A bit more drawing practice . . . .

First off I wanted to work a bit on prospective and angles. So,  I went to art group on Friday armed with a few random objects to arrange together – a bit of  a challenge! I don’t like straight lines!

Then secondly I wanted to try something with emphasis on the negative spaces so I went through a few photos I had taken recently and this snowdrop sketch is done from one of those.  There was a huge contrast between the bright flowers and the dark background of ivy and leaf litter where they were growing under a  bank.

I’m quite pleased with the effect.

The snowdrops all around the garden are flourishing and are coming to their best; they are an absolute picture.  We have had a few cold but sunny days and some beautiful skies.  I have just purchased a second hand ipad and have been taking a lot of photos just to play with it and see what I can achieve.  The snowdrop photo was taken with it.

 

 The first printed British reference to ‘snowdrop’ flowers can be found in the Gerarde’s ‘Great Herbal’, published in 1597. There he called them ‘Timely Flowering Bulbous Violets’ :-  . . . . .

‘The first of these bulbous violets rises forth of the ground with two small leaves, flat and crested, of an ouerworne green colour: among the which rises up a small and tender stalk, of two hand high; 
  At the top whereof cometh forth of a skinnie hood a small white flower of the bigness of a violet, compact of six leaves, three bigger and three lesser, tipped at the points with a light green. The smaller leaves are not so white as the outermost great leaves, but tipped with green as the others be. 
  The whole flower hangeth down his head by reason on the weak foote stalk whereon it groweth. The root is small white and bulbous. (It) flowereth at the beginning of Januarie. ….
They are maintained and cherished in gardens for the beauty and rareness of the flowers, and sweetness of their smell.’   

 

I love it when the snowdrops start to flower as they literally carpet the top of the garden, all around a bramley apple tree which I planted a good many years ago.  The days have started to lengthen and there is a hint of spring.  However,  the weather forecast is snow for tomorrow  and Thursday. . . . . they could be wrong. . . . . .