Draw a Unicorn with a Pink Watercolor Background

Learn how to draw a unicorn with a calligraphy pen on a pink watercolor background.

Here it is! The promised unicorn, loaded with pink and topped with gold.

I decided against the glitter.

Glitter is fun, but it never stays where it’s told. Then it shows up in the strangest places, or all of the places in sparkling paths around the house. And no matter how much glue I use … it never all stays stuck.

I may be a boy mom, but I still have a couple of special little girls in my life who are (or might be) completely in love with unicorns.

Recently, I used one of these unicorns on a baby shower card in honor of a little girl on the way.

And I know a sweet little unicorn-lover who will turn six soon, so another unicorn drawing will go on a birthday card for her. Maybe it will still get glitter, Wink of Stella style (glittery brushes with paint inside, for those who don’t know).

How will you use your unicorn drawing? Share your ideas in the comments below. Then, we’ll all have some food for thought.

Now about that unicorn drawing …

Here’s the full video. Read on for extra tips and still photos.

What you need:

Basic watercolor supplies
Pink paint
Purple paint (or mix red with blue until you like the color, like I did)
Basic calligraphy supplies
Sumi Ink
Dr. Ph. Martin’s iridescent brass ink
Draw a Unicorn Worksheet Set

Draw a Unicorn

Follow the steps pictured here to sketch a unicorn drawing in pencil.

Use a calligraphy pen and Sumi ink to trace over the sketch. Mix thick and thin lines to add depth or shadows. Leave gaps in the drawing in some places (like the horn and mane). Notice that you don’t have to have a complete shape to see the unicorn.

Use a calligraphy pen to trace over the unicorn with ink.

Let the black ink dry completely. Sumi ink may take several hours before it’s ready to take water. You can read more about ink and water in this blog post, Ink and Watercolor – testing ink with water on a dragonfly drawing.

When the ink is completely dry, erase the pencil lines.

Pink Watercolor Background

Remember to tape the edges of your paper to a hard surface or art board.

Use watered down pink with the wet on wet watercolor technique to paint a loose background shape right over your unicorn drawing. You can try to make it look like a loose horse or just make it look like a puddle like I did for this tutorial.

horse shaped pink watercolor background — Horse-shaped pink watercolor background

Loose pink watercolor background with a unicorn drawing — Horse-shaped pink watercolor background

While it’s still wet, tap some purple paint into the edges of the shape.

purple and pink watercolor background — The purple will blend with the pink as it dries.

Let it dry completely. Look at those beautiful blooms! They come when your paper warps from “too much” water.

Pink watercolor blooms — Notice the areas where the pink collects in a darker, abstract design. These areas are called blooms. Some artists avoid them, but I love and welcome them.

Carefully remove the tape.

Gold Calligraphy Accents

Now, with the gold ink, add a few accent lines in the horn and in the mane. A unicorn needs to have a little gold shimmer!

Add Some Lettering

I wrote baby girl on the baby shower card, but you could just as easily write a unicorn-lover’s name or happy birthday.

Get a free Happy Birthday Lettering Printable with several different calligraphy and lettering style ideas when you sign up for Blots & Jots email updates. With your first email, you’ll receive the password to the Resource Library where you’ll find the Happy Birthday printable and several more freebies.