Flower Sketches.

I combined flower sketches from several flower drawings to make one large design for a greeting card.

Putting different pencil flower drawings together into one design gives me the opportunity to control the composition.

In this early stage I am not interested in anything other than getting a decent composition and an accurate sketch of the different elements, i.e. flower heads and leaves.

1. I've already sketched more than a dozen flowers from life so I choose which ones to draw and then sketch in where I want them in the new flower sketch. I place them carefully. I'm looking for a balance but still want them to look natural. I also want to get the sizes correct in relation to one another. The sketch is very faint so I do not ruin the paper surface.

This is the same sketch darkened to make it easier for you to see.

And here is a closer look at the top flowers. As you can see the shapes are simple.

2. I start to sketch in the shapes of petals and the centres. Note I work on them all at once rather than finish one then move to the next.

Two Close ups

3. Still going from one flower to the next I sketch in the petals etc in more detail.

Two close ups.

4. Now I draw in leaves and stalks etc. I did this in my garden adding random leaf shapes that suit the flowers.

I am not worrying about contrast or tone in these sketches because the finished design will be in colour and that is when I will make decisions like that. All I need are fairly accurate shapes.

Close ups from different parts of the sketch.

I now have my composition ready to develop in colour.

Do you enjoy drawing flowers? Add your Flower Art

Go to painting flowers from flower sketches.

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