How to Draw an Onion: Easy 10-Step Guide for Kids

Ready to bring a garden vegetable to life? This tutorial is perfect for young artists ages 5 and up. All you need is a pencil, an eraser, and a piece of paper to practice these organic shapes and textures.

10 Steps

🎯 Final Result

Colorful illustration of a garden onion with green shoots

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Sketching the Main Bulb

Pencil sketch of an onion bulb base with a zigzag top and curved root disc

Draw a large teardrop shape, but leave the top open. Connect the top with a small zigzag line to suggest the stem area. Tip: Keep your pencil pressure light so you can easily adjust the shape if needed.

Step 2: Adding Inner Layers

Drawing the internal layers of an onion with curved side lines

Add small curved triangles at the top opening. Then, draw long, sweeping lines down the sides of the bulb. Tip: These lines represent the onion's layers, so try to keep them smooth and flowing.

Step 3: Defining the Apex

Onion drawing showing internal scale lines and a V-shaped stem sprout

Continue adding curved lines to define the internal scales. Add a small 'V' shape near the top to show where the stem begins to sprout. Tip: Use short, quick strokes for the 'V' to keep it looking sharp.

Step 4: Refining the Shoot

Adding detail to the onion shoot with smaller internal teardrop shapes

Draw smaller teardrop shapes within the top section to represent the apical shoot. Tip: Vary the thickness of your lines to make the onion look more three-dimensional.

Step 5: Sketching the Second Onion

Adding a second onion to the composition to create depth

Repeat the process to draw a second onion overlapping the first. Use a long curved line and connect the ends with 'V' shapes. Tip: Overlapping objects is a great way to create depth in a drawing.

Step 6: Adding Roots

Drawing the fibrous root system at the base of the onion

Draw a partial circle at the bottom of the onion, then extend pairs of lines that meet at sharp points to create the roots. Tip: Make the roots look slightly messy—nature is rarely perfectly symmetrical!

Step 7: Adding Skin Texture

Adding vertical texture lines to the onion skin

Add long, vertical curved lines along the surface of the onion to represent the papery skin. Tip: Use very light pressure for these lines so they look like subtle texture rather than heavy outlines.

Step 8: Drawing the Shoots

Adding green onion shoots to the top of the bulb

Draw the green shoots extending from the top. Use pairs of lines that meet at points to create a grass-like appearance. Tip: Vary the height of the shoots to make the drawing look more natural.

Step 9: Final Touches

Completed line art of the onion with all shoots and details finished

Add a few more scapes (shoots) to fill out the top of your drawing. Once you're happy with the lines, erase any stray marks. Tip: Take a step back and look at your drawing from a distance to see if it needs balance.

Step 10: Bringing it to Life with Color

Finished, colored onion drawing with orange skin and green shoots

Time to color! Use warm oranges and yellows for the skin, and vibrant greens for the shoots. Tip: Try layering your colors—use a light yellow base and add orange on top for a realistic, papery look.