"Fertility" Colored Pencil Drawing

You can purchase this finished drawing here in my Etsy shop.

The next 8"x10" colored pencil drawing in my symbolic flower series is "Fertility" - also on red Canson Mi-Teintes paper. I named it "Fertility" because the flowers are from the pomegranate plant, whose flowers and fruit symbolize fertility in many religions and cultures, in large part due to the vast number of seeds found inside the ripe fruit.

I started, as usual, with a light layer to get the placement of the flowers down. I couldn't find one image I wanted, so I printed out two pictures from Google, and then used them as a reference and combined them to make my drawing.

Once the initial layer was in place, I went through and added more detail and dimension, starting with the group of smaller flowers in the upper right, then working my way to the left, and finishing with the leaves in the lower right corner.

Here's the finished drawing. This paper is larger than 8"x10" size (it's actually 9"x12"), so when it gets matted down to 8"x10" later, it'll be much closer cropped, and there won't be as much red paper visible along the edges.

You can purchase this finished drawing here in my Etsy shop.

"Religion Bouquet (Stronger Together)" - Finished

I've finished another of my 19"x25" colored pencil drawings in this "Stronger Together" series! I have two more planned - Class and Ability. (If you're interested, you can check out the other three I've completed: Race - at this blog post, Gender - at this one, or Sexuality - at this post.)

This newly completed one is called "Religion Bouquet." The two-dozen flowers I chose for this bouquet are all symbolically used or associated with a modern or ancient religion (including Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Wicca, various Native American religions, and/or Greek/Roman mythology), or else symbolize Atheism, Humanism, or Science, to be inclusive of non-religious people who are often left out of discussions on religious tolerance.

Here is the finished drawing, which uses a general yellow-purple-red-white color scheme, with hints of oranges and greens:

And here is the original plan, sketched out on newsprint, next to the final drawing on black paper:

I used 28 different colored pencils, ranging from warm reds, oranges, and browns, to cool purples, blues, and greens, as well as sunny yellows and high-contrast white and black.

This is not yet available for sale, but I will probably list it (and the others to-come in this series) in my Etsy shop at the end of the year.

-

To read about religious discrimination, and why I think it persists in being a problem in the United States, I invite you to read this blog post. I've also recently written posts on the Separation of Church and State and a call for secularism, as well as a post in defense of Atheism, which you can read at the links above.

To read about the idea behind this colored pencil drawing and an explanation for the symbolism of the specific flowers used, check out this post.

To see "the making of" photos of this drawing, please visit these:

• Preliminary sketches ("In Progress 1")
• Drawing and lightly coloring in the first 12 flowers ("In Progress 2")
• Drawing and lightly coloring in the last 12 flowers ("In Progress 3")
• Adding detail and dimension to the ti leaves, cattails, enchanter's nightshade, violets, plumeria, and black-eyed susans ("In Progress 4")
• Adding detail and dimension to the holly, tulips, lychnis, morning glories, pomegranate, and acanthus ("In Progress 5")
• Adding detail and dimension to the amaranthus, birds of paradise, orchids, irises, lilies, and zinnia ("In Progress 6")
• Adding detail and dimension to the lotus, daffodils, gladiolus, sage, jasmine, and roses ("In Progress 7")

"Religion Bouquet (Stronger Together)" - In Progress 5

To read about religious discrimination and why tolerance of people of all religions (and non-religions) is so important, visit this blog post.

To read about the religious symbolism of the 24 flowers used in this drawing, go back to this blog post.

-

For the next six flowers in this bouquet, I used the same basic process that I used for the first six - building up layers with different colored pencils to add dimensionality and detail to the flowers, and to help increase the contrast between the bright, vibrant colors and the dark paper.

I worked on the holly plant next, nestled between the black-eyed susans and enchanter's nightshade. For the holly, I used two pink, white, black, two red colored pencils, and three green pencils:

Over the right side of the bouquet, I used white, three purple pencils, three magenta/pink pencils, and three green pencils to complete this bunch of purple tulips:

For the lychnis flowers, I used three shades of green, two shades of red, and pink, black, and white:

Back on the left side of the bouquet, I worked on these purple morning glories. I used white, yellow, blue-violet, purple, and magenta pencils, as well as three shades of green for the leaves and stems:

This large pomegranate flower and its duo of budding fruits was drawn in with green, white, yellow, orange, and three different shades of red:

Then, I worked on the acanthus, the twelfth flower in this bouquet - and therefore the halfway point. I used red, red-violet, pink, white, two different light purple pencils, and one green colored pencil for the stem:

Here is how the entire bouquet looks, with half of the flowers complete:

Next, I'll continue to add color to the bottom half of the bouquet - and the vase at the bottom.

"Religion Bouquet (Stronger Together)" - In Progress 2

To read about religious discrimination and why tolerance of people of all religions (and non-religions) is so important, visit this blog post.

To read about the religious symbolism of the 24 flowers used in this drawing, go back to this blog post.

