Hi all - Submitting my Step By Step Drawing Challenge!

You know what? It was a challenge.

I haven't been drawing flowers in the last few months and I found this interesting.

I really love challenges like this as they help me get motivated to do something maybe I haven't done at all, or at least have not done in sometime.

So I show how I started with just a basic composition with shapes and then started to build the details of each petal and leaf. Wow I really sweated this... I will point out areas where I had to fix petals that started looking a little strange. In fact at one time the flower looked like something from a serious scifi movie.

As if it might eat you!

Ha ha ha!

Here is the finished drawing...

note the signature at the bottom...(above)

I left the signature and identifying info about me doing this for the challenge untouched. Since this is the last stage you can see that my hand wiped it out. I didn't want to touch it up as that is not the point of the signature.

Tutorial Begins...

First Step...(above)

Okay I just roughly outlined the composition I was planning on creating.

Second Step - building the Structure of the Petals

Here I had to darken it up, as the way I do this step is so lightly, and almost random. I find this gives (particularly flowers) a more natural look.

I am sort of just doing it by feeling rather than planning - within the original circles.

Sorting out shapes... (above)

Okay this is why I like the sort of random step above, now I can pick out the petals that I like, and start defining them even a little shading going on.

Choosing the low-lights, and leaving the highlights... (above)

Just that laying down graphite on the paper where I see the indentations occurring. Leaving areas that might be highlighted.

Okay picked out The Shapes - Shading...(above)

I have been building the petal structure as I went along, and this is the first time I am thinking - "oh boy what is going on there in the middle of the biggest flower?" Starting to look a little strange.

Okay, well press on. See what I mean? I really did have to sweat this drawing and that is why I like drawing challenges.

Starting to blend ...(above)

Yep using blending stump and stick to blend away.

Do you see why I say the center of the big flower is starting to look like a tongue... eeeek!

I will think of a way to fix. I remember a mentor of mine years ago saying... "don't worry it is not etched in stone" he was actually my boss at the time, and he continued "it's just paint".

Well the same thing applies with pencil drawing. It is just pencil. It can always be fixed.

Blending And Even Rendering...(above)

I am continuing to blend and darkening where I want more shadow, and also "rendering" with my pencil-tip eraser to create some texture within the petals. I love using this technique as it can create a nice subtle look.

If you are not sure about what "rendering" is... I explain a bit more in the post at the link...

https://steemit.com/drawing/@granblock/equipment-for-drawing-part-two

Hate The Tongue...(above)

I have been spending some time thinking what I can do to get the center of the flower to look like a "peony". Sometimes if I am not sure what to do with a drawing, I hang it on the wall and go and do something else - like dishes, eat, etc.

I find while I am doing this I am imagining how to fix it.

Usually, something comes to me and I can see it after a bit of a break.

Continue The Blend - and the Think! (above)

Finally See How to give that closed hard center that a peony has.

I erased a large part of the center of the flower and sketched in a petal rising up and slightly around the "tongue"

This involved some more shading and highlighting.

It worked well enough that I am not that unhappy with it.

Okay It Doesn't Look Like It Should Be In A Horror Movie!

So... I drew in some shapes to make it look like the petals are folded over in the center and develop a closed bud in the center of the flower.

Finished off the shading and highlighting until I was pleased with it.

I do love challenges - again this is why... it makes me try something I haven't done in a while. It keeps working my drawing muscles as it is fun to produce something and have a time limit. In fact that is why I love Steemit. I have been drawing (since I started here) way more than I had in months. I definitely should do some more flowers - need the practice.

I always say that you should try to finish a drawing even if you are not liking something about it. I think this drawing challenge proves that. Finish your drawings. Take a step back for a day or a few hours... and then just keep plodding on.

That is how you build a portfolio. Then you can see your improvement.