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How to Draw a Thistle
Draw a thistle in 10 easy steps, about 8 minutes. Free, with a printable worksheet.
Each picture adds one red line. Draw that line, then scroll to the next picture. Rub out any dashed helper lines at the end. First up: the green head.
Step 1: The green head
Above the middle of your paper draw a fat egg standing up, as big as a plum, narrow end up.
Tip The purple tuft grows out of this green bulb.
Step 2: The purple tuft
Start at the narrow top of the head. Zigzag tall spikes fanning up and out, stopping on the other side.
Step 3: Criss-cross scales
Across the head draw 2 slanting lines one way and 2 the other, making diamonds.
Step 4: The stem
Start under the head and draw a stem down to near the bottom, getting a little wider as it goes.
Step 5: A spiky leaf
A hand below the head, draw a long prickly leaf out to the left, ending in a sharp point.
Tip Zigzag edges, like a long tooth with tiny teeth.
Step 6: Another spiky leaf
Start a little lower on the right side of the stem and draw the same prickly leaf pointing right.
Step 7: Ground and grass
Draw a ground line from near one edge to near the other. Add grass tufts a finger from the stem.
Step 8: Leaf-green stem
Go over your lines, then colour the stem and both spiky leaves leaf green.
Step 9: Colour the head
Colour the head a darker green.
Step 10: Colour the tuft
Colour the spiky tuft purple, and your thistle is done!
Your finished drawing
Follow the steps above and this is where you end up: a thistle, drawn by you.
Every step in one picture
