so pretty.
And if you want something that feels a bit more like a little gift, make a bouquet. Start with one taller stem in the middle, layer the other doodles around it, then draw a ribbon at the bottom to tie everything together.
That’s a Wrap!
What I love about this approach is that it takes all the pressure off. You don’t need to be amazing at drawing flowers – you just need a few reliable shapes that look good together.
Once you’ve got those in your hand, you can make birthday cards, thank you cards, wreaths, tags, and all sorts of other projects without starting from scratch every time.
Looking for more doodles? Check out this one!
And finally, your dad joke…
My friend said to me: “What rhymes with orange”
I said: “No, it doesn’t…”
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