I completed this 8"x10" colored pencil drawing of marigold flowers on yellow paper during early June. The pencils used were Prismacolor brand, and the paper was Canson Mi-Tientes cadmium yellow.
I started, as usual, with a light sketch of where the marigold flowers would go on the page, and where I might insert some greenery in the background:
Then I got to work really adding layers of dimension. I highlighted the edges of the marigold petals with cream, then went over the cream with yellow, to make the edges really stand out. Then I added dark red, purple, and black in the shadows of the petals, blending those in with a basic red color up to the yellow edges.
At this point of the process, I also started filling in the background as I went around and finished adding dimension and depth to the marigold flowers.
Often when I use colored paper like this, I leave some of the background uncolored to let the natural vibrancy of the colored paper do some of the heavy lifting. But for this drawing, I just loved the way it looked using the paper as a "backlit" effect and letting the yellow paper come through the colored pencil layered on top of it. It really draws attention to the yellow highlights of the edges of the marigold petals and makes them pop. So I made sure to fill in the entire background with leaves, greenery, and darker shadows/dirt (more similar to how they'd be found in nature, as part of a garden or landscaping or potted plant), rather than leaving some of the background yellow. It was a lot more work to color in all of that negative space, but I really think it makes the piece.
And here is the completed piece:
I really love the way this one turned out!
I have stopped listing these original drawings on my Etsy page for now, since I decided it wasn't worth the listing costs when my originals are so rarely purchased online. But if you are interesting in purchasing this drawing (or any of my similar 8"x10" colored pencil drawings), they are all available for sale through me directly. Please leave a comment below or send me an email at afrownfe[at]gmail.com for more information.
And in the meantime, you can still visit my Etsy store for notecards! I have several notecard sets for sale there, from Michigan- and Great Lake-themed designs to abstract patterns and prints of floral colored pencil drawings like this one. :)
I started, as usual, with a light sketch of where the marigold flowers would go on the page, and where I might insert some greenery in the background:
Then I got to work really adding layers of dimension. I highlighted the edges of the marigold petals with cream, then went over the cream with yellow, to make the edges really stand out. Then I added dark red, purple, and black in the shadows of the petals, blending those in with a basic red color up to the yellow edges.
At this point of the process, I also started filling in the background as I went around and finished adding dimension and depth to the marigold flowers.
Often when I use colored paper like this, I leave some of the background uncolored to let the natural vibrancy of the colored paper do some of the heavy lifting. But for this drawing, I just loved the way it looked using the paper as a "backlit" effect and letting the yellow paper come through the colored pencil layered on top of it. It really draws attention to the yellow highlights of the edges of the marigold petals and makes them pop. So I made sure to fill in the entire background with leaves, greenery, and darker shadows/dirt (more similar to how they'd be found in nature, as part of a garden or landscaping or potted plant), rather than leaving some of the background yellow. It was a lot more work to color in all of that negative space, but I really think it makes the piece.
And here is the completed piece:
I really love the way this one turned out!
I have stopped listing these original drawings on my Etsy page for now, since I decided it wasn't worth the listing costs when my originals are so rarely purchased online. But if you are interesting in purchasing this drawing (or any of my similar 8"x10" colored pencil drawings), they are all available for sale through me directly. Please leave a comment below or send me an email at afrownfe[at]gmail.com for more information.
And in the meantime, you can still visit my Etsy store for notecards! I have several notecard sets for sale there, from Michigan- and Great Lake-themed designs to abstract patterns and prints of floral colored pencil drawings like this one. :)
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