Flowering Plant (Pastel Makeover Day 2)

Flowering Plant (Pastel Makeover Day 2) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Today I returned to Red Brick to work on this pastel drawing. I added more color to the flowers, and worked on the background, but most of the time I had was used to work on the flower pot. I am trying to get the perspective right, which means working on the elipses (ovals used to draw a cylindrical object). I am doing this by eye, with the help of a straight edge and a mirror. This is the hardest part of doing a still life, and I can't really say it is the most enjoyable part. But I think it is good for me as an artist to struggle with this kind of basic problem. It is kind of like lifting weights: you have to keep doing it or you lose ground. And it really is important. Even though no one ever congratulates an artist on phenomenal elipses, if those pesky little ovals are seriously off-center, it will register with anyone who looks at the drawing (even people who aren't consciously aware of those ovals) and the drawing will look and feel "not quite right." In the case of this little pastel makeover, I still see a few problems with the elipses that need fixing. Then I can get back to the fun of adding color to the leaves. To be continued. . .