1. I always feel less “scared to mess up” when I’m on crappy paper… hence why I worked on this lily for an hour on tracing paper before I realized it would be nothing but a very detailed study. Weird weird brain. 2. I was feeling good about this until I noticed the shadows I built up on the left side. If the light were coming from the upper left would those shadows exist? I don’t think so, but if not, how do I differentiate between the layers of petals? Thanks for your time.
Hi Paige – time is never a waste when studying and drawing flowers. 🙂 I think first you need to practice again drawing the shapes of the flower, petals, reproductive parts and making sure they all line up and create the overall form properly. I think it’s worthwhile to do many pencil drawings on crappy paper – be less “special” about it. Do many many sketches more loosely so our hand/brain connection gets to know that plant and start to understand its shape. Lilies are tricky! It helps to draw the center lines of each petal radiating out from the center. Your shading is going in the right direction – good work. Be careful not to make thick lines of shading right next to a petal. Have that toning graduate out when you are indicating your overlap areas. Good work!
@sam-mcwilliams great points Sam. Treating my art less “precious-ly” is something I really need to work on… I blame it on the fact that having a young son, I don’t have much time make art, and want to “make the most of it.” Thanks for changing my perspective; the doing is important.
1. I always feel less “scared to mess up” when I’m on crappy paper… hence why I worked on this lily for an hour on tracing paper before I realized it would be nothing but a very detailed study. Weird weird brain. 2. I was feeling good about this until I noticed the shadows I built up on the left side. If the light were coming from the upper left would those shadows exist? I don’t think so, but if not, how do I differentiate between the layers of petals? Thanks for your time.
Hi Paige – time is never a waste when studying and drawing flowers. 🙂 I think first you need to practice again drawing the shapes of the flower, petals, reproductive parts and making sure they all line up and create the overall form properly. I think it’s worthwhile to do many pencil drawings on crappy paper – be less “special” about it. Do many many sketches more loosely so our hand/brain connection gets to know that plant and start to understand its shape. Lilies are tricky! It helps to draw the center lines of each petal radiating out from the center. Your shading is going in the right direction – good work. Be careful not to make thick lines of shading right next to a petal. Have that toning graduate out when you are indicating your overlap areas. Good work!
@sam-mcwilliams great points Sam. Treating my art less “precious-ly” is something I really need to work on… I blame it on the fact that having a young son, I don’t have much time make art, and want to “make the most of it.” Thanks for changing my perspective; the doing is important.