Last Updated on January 5, 2023 by Dee
If you are wondering how to draw a mushroom, then follow my step-by-step drawing tutorial to achieve a realistic and whimsical mushroom drawing.
Mushrooms are a popular item to draw for artists of all levels. They are fairly easy to create and can add a touch of nature to any drawing or painting.
This tutorial will show you how to draw a mushroom sketch in 15 easy steps.
So gather your art supplies, and let’s get started on a shroom drawing!
Step by step instructions for how to draw a mushroom
I have chosen to demonstrate how you would draw a toadstool mushroom for this mushroom drawing.
There are a huge variety of toadstools that tend to be poisonous to humans.
However, they are fascinating to look at and come in various shapes and sizes, so they are the perfect subject matter for artists.
Let’s get on with our mushroom drawings…
Step 1: Draw the Mushroom Cap
Using a 2B pencil, lightly draw the curved line of the mushroom cap.
The shape is almost a semi-circle with rounded edges.
This is a very organic shape, so it’s absolutely fine if your mushroom cap is slightly lob-sided or off-center.
There are no perfectly symmetrical mushrooms in nature.
Step 2: Draw the curly mushroom curtain
Beneath the cap of the mushroom is the toadstools curtain. To draw this shape you need to draw two sloping lines from the base of the mushroom cap.
Connect the two lines with a wavy line at the bottom.
Draw lines upward from the edges of the curves to mimic the folds of a curtain.
Once again, this shouldn’t be a perfect shape as it’s part of a natural growing object.
Step 3: Draw the mushroom stem
Draw two curving lines from the mushroom curtain. At this point, you don’t need to connect them. We will be adding a base later on.
Step 4: Draw some line detail on stem
To give your mushroom stems a realistic appearance, you can add some smaller details on the stem. This helps to create a sense of texture.
Step 5: Draw the stem of the second mushroom
Draw a second stem jutting out from behind the first mushroom. Sketching a second mushroom will give more interest and a good amount of balance to this artwork.
Step 6: Draw the cap of the second mushroom
For the second mushroom, you can draw a simple cap that will be much smaller than the first mushroom. The second mushroom cap is a curved organic shape.
[Related article: Looking for things to draw on your hand? 50 Easy drawing ideas]
Step 7: Add spots or dots on the mushroom cap
The classic toadstool has spots or marking on its cap.
Add a collection of spots to the top of the mushroom cap for this mushroom drawing.
These spots can be irregular, and some can even be unfinished. This will help to create a realistic organic mushroom drawing.
Step 8: Add shading to the mushroom cap
Add tone to the mushroom cap by shading. Hold your pencil so it is almost parallel to the paper surface and move in a soft circular motion to achieve a gentle gradation.
Shade from the underside of the mushroom upwards. This mushroom is light on the top part of the cap, with more tone and shading to the lower areas of the mushroom cap.
Step 9: Add shading to the second mushroom cap
The second mushroom cap is similar to the first mushroom cap – but a much smaller version. Add fun a few irregular spots or shapes and shade from the lower areas of the cap upwards.
The top area of the mushroom cap is lighter than the lower areas.
Step 10: Shade the mushroom curtain
Add tone to the folds of your mushroom curtain by shading next to the vertical lines. Leave alternate folds unshaded while shading the folds that recede.
Step 11: Shade the mushroom stems
Add more tone to the mushroom stems by building up your pencil shading.
Step 12: Add grass
Add the impression of grass to the bottom of your mushrooms to make it appear that they are sprouting out from a natural base.
Step 13: Add more tonal detail
Softly use your pencil to add more tonal detail and linework to the stems of the mushrooms.
Step 14: Add fern leaves
Pressing more firmly with your pencil, add two fern leaves to further balance the drawing’s composition and add interest.
Step 15: Final Details to the Mushroom Sketch
Go over your mushroom drawing again and clean up any smudges or pencil marks on the surface of the page.
Deepen your shadow areas with more shading, and use your kneadable eraser to lighten your highlights.
I added a little midge flying around in the background to add character and finish the mushroom drawing.
You can leave your mushroom drawing as is or paint it with a watercolor wash.
How to Draw a Mushroom Video Tutorial
Art Supplies to do your own Mushroom Drawing
To do this mushroom drawing tutorial, you will need some supplies.
Pencils
A higher number pencil will give you more control over the darkness of your lines, while a harder/lower number will produce lighter lines.
I used a 2B graphite pencil for this Mushroom Drawing tutorial, but you can use other levels depending on your preference.
Graphite Pencil Sharpener
When you are experimenting with different levels of darkness in your lines, it is important to have a pencil sharpener.
This will enable you to produce fine lines for detailed work and shading.
Pencil Grips
You may find using a grip helps you gain more control over your drawing.
Kneadable Eraser
A kneaded eraser is important, as you will need it to erase finer details and make corrections.
Paper
Heavyweight drawing paper or A3 sketch pad.
Digital Art
Of course, you can also use an iPad and Procreate to create an amazing piece of digital art too!
[Check out my article on the best iPad for Procreate!]
Visit my Youtube Channel for video tutorials…
Other FAQ …
How do you draw a fungi diagram?
This is an excellent resource for creating stunning diagrams.
Remember to follow these tips…
1) Find a good diagram to copy.
2) Draw softly in pencil.
3) Use accurate colours.
4) Use a ruler to draw lines
5) Annotate in pen.
6) Keep your paper clean and neat.
How do you draw different types of fungi?
This great video gives you simple steps to draw an Aspergillus (Fungi) so you can explore other mushroom drawing ideas.
How do you draw bacteria step by step?
Here is another great video on how to draw bacteria in color.
What is the Colour of mushrooms?
Mushrooms come in various colors, from white to brown or even red.
The color of mushrooms depends largely on how the spores are distributed.
The spores may be spread uniformly, leading to a dull gray cap.
If the caps are bruised, the underlying flesh will turn blue, making it appear bluish-green or even cyanotic (bluish-purple).
Conclusion
I hope you’ve enjoyed learning how to draw a mushroom step by step. This drawing tutorial is great for both beginners and professionals and is a lot of fun. You can even take things a step further and use this drawing as a base for a cute mushroom painting 🙂
Grab your art supplies and add a mushroom sketch to your sketchbook!
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