Roses

Hi all,
Following on from the drawing of the iris, I thought I give myself a challenge and have a go at some roses.

Sorry it is a bit twisted and the background shows where it went in the scanner, but I really like the roses. I also like the fact that I used reference images from photos that I'd taken in our own garden

Having done a few drawings now that have come out, in my opinion, pretty good, I can give you a great tip. Many artists will tell you that success does not depend on your equipment, and I think there is a lot of truth in that statement. However, one thing that is vital, again in my opinion, that you need to use really good paper if you want to do a good drawing. It really does make a difference. I used Bristol board on the image above and it is so much better than, normal sketching paper or even cartridge paper.
If you want to create a really good drawing I would strongly suggest giving Bristol board a go.

Iris

Hi all,
Sometimes it is nice to forget all about colour and do a bit of drawing with a couple of pencils. Well I use three actually, most of the work is done with a mechanical pencil, but then I create other tones with a 4b and7b pencils.

Here is a drawing of an iris that I completed recently.

I also use a blending stump where required. I think it is important when drawing flowers to achieve a good balance between letting pencil lines show and blending them out. Both are needed, the lines create form while the blended areas create depth. Together they create a realist image. I hope I have captured at least a small amount of realism in the image above.
Any comments and questions are welcome.