To read about the meaning behind this drawing or the specific symbolism of each flower, visit this blog post.
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The first half of my "Race Bouquet (Stronger Together)" colored pencil drawing is complete. Now, on to adding dimension and detail to the next six flowers in the bouquet!
These two tulips on the left side of the bouquet were drawn by blending peach, red, dark red, brown, and black, while the stems and leaves were created with three shades of green.
Next to the tulips is a little dahlia bloom. I used a light tan pencil for the highlights, a dark brown and medium brown for the shadows, and peach and dark yellow for the in-between areas, blending the light and dark together.
On the other side of the bouquet, I added color and detail to these two orchid blossoms. The outer petals used light green, white, and dark yellow, while the insides of the orchids used two shades of red, pink, and white. For the orchid stems I used the same light yellow-green I used in the petals, along with a medium green shade.
I took some liberties with the coloring of the chocolate sunflower in the center of the bouquet. I wanted it to be lighter in color than the ti leaf it was right next to - so the two flowers wouldn't blend together too much - but also still fairly dark, which left me with the same problem I had in coloring the ti leaf. Because I was drawing on black paper, it was difficult to use dark colors without them simply looking like the background. I used some black pencil, along with dark purple, blue, and brown, to blend the shadowy center of the sunflower. The lighter parts of the petals were drawn with red and orange pencils. The stem was done in green.
I understand blue and purple aren't in themselves skin tones we see on humans - but skin can actually look blue and purple under certain lighting conditions. Shadows are not just black - if you look closely at shadows, you can see shades of blue or purple (or other colors). Furthermore, dark skin tones can certainly have what appears to be a beautiful purple or blueish undertone; even my very pale skin sometimes looks a little blue, due to the veins visible underneath my skin. So while it seems like a strange choice for a skin-tone themed bouquet, blue and purple are actually quite within the realm of possibility for how skin can naturally look - to say nothing of eyelids, cheeks, or lips enhanced with makeup.
For these two roses, I used yellow undertones, light tan and cream highlights along the edges of the petals, and "pumpkin orange" and a dark brown pencil to blend into the black paper for the darker shadows where the petals touch.
Next, I worked on the "hen and chicks" succulent (though this particular plant is only one individual, so I guess it's just a "hen" without her "chicks"). These are often more blue or green when found in nature, but to mimic skin tones, I stuck to pinks, browns, and yellows instead.
Just six more flowers to go, and then this 19"x25" drawing will already be complete!
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The first half of my "Race Bouquet (Stronger Together)" colored pencil drawing is complete. Now, on to adding dimension and detail to the next six flowers in the bouquet!
These two tulips on the left side of the bouquet were drawn by blending peach, red, dark red, brown, and black, while the stems and leaves were created with three shades of green.
Next to the tulips is a little dahlia bloom. I used a light tan pencil for the highlights, a dark brown and medium brown for the shadows, and peach and dark yellow for the in-between areas, blending the light and dark together.
On the other side of the bouquet, I added color and detail to these two orchid blossoms. The outer petals used light green, white, and dark yellow, while the insides of the orchids used two shades of red, pink, and white. For the orchid stems I used the same light yellow-green I used in the petals, along with a medium green shade.
I took some liberties with the coloring of the chocolate sunflower in the center of the bouquet. I wanted it to be lighter in color than the ti leaf it was right next to - so the two flowers wouldn't blend together too much - but also still fairly dark, which left me with the same problem I had in coloring the ti leaf. Because I was drawing on black paper, it was difficult to use dark colors without them simply looking like the background. I used some black pencil, along with dark purple, blue, and brown, to blend the shadowy center of the sunflower. The lighter parts of the petals were drawn with red and orange pencils. The stem was done in green.
I understand blue and purple aren't in themselves skin tones we see on humans - but skin can actually look blue and purple under certain lighting conditions. Shadows are not just black - if you look closely at shadows, you can see shades of blue or purple (or other colors). Furthermore, dark skin tones can certainly have what appears to be a beautiful purple or blueish undertone; even my very pale skin sometimes looks a little blue, due to the veins visible underneath my skin. So while it seems like a strange choice for a skin-tone themed bouquet, blue and purple are actually quite within the realm of possibility for how skin can naturally look - to say nothing of eyelids, cheeks, or lips enhanced with makeup.
For these two roses, I used yellow undertones, light tan and cream highlights along the edges of the petals, and "pumpkin orange" and a dark brown pencil to blend into the black paper for the darker shadows where the petals touch.
Next, I worked on the "hen and chicks" succulent (though this particular plant is only one individual, so I guess it's just a "hen" without her "chicks"). These are often more blue or green when found in nature, but to mimic skin tones, I stuck to pinks, browns, and yellows instead.
Just six more flowers to go, and then this 19"x25" drawing will already be complete!
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