Artists often hit a creative block when their sketchbooks look blank and ideas seem scarce. Finding new things to draw can feel like a tricky task, especially when someone wants to work with a specific color palette. The color purple offers a world of drawing possibilities that many artists miss.
From lavender fields to grape clusters, purple objects can add depth and fun to any art collection. Artists who try purple-themed drawings gain new skills and techniques while playing with different shades and tones.
The blog will show various creative purple things to draw for artists at any skill level. These ideas range from simple shapes to more detailed scenes that will help bring color and life to dull sketchbooks.
What Makes Purple the Best Colour for Art Projects
Purple has earned its place as a favorite choice in many art projects because of its unique qualities and visual impact. The color brings both warmth and coolness to the artwork in a way few other colors can.
Many art teachers suggest purple for beginners because it helps them learn about color mixing and balance. Artists often find that purple creates focal points that draw the eye naturally.
The wide range of purple tints and tones gives artists many options for expression.
- Color combinations: Purple works well with oranges and teals to create balanced color schemes. Artists use these combinations to make artwork that feels complete and well-thought-out.
- Visual weight: Purple areas often feel heavier than other colors of the same size. Artists use this property to create balance in compositions without making the purple sections too large.
- Cultural significance: Different cultures view purple in unique ways, from spirituality to mourning. Artists can tap into these meanings to add layers of story to their work.
- Technical versatility: Purple pigments behave differently from other colors when mixed and applied. Artists learn to use these properties to create special effects in their work.
- Optical interest: Purple sits between warm red and cool blue on the color wheel. This gives it a visual vibration that keeps viewers interested in the artwork longer.
- Depth creation: Artists use purple in shadows to create more realistic depth than black or gray alone can provide. This trick makes drawings look more three-dimensional.
- Accessibility: Purple has good visibility for most viewers, including those with some types of color vision deficiency. This makes it useful for art meant to communicate clearly to wide audiences.
How Purple Shades Influence the Mood of an Artist:
- Light purple tones like lavender and lilac bring feelings of spring, youth, and gentle joy to artwork when artists want to create a soft atmosphere.
- Medium purples suggest creativity and imagination, making them perfect for fantasy subjects or when artists aim to stimulate thought.
- Deep purple shades create feelings of luxury and power in art pieces, often used when the artist wants to convey importance.
- The blue-purple shades tend to feel cooler and more distant, helping artists create space and depth in their compositions.
How to Incorporate Different Purple Shades in Drawings
Using purple in artwork opens up many color options. Artists can pick from light to dark shades to get different feelings in their work.
The color works well with many drawing styles and types of art supplies. Most people find that adding purple to their color mix helps their art stand out.
Selecting the Right Purple for Your Drawing
When choosing purple for artwork, artists should first consider the mood they want to create. Light purples bring happiness to scenes, while darker shades add a sense of mystery.
The drawing surface matters too, as some purple tones show up clearer on cream paper than white. Artists should think about color pairings since purple works nicely with greens, yellows, and certain blues.
Before covering a full drawing with purple, testing a small area first helps ensure the color gives the effect the artist wants.
Blending Techniques for Purple Tones
- Layer thin coats of purple to build up color depth instead of pressing hard with one shade.
- Mix red and blue in varying amounts to create custom purple colors not found in the standard.
- Add white to lighten or black to darken your purple when working with paints.
- Try using purple for shadows instead of black or gray for more lively results.
Popular Shades and Their Uses
| Purple Shade | Color Characteristics | Best Used For | Works Well With |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lavender | Light, slightly blue | Spring scenes, flowers, and skies | Yellow, light green |
| Mauve | Dusty, hint of pink | Vintage themes, fabrics | Gray, cream |
| Plum | Rich, slightly red | Fruits, fall scenes, depth | Gold, dark green |
| Violet | Bright, true purple | Focus points, flowers | Orange, teal |
Adding the color to Common Drawing Subjects
For landscapes: Use purple for distant mountains or sunset skies
For portraits: Try purple tones in shadow areas of skin for more life than gray
For still life: Add purple reflections on glass or metal objects
For abstract work: Use purple as a base that ties other colors together
Creative Purple Things to Draw Today
For any artist looking to add some liveliness to their sketchbook, experimenting with purple offers endless possibilities.
The depth and richness of this color make it perfect for everything from floral designs to playful creatures.
Doesn’t matter if you’re drawing nature, fantasy, or everyday objects; there are countless ways to incorporate this charming hue. With this list of creative purple things to draw, anyone can get inspired to create beautiful, unique artwork that pops with color.
Nature & Wildlife
1. Lavender fields
2. Purple dragon
3. Violets in a vase
4. Purple butterfly
5. Eggplant
6. Grape clusters
7. Purple tulips
8. Jellyfish
9. Whale
10. Purple octopus
Fantasy & Mythical Creatures
11. Peacock feathers
12. Purple unicorn
13. Mystical moon
14. Barn owl
15. Koi fish
16. Wizard’s hat
17. Wizard’s robe
18. Retro cassette tape
19. Purple crown
20. Dragonfly
Purple Foods & Treats
21. Lavender ice cream cone
22. Plum
23. Cupcake
24. Jellybean
25. Ice lolly
26. Grapes in a basket
27. Heart-shaped balloon
28. Lavender-scented candle
29. Cactus in a pot
30. Purple cactus
Purple Objects & Designs
31. Fantasy castle with purple towers
32. Lanterns hanging
33. Musical notes
34. Paper airplane
35. Bicycle
36. Crystals growing
37. Circus tent
38. Chameleon
39. Sailboat on the water
40. Vase with flowers
Scenic & Curious Ideas
41. Sunset with purple sky
42. Mountain landscape
43. Skull
44. Cactus
45. Lotus flower
46. Hummingbird
47. Train
48. Bouquet of purple roses
49. Purple peacock
50. Purple mushrooms
51. Retro purple ice cream cone
Conclusion
Drawing with shades of violet and lavender can open new doors for artists at any skill level. Throughout this blog, readers have learned why these hues stand out in art projects and how different tones create various moods in drawings.
The creative purple things to draw mentioned offer a starting point for anyone looking to enhance their color skills and try new subjects.
Artists who experiment with these violet-toned ideas will likely notice their overall technique improving as they master light, shadow, and color balance.
Purple things to draw provide both technical challenges and visual rewards that other color studies might miss. By working through these drawings, artists can build confidence in color mixing, application techniques, and creative thinking that will benefit all their future artwork.
