Easy Fruit Drawing Ideas for Beginners: Tips and Techniques

Written by Daisie Team

Published on 11 July 2023 9 min read

Unlocking your creative potential can often start with something as simple and delightful as learning to draw a piece of fruit. Whether you're a budding artist or you're just looking for a relaxing hobby, this guide provides easy to draw fruit ideas that are perfect for beginners. From apples to grapes, you'll soon be able to create your own fruit bowl on paper!

1. Getting Started with Easy Fruit Drawing

Before you start sketching apples and bananas, it's a good idea to understand a few basics, choose the right materials, and set up your drawing space. Let's peel back the layers on these initial steps:

Understanding the Basics

First, let's get you comfortable with some fundamental drawing concepts. Remember, drawing is all about observation and practice. Here are a few pointers:

Shape: Notice the basic shapes that make up a fruit. An apple, for example, is not just a circle—it's more of an oval with some bulges.
Shading: This adds depth and realism to your fruit drawing. Notice where the light hits the fruit and where the shadows fall.
Texture: Is the fruit smooth like an apple or rough like a pineapple? These details can make your easy to draw fruit look more realistic.

Choosing Your Materials

Having the right tools can make all the difference. While you can certainly start with just a regular pencil and paper, as you progress, you might want to explore more options:

Pencils: Start with a basic HB pencil for sketching. As you get more comfortable, you can experiment with softer pencils like 2B or 4B for darker shades.
Paper: Any paper will do to start with, but a sketchbook is a nice investment. It keeps all your drawings in one place and the paper is usually of a higher quality.
Eraser: Mistakes happen! A good eraser is your best friend when you're learning easy to draw fruit.

Setting Up Your Space

Finally, find a quiet, well-lit place where you can draw comfortably. A desk or table is perfect, but even your lap will do in a pinch. Here are a few tips:

Lighting: Natural light is the best for drawing, but if that's not possible, make sure your space is well lit.
Comfort: You'll be sitting for a while, so make sure your chair is comfortable and your drawing surface is at a good height.
Organisation: Keep your drawing tools within easy reach. It's also a good idea to have a real piece of fruit to use as a reference for your easy fruit drawings.

Now that you're all set, let's dive into the actual drawing techniques, starting with one of the most iconic fruits—the apple.

2. Apple Drawing Technique

Apples are a great place to start when looking for easy fruit to draw. They have a simple, recognizable shape and offer a good opportunity to practice shading. Let's get started:

Sketching an Apple

Start by observing a real apple or a picture of one. Notice its shape—it's not a perfect circle or oval. Here's a simple step-by-step guide for you:

Shape: Start by lightly sketching an oval. Then, add a slight bulge at the top and bottom.
Stem: Draw a small oval where the stem is, and line it up with the center of your apple sketch.
Details: Add the curve of the stem and the indentation of the apple around it. Also, sketch a faint curve on the side to indicate the apple's front.

Shading an Apple

Shading adds depth to your apple, making it look three-dimensional. Here's how to do it:

Light and Shadow: Identify the light source. The side of the apple facing the light will be lighter, and the opposite side will be darker.
Shading: Start shading the apple, keeping the light source in mind. Use lighter strokes for the illuminated part and darker strokes for the shadow part.
Blending: Softly blend the shading with your finger or a piece of tissue to give it a smoother look.

Final Touches for an Apple

Now that your apple is taking shape and has some depth, it's time for the final touches:

Texture: Apples have a smooth, shiny surface. To capture this, leave a small area unshaded to represent the shiny part.
Details: Darken the stem and the indentation around it. Add some lines to the stem to make it look more realistic.
Cleanup: Use your eraser to clean up the sketch and sharpen the outline of the apple.

And voila! You have just drawn a realistic apple. This easy-to-draw fruit is a great starting point, and these techniques can be applied to other fruits as well. Next up, we're going tropical with the banana.

3. Banana Drawing Technique

Ah, the humble banana - a go-to when you're looking for easy-to-draw fruit. Its elongated and unique shape allows you to experiment with different angles and perspectives. Ready? Let's peel back the layers:

Sketching a Banana

Start by observing a real banana. You'll notice it's not straight but has a curved shape. Here's a simple guide for you:

Shape: Start by sketching a gently curved line. This will be the spine of your banana. Add another curved line parallel to the first one, but slightly longer.
Ends: Connect the ends of the two lines with short, curved strokes to form the banana's ends.
Details: Add a thin, curved line along the length of the banana to represent its natural separation line.

Shading a Banana

Shading a banana is a bit different from shading an apple due to its different texture. Here's how:

Light and Shadow: Identify your light source. The side of the banana facing the light will be lighter, and the opposite side will be darker.
Shading: Start shading, keeping the light source in mind. Use lighter strokes for the lighter side and darker strokes for the shadow side. Also, keep in mind the texture - bananas are slightly mottled, so leave some tiny white spots here and there.
Blending: Softly blend your shading to give a smoother look. But don't overdo it—you still want to keep those tiny white spots.

Final Touches for a Banana

You're almost there! Just a few final touches:

Texture: Bananas have a slightly rough texture. Enhance this by adding some small, irregular lines across the banana.
Details: Darken the separation line along the length of the banana and the ends.
Cleanup: Use your eraser to clean up the sketch and sharpen the outline of the banana.

And there you have it - a banana that looks good enough to eat! Drawing this easy-to-draw fruit helps you practice with elongated shapes and different textures. Now, let's move on to something a bit more challenging: cherries.