-

In my last post, I showed the composition plan I developed for the next 19"x25" colored pencil drawing in my "Stronger Together" series. Now that the newsprint sketch is complete, I can move on to sketching out the placement and general colors of each flower onto the black paper. Then, once the entire drawing is lightly drawn in, I'll go back through and add more layers of color and detail, to really help each flower pop against the black paper.

Today's blog post will show how I sketched in the first dozen flowers onto the black paper.

In the last three drawings I did in this series, I started either at the top of the bouquet, or in the center, and then worked by way outward from there - but because I was getting concerned that the last few flowers at the bottom of the bouquet were getting a little squashed (as I ran out of room to fit them and a vase at the bottom of the drawing) in the other drawings, I decided to switch it up this time and start at the bottom first.

I drew a graphite outline of the four flowers at the bottom, as well as the vase. Then, I colored them in and erased the outline.

Red zinnia:

Yellow daffodil:

Purple sage:

And red roses:

Next, I drew in a purple lotus, centered above the daffodils and sage:

Above that, a bunch of birds of paradise flowers:

To the left of those, I added a white lily:

And to the right of the birds of paradise, a stalk of yellow gladiolus:

Rising up on either side of the birds of paradise flowers are a purple group of morning glories and a stalk of purple and white acanthus:

Filling out the middle is a large pomegranate flower, with two budding pomegranate fruits.

And to the upper-left of that is a trio of yellow black-eyed susans.

Those are the first twelve flowers. There are still some more to add to the top of this bouquet, as well as several on both the left and right sides to fill it out. Check back soon for more "in progress" photos!

"Religion Bouquet (Stronger Together)" - In Progress 1

As I've mentioned before, I have plans for six 19"x25" colored pencil drawings in this "Stronger Together" series. The first three are already complete (Race, Gender, & Sexuality), which leaves only three more to do (Religion, Class, & Ability). If you've read my last couple blog posts, which talk about religious discrimination and the separation of church and state in the U.S.A., I bet you can guess which drawing is coming next.

The first three drawings used a lot of color symbolism to convey my meaning - a wide variety of flesh-toned flowers for "Race," a pink-purple-blue spectrum for "Gender," and a rainbow/color wheel for "Sexuality" - because there are colors already commonly associated with each of these categories. For these final three drawings, however, that is not the case; instead of focusing on color then, these next three drawings will look more at the symbolic meaning of the plants themselves, or (in the case of "Ability" especially) other aspects of appearance besides color.

For my next drawing - "Religion Bouquet (Stronger Together)" - I looked especially at how different religions throughout the world have used flower symbolism throughout history and in the present day. Because many religions tend to use the same popular flowers - especially the rose, which is a common symbol in several different religions - the flowers in my drawing don't represent one-to-one symbols with specific religions. There was just too much overlap to conceive the drawing this way. Furthermore, I didn't want people who don't subscribe to any religion to be left out of my "Religion Bouquet" - so there are also a few flowers that have not been adopted by religions, flowers that symbolize a more general spirituality, morality, or humanism, and flowers which are associated with logic, reasoning, critical thinking, education, and science (all other things that humans can choose to prioritize, put faith in, and devote their lives to in the place of, or in addition to religious pursuits).

Here are the flowers I picked for this drawing (in no particular order), along with the symbolism of the flower, and any pertinent religious history:

