How to Draw a Cherry

By following the steps of this tutorial, you will learn how to draw a cherry in a very simple yet realistic way, with dimensional shadows and highlights.

If you have studied our basic drawing course, then you already know that almost any object can be represented using simple geometric forms.

Most fruits and berries are based on a simple three-dimensional sphere, and a cherry is no exception.

The stem of the cherry can be imagined as a long, thin cylinder with a flat leaf attached to it.

Keeping this in mind, let’s begin this cherry drawing lesson and try to make it as dimensional as possible.

How to draw a cherry step by step

Step 1: Sketch the basic sphere

To draw a cherry, first sketch a sphere. Use loose and light lines in this step. The lines should be very light so it will be easier to make adjustments in the following steps.

Step 2: Draw the cherry stem

Now, in the upper part where the stem will be located, draw an indentation using a lightly curved line. Then, from this area, draw two long, smooth lines that curve evenly and end with a slight thickening. This is the point where the stem attaches to the tree and where the leaves grow from.

Step 3: Outline the cherry leaf shape

From this thickened area, draw a smooth, slightly curved line to create the base of the cherry leaf. Then, using this line as the central axis, draw the leaf itself, widening toward the center and then narrowing to a point at the tip.

Step 4: Refine the leaf details

Give the edges of the leaf a serrated appearance using short, defined strokes. Then, around the central line, draw shorter side veins extending toward the edges of the cherry leaf. Erase all the construction lines from your cherry drawing.

Step 5: Outline the highlights on the cherry

A cherry is essentially a sphere with a highly reflective surface, making it a very glossy object. Because of this, the contrasts on its surface are much stronger compared to matte objects. Indicate these highlights and transitions with light outlines.

Step 6: Draw the main shadows on the cherry

Now begin applying the main shadows, starting with the darkest areas, specifically the section where the stem grows and the lower edge of the spherical form. Keep in mind the approximate direction from which the light falls onto the object.

Step 7: Refine the tones and shadows

Next, add tone to the drawing, leaving the highlights untouched while darkening the areas farthest from the light. Make the lower part of the form darker, remembering the shadow core. Under the cherry itself, draw a cast shadow. Also add shadows and tone to the stem and leaf.

Deepening your cherry drawing skills

As you may have already noticed, representing both complex and simple objects around us as basic geometric forms greatly helps in creating volume and realism in drawing.

By understanding these fundamentals, you will now be able to draw a cherry without much difficulty. The exact same method can also be used to draw sweet cherries, although there are some differences, which we covered in a separate lesson.

If you want to make the task more challenging, try drawing a still life by placing several cherries next to one another.

You can also draw an apple beside the cherries and add other fruits to the composition. An even more interesting approach would be to draw a tree with cherries hanging from it.

However, this should be done on a fairly large sheet of paper so you have enough space to include both a large object like the tree and smaller objects such as individual cherries.