4. Cherry Drawing Technique

Cherries, with their vibrant color and distinctive shape, make for a fun and easy-to-draw fruit. Plus, they offer an opportunity to practice drawing objects in pairs. Let's dive into the world of cherry sketching:

Sketching Cherries

Remember, cherries come in pairs and they are attached by a stem that has a unique shape. Here's an easy guide for you:

Shape: Start by sketching two small circles side by side for the cherries.
Stem: For the stem, draw two curved lines coming out from each cherry. The lines should meet in a V shape above the cherries.
Details: Add a small curved line at the top of each cherry for the indentation where the stem attaches.

Shading Cherries

Shading cherries is a joy because it brings out their luscious nature. Here's how:

Light and Shadow: As always, start by identifying your light source. Cherries have a glossy surface, so they will have a strong highlight (a bright spot) and a pronounced shadow.
Shading: Begin shading the cherries, keeping the light source in mind. Leave a small area unshaded for the highlight. The side opposite to the light source will be darkest.
Blending: Blend your shading to give the cherries a smooth, shiny look.

Final Touches for Cherries

Last step! Here's how to add the finishing touches:

Texture: Cherries have a glossy texture. Enhance this by adding a second, fainter highlight on the shadow side.
Details: Darken the lines for the stem and the indentation at the top of the cherries.
Cleanup: Use your eraser to clean up the sketch and sharpen the outline of the cherries.

And there you have it - a pair of cherries that look juicy and delicious! Drawing cherries helps you practice with circular shapes and shiny textures. Next, let's proceed to a slightly more complex subject: grapes.

5. Grape Drawing Technique

Ever wondered how to make a bunch of circles look like a bunch of grapes? Grapes are a great subject when you're ready to level up your fruit drawing skills. Let's go step by step to draw some easy, juicy grapes.

Sketching Grapes

Think of a grape bunch as a teardrop shape filled with circles. Here’s a simple way to draw it:

Outline: Start by sketching a loose, teardrop shape for the overall grape bunch.
Grapes: Within this outline, start drawing circles for the grapes. Don’t worry about them being perfect, as grapes come in all shapes!
Stem: Draw the stem at the narrow top end of your teardrop shape.

Shading Grapes

Shading grapes can be a fun challenge, as you’re dealing with multiple objects. Let’s get into it:

Light and Shadow: Identify your light source. Each grape will have its own highlight and shadow, but the overall bunch will also have areas of light and dark.
Shading: Shade each grape, keeping the light source in mind. Like cherries, grapes also have a glossy surface so leave a small area unshaded for the highlight.
Blending: Blend your shading but keep some variation in the light and dark areas across the bunch to give it depth.

Final Touches for Grapes

Time to add those finishing touches that will make your grapes come to life:

Texture: Grapes can be a little translucent. You can suggest this by adding a faint highlight on the shadow side of a few grapes.
Details: Darken the lines for the stem and around the grapes at the front of the bunch.
Cleanup: Use your eraser to clean up any overlapping lines and sharpen the outline of the bunch.

And there you go! A bunch of grapes, ready to be plucked. Drawing grapes helps you practice creating depth and dealing with multiple objects in a single composition. Now that you've mastered these techniques, let's talk about how you can keep improving your fruit drawing skills.

6. Practicing and Improving Your Fruit Drawing Skills

Alright, you've now got the basics of how to draw some easy fruits. But like any other skill, the key to becoming better at fruit drawing lies in practice, feedback, and exploration. So, what next?

Practice Makes Perfect

It's a tried and true saying for a reason — the more you practice, the better you'll get. Here are a few tips to help you practice more effectively:

Consistency: Try to draw a little bit every day. Even if it's just for a few minutes, regular practice will help you improve faster.
Variety: Mix it up. Draw different fruits, draw the same fruit from different angles, or try different drawing techniques.
Real Life: Draw from life whenever you can. Not only is it a great way to get more detailed and accurate drawings, but it will also help you understand the form and structure of the fruit better.

Seeking Feedback

Getting feedback on your work is a great way to improve. You might feel a little nervous about showing others your drawings, especially when you're just starting out, but remember that every artist was a beginner once.

Ask: Don't be shy to ask for feedback. Whether it's from friends, family, or a local art group, getting another perspective can be very helpful.
Listen: When you receive feedback, really listen to what's being said. It's not always easy to hear criticism, but it can be a valuable tool for improvement.
Apply: Try to apply the feedback you receive to your future drawings. It's a surefire way to improve your skills.

Exploring More Techniques

There are many different ways to draw, and exploring these can not only improve your skills but also make drawing more fun. Here are some ideas:

Experiment: Try out different techniques like hatching, stippling, or blending to see what you like best.
Materials: Use different materials. Pencils, charcoal, pastels — each brings a unique feel to your drawings.
Styles: Explore different styles of drawing. Realistic, cartoonish, or abstract — you might discover a style you really enjoy.

Remember, the goal is not perfection, but progress. Each fruit you draw, each technique you try, brings you one step closer to becoming a better artist. So, grab that pencil, and let's get drawing!

If you enjoyed exploring these easy fruit drawing ideas for beginners and want to take your skills even further, don't miss the workshop 'How to Draw A Fruit In ProCreate' by Vicky Catalan. This workshop will teach you the essential techniques and tools you need to create stunning fruit illustrations using ProCreate.