Tiger Lilly

I think this is completed! It is easy to overwork a subject like this, so I am going to stop before I lose the freshness. The background is left very rough and gives just the impression of stems and leaves.

I am working my way around the flower. I have to concentrate on making sure the pedals flow consistently and smoothly to the center of the flower. Not always easy to accomplish. I have had to make continual modifications of the white seam as well as the edges of the pedals to to keep the flow looking natural.....

I erase the white seam of each pedal with the white eraser. I then start working in the detail of each pedal using a F .5mm mechanical pencil. The subtle changes of values is important to create depth, while keeping the velvety texture. I work the background at the same time as I draw the pedal. I will be keeping the background blurred and indistinct.

It might seem odd to draw a flower in graphite. The brilliance of color to represent the subject matter is tempting. I feel flowers are an excellent subject matter to explore in graphite. The soft gentle pedals against a textured and abstracted background lends itself well to contrasting textures, light and shadows and the whole gambit of drawing exploration.

Flowers can be treated as studies, still lifes, or incorporated into landscapes. The possibilities are as endless as the varieties themselves.

To create the soft look of the pedals, I use the same technique as I use for skies. I cross-hatch the pedal using HB lead, then chamois the area smooth. I erase the over-smear to a crisp edge using a white plastic eraser.