{"id":48624,"title":"Tutorial On Illustrating Honeybee-Like Bees","description":"Want to draw more realistic bees? Follow these steps for tips!","content":"

Welcome back to another Sheffinch Tutorial! This page should hopefully help you draw a bee in a more realistic way. Follow the steps and hopefully you\u2019ll end up with something similar! Why not then try drawing it in your own style?<\/strong><\/p>

(Illustrations made using digital software and bee may not be a hundred percent accurate. Very small tweaks may have occurred between any images here, and also similar images in other locations).<\/p>

Post is an updated\/edited version - this sentence was written on 7th July 2025.<\/em><\/p>

What are we aiming for?<\/h2>

\"Cartoon-style<\/p>

This bee is based on a photograph I took in the Peak District, UK. Not sure what species it is!<\/p>

What are we starting with?<\/h2>

\"A<\/p>

A lovely, happy, more-abstract bee! Want to add some realism? Let\u2019s start. Add the blue parts as we go, don\u2019t colour in until the end.<\/p>

Step 1: Draw the Head<\/h2>

\"Cartoon-style<\/p>

The bee\u2019s eyes are quite large, and at the sides of its head. It has little antenna but they don\u2019t have a blob on the end. The head is also shown here large in black for reference to make it easier to see.<\/p>

Step 2: Draw the Body<\/h2>

\"Outline<\/p>

There are very likely more scientific names for these parts, but I\u2019m just the artist here! The main thing is there are two parts, not one.<\/p>

Step 3: Draw the Wings<\/h2>

\"Wings<\/p>

These are a lot more slim and pointy from this angle than you might think.<\/p>

Step 4: Draw the Legs<\/h2>

\"Legs<\/p>

These might be longer and bendier than expected!<\/p>

Step 5: Draw the Patterns\/Fur(?)<\/h2>

\"Patterns\/possibly<\/p>

Don\u2019t worry too much about having a thick outline for these, as they\u2019ll be coloured in during the next step.<\/p>

Step 6: Colour the Image In<\/h2>

\"Cartoon-style<\/p>

Here are the colours I used based roughly off the photograph (note the nearer eye has two shades of grey but no outline between them, to make it look shiny. Not sure if bees have shiny eyes!)<\/p>

And there\u2019s your bee!<\/h2>

Well done on your bee-drawing! If you want to draw it facing the other way, here\u2019s a useful reference:<\/p>

\"Cartoon-style<\/p>

Want more bees?<\/h2>

Sometimes abstract, generic bees can look good too! Want some already made ones? Here\u2019s a photo of a card with them on, card available in my shop here<\/u><\/a>! (Please don\u2019t copy the below design and\/or photo, or any of this website\u2019s content that\u2019s not the focus of one of my tutorials. For permissions regarding the use of graphics within this site\u2019s product customiser, please refer to this site\u2019s home page.<\/p>

\"Photo<\/p>

Until the next tutorial, thanks for reading this blog post!<\/p>

Alex (\u201cSheffinch\u201d)<\/p>","urlTitle":"tutorial-on-illustrating-bees","url":"\/blog\/tutorial-on-illustrating-bees\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/tutorial-on-illustrating-bees\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/sheffinch.co.uk\/blog\/tutorial-on-illustrating-bees\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1745313653,"updatedAt":1751899209,"publishedAt":1751899209,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":351119,"name":"Sheffinch"},"tags":[],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/tn2emmfmtpgq0waxylngybks8u7zq1yzlaaoatlytfljavee.png","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/tn2emmfmtpgq0waxylngybks8u7zq1yzlaaoatlytfljavee.png.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/tn2emmfmtpgq0waxylngybks8u7zq1yzlaaoatlytfljavee.png.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"","metaDescription":"","keyPhraseCampaignId":null,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":49245,"title":"Tutorial on Illustrating Butterflies","url":"\/blog\/tutorial-on-illustrating-butterflies\/","urlTitle":"tutorial-on-illustrating-butterflies","division":351119,"description":"Welcome to my next tutorial! Want to know how to draw more realistic butterflies than simple cartoon ones? Just refer the images in these steps!","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/pzfsq4ag0e6ec2qifipcecayfnrwb4ru3o9uux3nhd2ab9ay.png.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/pzfsq4ag0e6ec2qifipcecayfnrwb4ru3o9uux3nhd2ab9ay.png.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":49400,"title":"Tutorial on Illustrating another bee","url":"\/blog\/tutorial-on-illustrating-another-bee\/","urlTitle":"tutorial-on-illustrating-another-bee","division":351119,"description":"Hello and welcome to my next guide for drawing cartoon-like yet fairly realistic images! This time, it\u2019s what I hope are bumblebees!","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/veyi63vgkdkfubw6mt0dwuswq573bjf1owrpwct7rm5ddunq.png.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/veyi63vgkdkfubw6mt0dwuswq573bjf1owrpwct7rm5ddunq.png.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":49134,"title":"Experimenting with Digital Art","url":"\/blog\/experimenting-with-different-digital-art-styles\/","urlTitle":"experimenting-with-different-digital-art-styles","division":351119,"description":"This page is part of me trying out sharing different art styles on the internet! There\u2019s just one on this page at the moment, but check back for more updates.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/ubmy86tc7eqccgqflprwc7kypz0m82gklumosbcbygz5knrh.png.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/ubmy86tc7eqccgqflprwc7kypz0m82gklumosbcbygz5knrh.png.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}