• tulip - faithfulness, devotion, passionate love, abundance, prosperity, royalty, and indulgence. In Victorian England, it also stood for charity and supporting the less fortunate, while in Turkey (and Islam more generally), it refers to paradise on earth or a reminder of heaven and eternal life.
• purple lotus - divine beauty, purity, faithfulness, rebirth, resurrection, death, the womb of the world, fertility, eternity, and prosperity. In Buddhism, it symbolizes spiritual awakening. In Hinduism, it is associated with the gods Vishu and Brahma (among others). Because the lotus sits on mud without sinking it, it also stands for living without attachment to one's surroundings.
• pomegranate - fertility (for its many seeds), abundance, marriage, royalty, and mature elegance. The fruit of the pomegranate plant has especially been used by many religions throughout history: Judaism sees the fruits as symbolic of the fertility of the promised land, and uses pomegranates to welcome in the new year (Rosh Hashanah). In Christianity, pomegranates that are split open refer to Jesus's suffering and resurrection; in Catholicism specifically, pomegranates represent the resurrection of the Church; and in Eastern Orthodox Christianity, they symbolize the sweetness of the heavenly kingdom. In Hinduism and Buddhism, pomegranates also represent prosperity, abundant fertility, and fruitfulness. In Ancient Egypt, they stood for prosperity and ambition. And in Ancient Greece mythology, they feature heavily in the story of Persephone, who was taken to the underworld by Hades and ate six seeds there - which is why we have six months of winter every year.
• amaranthus (aka "love lies bleeding") - hopelessness, hopeless love, compassion, and sacrifice. In Christianity, it symbolizes the self-sacrifice of Jesus.
• white jasmine - sweet love, beauty, sensuality, purity, good luck, love and respect, calm, and relaxation. It is also a Hindu bridal flower symbolizing attachment, modesty, deep and everlasting love, grace, and elegance.
• white lily - virginity, purity, divinity, love, and self-sacrifice. In Christianity, these are known as Easter lilies, and also symbolize the Virgin Mary specifically.
• orchid - industry, enthusiasm, boldness, pride, luxury, wealth, perfection, abundance, and prosperity. In many Asian cultures, it also stands for scholarly pursuit, integrity, and friendship.
• enchanter nightshade - witchcraft, sorcery, and skepticism. It was used as an ancient herbal medicine and its Latin name refers to the Greek goddess Circe. In Wicca, it symbolizes drawing energy into one's life, balancing light/dark or male/female, and finding connectedness to all things.
• holly - hope, protection from evil spirits, defense, and domestic happiness. It is tied to Christianity, due to the cross-shape of its flowers, and its red berries are associated with the Christmas holiday.
• zinnia - wisdom, life, intelligence, sacredness, beating hearts, vitality, endurance through trials, and familial ties. It was named after a German botanist.
• violet - love, affection, modesty, faith, nobility, intuition, dignity, devotion, and healing. In Roman mythology, the goddess Venus was said to have given it its blue color.
• plumeria - beauty, charm, grace, positivity, and perfection. Buddhism, Hinduism, and Mayan cultures all use plumeria as a symbol for immortality, creation and recreation, life and rebirth, and generalized divinity. Hindus also associate the plant with dedication and devotion, while the Mayans believed that the plumeria flower gave birth to the gods.
• gladiolus - strength of character, remembrance, honor, faithfulness, conviction, passion, infatuation, gladitorial combat/swordsmanship, cheerfulness, and compassion.
• acanthus - art, endurance, immortality, regeneration, and mourning death. In Christianity, it is a symbol for pain, sin, and/or punishment (due to its thorns). In Ancient Greek mythology, it represented the healing abilities of Apollo, and it is said to be the inspiration for the Corinthian style column design.
• morning glory - affection, gentle strength, tenacity, and unrequited love. Mexican cultures associate the flower with dreams and communication with the gods. In Christianity, morning glories symbolize mortality of life, or finality of life on Earth. And there is a Chinese legend associated with this flower of two lovers who neglected their spiritual duties to be with each other, which led the gods to decree that they could only meet one day every year; the flower therefore symbolizes the sweetness of earthly relationships. 
• ti leaf - strength, high rank, divine power, protection against evil spirits, healing, and fertility. In Hawaii, this plant is sacred to the gods Lono and Laka, and the hula dance.
• lychnis - religious enthusiasm, sunshine, eyes, and open air. It is also a medieval Christian symbol for the Virgin Mary.
• sage - wisdom, immortality, long life, experience, connectedness to the world around us, and protection. In certain Native American tribes, it was considered a purifying herb and believed to ward off evil spirits and bad luck.
• black eyed susans - justice and encouragement. Its botanical name (Rudbeckia) was given in honor of a Swedish scientist known for his accomplishments in medicine (anatomy), linguistics, music, and botany.
• iris - wisdom, compliments, eloquence, good news, royalty, faith, and hope. It is also seen as a bridge between heaven and earth, and in Greek mythology was associated with the goddess Iris, who personified rainbows.
• birds of paradise - freedom and the ability to travel, flight, optimism about the future, magnificence, excellence, success, royalty, paradise on earth, and romantic faithfulness
• cattails - victory in mind, body and spirit, peace, prosperity, lust, balance, and stability. In Pueblo tribes, it symbolizes earth energy, water, and rain; the Navajo use cattails as a protective charm against lightning.
• red rose - love, romance, sacrifice, and passion. In Hinduism and Buddhism, roses symbolize spiritual joy and wisdom. In Judaism, red roses stand for blood, life, and judgment. In Christianity, the red color represents Jesus's crucifixion wounds and sacrificial blood, while roses in general evoke the paradise of the Garden of Eden. The scent of roses and roses without thorns are said to symbolize the Virgin Mary - which one can see especially in the Catholic rosary. In Islam, roses symbolize beauty, divine love, and the human soul. In Christianity and Islam both, roses are associated with the scent of angelic messengers. Red roses are also symbolic of the English monarchy.
• daffodils (aka narcissus and/or jonquil) - rebirth, spring, new beginnings, uncertainty, returned affection, luck, reward, creativity, inspiration, renewal and vitality, awareness, inner reflection, and memory. In Greek mythology, narcissus flowers represented self-involvement. In some Asian cultures, daffodils symbolize hidden talents and career-driven hard work. In Christianity, they are symbols of forgiveness and eternal life.

In cases where the flower had natural varieties in more than one color, and the color of the flower did not alter its symbolism, I chose red, purple, yellow, or white - because I noticed that many of these flowers already fell into those four colors, and I wanted to play up that limited color scheme.

Once I had all my flowers selected, I made a quick sketch on newsprint to decide the composition of the bouquet. I wanted to sprinkle those four different colors throughout the arrangement, mixing them up so that only rarely would two flowers of the same color be next to each other.

Check back soon for "in progress" photos of starting the drawing on black paper!