Flowers and China Study: Session 3

Finally finished this drawing today. I have no plans for it, its not going to be sold, it may never be seen again. The entirety of this drawing was just for learning and pushing my current materials, and myself, a bit further. There was multiple times when I wanted to stop on the drawing and move on to something else, but I have recognized recently that patience, consistency and persistence is much more important than the finished work.

What I have learned from this drawing:

1. Newsprint is not made for long term detailed drawings.
2. Subtle values need a paper that is much more smooth.
3. Subtle values need more range that white paper would provide.
4. Work from left to right when adding value so you don’t smudge when resting your hand.
5. Flowers are all about subtle values and it most cases their form is described more from color change than value change.
6. Conte 1710 pencils are perfect for this kind of work. Their ability to go from flat black to very light gray is amazing. Plus they can be sharpened to a point for great lines, or a long taper for brush like rendering.
7. Accurate linear drawing at the beginning is essential.

The Setup

The Subject