The Peony - Part I

Given the choice, I much prefer working from real life than a photograph, provided that the subject is very still. So I used a fresh cutting from my garden to do the first of the Dusty Victorian's botanical record - The Peony. I'll use the photographs for when the flowers in the garden have wilted or for wintertime sketching.

Instead of doing a rough preliminary sketch, I decided to apply myself and do a detailed black and white sketch using a regular graphite pencil. I've always appreciated the simple elegance and timeless quality of these types of drawings. You can see more in a previous post - My Shady Past.

These black and white drawings are a good way to restock my Etsy shop, which has been inactive while I've been busy with private commissions these past months. These drawings are also more affordable than the paintings. Next step will be to do the peony on the book canvas.