I hope you have all having happy holidays, and are looking forward to the coming year. I know I am!
Yet another flower rendering is in on the drawing board:
My mother-in-law’s day lilies were especially prolific this year. I couldn’t resist photographing this particular variety with its frothy ruffled edges and very dark throat striping… the contrast of that exotic extravagance against the smooth spikey foliage proved irresistible. (The fact that they were the most amazing shade of light purple-y mauve may have had something to do with it, too. 
) The spent flower heads have interesting star shapes and textures all their own.
The flowers have so much ink in them that in order to get some contrast, I’ll have to go dark for the background. Probably very dark. Again.
Try as I might, I don’t seem to be able to see my floral subjects as separate from their surroundings… my preference, apparently, is to draw complete compositions as opposed to studies.
Gorgeous! But I could ‘see’ these were dark red because that’s what my friend grows
Thank you, Fiona. One of the things I like so much about black and white art is exactly what you point out: viewers can supply the colors that are most meaningful to them!