How to Draw Fire
In this new tutorial, I'm encouraging you to explore an element that is both fascinating and complex to draw: fire.
Drawing flames, whether realistic or stylized, can seem intimidating. But with good technique and a keen sense of observation, it becomes a real pleasure.
Understanding how to draw fire will not only enrich your creations, but also help you better grasp the dynamics of shapes and movement.
Understanding fire: an element in motion
Before moving on to drawing, it is essential to understand that fire is a living element. It does not have fixed boundaries: it dances, deforms, and varies in intensity and color. Fire is not rigid: it is light, fluid, and asymmetrical.
The main features to keep in mind are:
• The undulating shapes: the fire rises in peaks and waves.
• Transparency: the flames are partially translucent.
• Color variation: from intense blue at the base, through bright orange, to pale yellow at the top.
Observing these details will enable you to create realistic and expressive flames.
How to draw fire digitally
1. Lay out the basic structure
Start by sketching the outline of your fire using smooth and sinuous lines.
2. Draw interior lines
Draw some irregular lines inside the flames. They will serve as a guide to integrate the colors.
3. Integrate the first color
Once the lines are set, start coloring the lightest parts in yellow, following the basic structure. It should guide you.
4. Add a second color
Select a medium orange, and complete your structure by coloring areas close to yellow.
5. Enhance the contrasts
Choose a darker orange and fill in the remaining areas.
Finally, you can add outlines around your fire with the same color or leave the outlines yellow. It will depend on the style you want to achieve.
Drawing a fireplace with colored pencils
Below is an example of a fireplace drawn with colored pencils that you can replicate.
The steps are roughly the same:
1. Sketch the overall shape
Start by sketching the overall shape of the wood fire with an HB pencil. There is no need to press too hard. Also, remember that fire is never static: add some distortion effects, such as little flames detaching or secondary waves to extend the movement.
2. Add the first colors
Select a medium-tone orange pencil, and color the fire in the center and along the edges, without pressing too hard.
Vary the tips: some should be fine and light, others broader and rounded. This creates a visual rhythm.
3. Color the base in red
Use a red pencil to gradually add color to the base of the fire.
4. Increase the tones
Continue with your yellow, medium orange, dark orange, and red colored pencils.
You can leave some blank areas to fill in later. The fire is starting to come to life.
Adding contrast to your drawing
5. Add contrast
Use darker-colored pencils: brown, black, and dark red to enrich your drawing.
Keep white spaces to give your drawing some breathing room and add contrast.
6. Gradually fill in the empty space
Continue patiently using all your colors: yellow, orange, brown, red, dark blue, and black for the shadows.
Add fine and irregular lines to create a trembling effect.
Little by little, the drawing will darken and the elements will take shape.
7. Finish with contrasts and blur
Enhance the contrasts. Then, add a slight blur on the outer edges to emphasize the intangible aspect of the fire. Do not seek perfection: fire lives by its irregularity.
And there you have it, your drawing is finished!
To conclude, drawing fire is about capturing the energy of movement and the beauty of imperfection. It is not an exercise in geometric precision, but rather a work of observation, rhythm, and light.
With practice, you will be able to depict all kinds of flames: a candle, a large blaze, or a stylized fire for fantastical illustrations.
Experiment and above all, have fun!
Editor and illustrator: Sacha Fatticcioni