How to Draw a Zucchini

Learning how to draw different still-life subjects will not only help you to enhance your drawing skills, but it will also teach you how to see simple shapes that make a more complex subject. In this how-to-draw a zucchini tutorial, I will show you how to sketch a zucchini and how to add value to the zucchini to create a realistic drawing.

First, I will show you how to draw a zucchini’s outline, also known as the contour of the zucchini.

In the second part of the drawing tutorial, I will show you how to add value, highlights, and shadows with images and video.

The value, highlights, and shadow you draw will create a three-dimensional illusion that will make the zucchini pop on your drawing surface.

Zucchini comes in a variety of sizes, and shapes, which makes them a simple and fun drawing subject for artists to paint and draw.

Staging a variety of summer vegetables can make a beautiful drawing everyone would love to display in their kitchen.

Zucchini has beautiful curved lines that will help you to enhance your drawing skills.

The skin of zucchini, apples, and grapes is smooth, which makes the light react similarly to each subject.

While this drawing tutorial will demonstrate how to add shadows and highlights for a realistic drawing, it can also be a fun exercise for kids.

Kids can learn how to draw the contour of the zucchini in just a few easy steps and color it with crayons or colored pencils.

I encourage all children to have fun with their creative minds, and this easy drawing should be included in their coloring page portfolio.

I recommend using a reference image of the zucchini for your zucchini drawing.

I use Pixabay for reference images for most of my tutorials.

Pixabay offers stunning free images and royalty-free stock, which you can use for practicing your art skills.

For my original drawings, I get most of my images at Wildlife Reference Photos or commissioned jobs.

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Reference image courtesy of Pixabay.

Drawing Supplies

Below is a list of all the materials I use for my drawings. I purchase all of my drawing supplies online at Blick Art Materials.

Drawing Paper

Blending

Pencils

Value Finder

Gray Scale and Value Finder

Erasers

Extras

How To Draw A Zucchini Step By Step

You can create the drawing larger or smaller if you wish. But if you draw the zucchini too small, you will find it challenging to add subtle value changes and details to the drawing.

Drawing Tip: The proportions of the subject you are drawing have to be accurate if your goal is to draw a realistic drawing. Using the grid method to sketch out the subject will help you to keep the proportions correct. You can also use this as a practice for sketching zucchini to enhance your sketching skills.

Learning how to see value changes and simple shapes of a subject is an essential part of drawing and sketching.

This exercise and the other still-life drawing tutorials will help you see soft value changes and simple shapes that create a more complex subject.

Note: The lines in the drawing below are darker than what I usually sketch for my drawings.

I only drew the outline of the zucchini darker in this drawing tutorial so you can see them better in this post.

Sketching the subject lightly will make it easier to erase the outline of the subject after you have added the shading.

Nothing in life has a line around it.

If you are trying to create realistic drawings you want to create a form and separate planes with values, not outlines.

Values are the different shades you will be drawing with your graphite pencil.

Easy Zucchini Pencil Drawing

We will start by sketching the zucchini outline. This is also known as the contour or the zucchini.

Drawing Tips – Sketch the zucchini lightly so you can easily erase the guidelines later.

Keep in mind that you will be adjusting the drawing as you go along; this is just a rough sketch at this point.

Use the grid method if you are interested in drawing a realism drawing.

This how-to draw a zucchini tutorial starts by sketching an oval shape.

I chose this reference image because of how the zucchini is displayed at an angle that will give your drawing more dimension and depth.

Drawing Tip: If you are not using the grid method, use your pencil or a ruler to be more accurate with the proportions of the zucchini.

The next step is to draw the stalk of the zucchini.

Refer back to the reference image to see where the stalk is located on the zucchini.

Notice the angle of the stalk and the wavy lines that connect to the zucchini.

Accurate angles and proportions will make your drawings realistic even if you just have the contour of the subject.

Drawing Tip: Sketch the outline lightly so it will be easier to remove unwanted guidelines.

Drawing Tip: Study your drawing and the reference image to see if any adjustments need to be made before adding value to the zucchini.

The last step is to erase all unwanted guidelines.

This is the final stage of the contour drawing of the zucchini.

At this point, you could give the contour drawing of the zucchini to your child to color.

To draw a realistic drawing, you will have to add values highlights and shadows.

To learn more visit Drawing Tips For Realistic Drawings – The Elements Of Shading.

Add Value To The Zucchini

Adding value to the zucchini will create a three-dimensional illusion and make the zucchini pop off the drawing surface.

Before you start to add value to your drawing, stand back to think about what you are going to be drawing.

Identify which direction the light is coming from and where the darkest values are on the squash.

Adding value to the zucchini is a valuable exercise for drawing soft value changes.

The soft value changes are similar to drawing portraits and figure drawings.

Is there a cast shadow?

A cast shadow is a shadow that casts from an object or figure.

The cast shadow varies in value and is not a solid shape. The closer the cast shadow is to an object, the darker it will be. The farther the cast shadow is from an object, the lighter and less defined it will be.

Drawing Tip: The darkest part of an object is where the light does not hit.

Start by adding value with your 2H pencil to the darkest area of the squash.

Drawing Tip: Using a 2H pencil first will condition the paper and add graphite to the bottom of the tooth on your drawing paper. This will prevent the little white dots you will get if you start with a softer lead. When you can not get any more value from your 2H pencil, start applying graphite with your HB pencil. If the area is still not dark enough, continue with your 2B pencil.

Work from dark to light and follow the contour of the zucchini.

Begin each line from the darkest area and draw towards the lighter areas reducing the pressure as you go and lightly lift the pencil off the paper to feather the edge to white.

Do not be concerned about the dimple at this point. We will add the fine details at the end.

Start by adding graphite to the darkest areas of the zucchini.

Notice on the reference image that there are darker values at the bottom of the zucchini and around the edges. The darker and lighter values create the contour and shape of the zucchini.

It is important to draw the darker and lighter value to create the round shape of the zucchini.

Drawing Tip: Squint your eyes when you are observing the lighter and darker values of a subject.

Keep looking at your reference photo to identify where the darkest darks are and where the highlights are.

Don’t worry about adding to much detail at this point. The objective is only to add value to the darkest areas.

Drawing Tips: The darkest areas are where light does not hit.

Continue to add graphite to the darker areas.

Use a 2H pencil until the area does not get darker, then use an HB pencil.

Gradually lighten up the value where the lighter sections of the zucchini are.

Drawing Tip: Work from dark to light to create a soft value change. Make sure your pencil is sharp, so the graphite reaches the valleys of the paper.

Drawing Tip: Continue to darken areas by drawing over an area with cross-hatching. Be sure not to leave any gaps between the lines. The more you cross-hatch over an area, the smoother the values will become.

Use an HB and a 2B pencil to continue adding graphite to the darkest areas of the zucchini.

Draw in any lines that you miss.

Drawing Tip: Fill in any spaces or dots you miss while adding the graphite to the drawing surface. Do not put this off to another time because you could end up missing some imperfections making the drawing look less realistic.