How to Draw Crazy Flowers
- 1). Seek out inspiration from diverse sources. There are the masters of flower art, such as Georgia O'Keeffe and Chinese scroll-painters, and then there are the pop culture resources, such as the wild Tiki scenes by Shag (see Resources below) and the anthropomorphic flowers of classic Disney cartoons, such as the foliage in "Jungle Book."
- 2). Determine a style. You can go more realistic by using photographs of exotic flowers in the jungle (see Resources below). You can venture to the realm of semi-fantasy by drawing crazy flowers you find in advertisements, on Mexican vinyl tablecloths, painted on antique signs or on ceramic tiles. You can go completely fantastic by emulating the approach of animators, comic book artists and folk artists by using flowers as a point of inspiration for creating impossible inventions, endlessly tangling vines and fantastic creatures that are half-plant and half-other.
- 3). Sketch the few basic shapes that comprise the flower. Even for crazy flowers, include some realistic points of reference such as a stem, leaves or petals. Many flowers are made up of triangles, ovals, cones and circles. Create the outline of the flower using these shapes. If perspective is important, check to see how the shapes connect with one another.
- 4). Grow your crazy flower. Exaggerate certain natural features, such as the petals, by adding more, changing shapes, extending the line or abstracting the image. Transform the flower into a character by adding facial features and shaping the leaves like limbs. Add shading to emphasize certain segments, or erase shading to create white space. Add a fantasy setting or bizarre background to enhance the crazy imagery.
- 5). Finish the drawing. Darken the main lines of the drawing, or go over it with a pen and India ink. Color is a great way to add style to a crazy flower drawing. Try colored pencils, markers or watercolor in bold, contrasting shades. You can also create patterns and textures with color, giving the drawing dimension.
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