Chalk Pastel Poppies

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Sketch the Outline In the bottom right corner, lightly draw a small circle for the center. Around it, draw several large, curved lines stretching toward the edges of the page to create the flower petals.

2. Color the Background Fill the upper left area with light blue. Use long, vertical strokes. Take a paper towel or your finger and blend the blue until it looks soft and smooth, like a clear sky.

3. Fill the Petals Color the large petals with a bright red. Leave a tiny bit of space near the lines you drew so the colors don't muddy. Blend the red inward from the edges of each petal toward the center.

4. Add the Center Details

   • Color the very bottom corner black.

   • Draw a curved row of small yellow rectangles just above the black center to represent the pollen/stamens.

5. Define and Shadow

   • Go over your petal outlines with black.

   • Use a finger to gently smudge the black lines inward toward the red. This creates a soft, velvety shadow effect (the "smokey" look) around each petal.