From photo to artwork - A sharing thread.

[angelize]

I'm calling this a sharing thread because I am going to share a piece of artwork, but I am going to also share my progress as I work on the drawing. I am starting with a photo that I have had kicking around my hard drive since last summer. My intent here is not to produce a photo realistic piece but rather a piece of art work based on the photo.

I have begun by working on the background I have picked colours from the photo and have layered shapes and transparencies and I have used the enhance> blur live effect and a bit of diffuse. My hope is that this will give the finished drawing a bit of depth.

I welcome any critiques and or comments as the drawing progresses. Here is the photo and what I have so far. I hope you will join in and share your thoughts, tips, etc and by the end maybe we will have all learned from each other!

[Rik]

My initial reaction was that the drawing looks flat.
In the original, the dark and light parts look darker and lighter - if that makes sense?!

But, it all may look OK when the rest is drawn and we have object in the foreground which are more in focus.

Just my observation.

[stygg2003]

Looking good Frances, hope to see a bit more as you go along, I like the shadow tip from the zone you appear to have used, very effective

Stygg

[wizard509]

For me at least I thing it's too early in the drawing process to give any meaningful feedback. At this point I have to agree with Rik. What you do now may have to change later on in the process to make everything work together.

[angelize]

Thanks Rik, Larry and Stygg for your comments I am hoping to have the next update for tomorrow, I have been a little busy but if all goes well I should have a little time to draw soon. My next step is going to be to begin to draw the blooms by tracing some shapes from the photo and drawing some.

[angelize]

Here is an unopened bud I am working on I will have a few buds of various sizes at the bottom of the raceme or cluster of flowers, as the raceme is drooping downwards