In 2002 the photographer Barbara Bordnick published “Searchings. Secret Landscapes of Flowers.” In this large-format book, the close-up photos of flowers measure 10”x14.” They are astonishing. You know it’s a flower and the flower’s name is given. At the same time you are obviously looking at something other than a little flower–you’re imagining landscape formations or some atmospheric effect.
Georgia O’Keefe, famous for her huge paintings of flowers said, “If you look, really look at a flower, it becomes your world.”
These flower photos make excellent subjects to work from, to practice drawing fluid lines and the shading of round forms.
Here’s a student work in graphite, about 12”x18.”
When the color photo is Xeroxed in black/white, it’s easier for the student to see the tonal values, since part of the work has already been done by eliminating color.
The book is easy to get online and it’s inexpensive. You can also find some of these flower images at
All contents copyright (C) 2010 Katherine Hilden. All rights reserved.
artamaze by Katherine Hilden 