8 Flowers 8 Ways
Orchid, peony, saffron crocus, angel trumpet and more.
This richly illustrated, information-packed course focuses on drawing and painting eight historic flowers (vanilla orchid, peony, saffron crocus, angel trumpet and more) using eight very different techniques. We’ll use pencil, ink, and watercolor - separately and in various combinations, and in a variety of creative styles. Email me anytime at studio@valwebb.com for guidance or feedback.
LESSON 1: A FEW BASICS
Hello there! Step into my virtual garden, and meet the first of our eight historic flowers. Today's "warmup" lesson will focus on Rosa gallica officinalis -- the old and lovely Apothecary Rose.
You may have noticed that we have 8 flowers, but 10 lessons. That's because our first lesson is a general refresher on some sketching and painting basics... and our last lesson will be a special project that combines several techniques (and several flowers) we'll meet in coming weeks.
With its roots buried deep in the sands of ancient Persia, Rosa gallica eventually found its way to Europe in the saddlebags of knights returning from the Crusades. Monks cultivated it for its use as a medicinal plant; the effectiveness of rose tea for headache dates all the way back to the Roman Empire. Medieval noblewomen rubbed the petals of Apothecary Rose on their skin, believing it would preserve their youth and prevent disease.
Renaissance artists, too, loved this flower. Rosa gallica, often used to symbolize the blood of Christian martyrs, was the most frequently painted rose in the 15th and 16th centuries.
In today's lesson, we'll break down the forms and colors of this botanical beauty to create a watercolor imitating a little-known art form called the white line, or Provincetown, print. A charming and very simple variation on Japanese block printing, this technique owes its crisp appearance to the white lines of unpainted paper that are left showing. It's an approach that works beautifully with bright watercolor. Let’s begin:
