Borage flowers

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I am considering the kind promise: “I will advocate courageously” and I wanted to draw you a plant., so I googled “courage” and “plant.” That is how I learned about borage. [I note with delight that this page is found on a site providing information about what to feed your tortoise.) Ancient Roman soldiers believed eating borage would increase their courage. Borage is also edible (by humans), so the beautiful flowers look nice in a salad. Don’t feed them to your tortoise, though.

I was entranced by the shape of the flowers and the shape of the buds. (The plant is also called “starflower.”) As soon as I started to draw, I knew that I wanted to adjust the arrangement of the flowers a bit. I wished I knew more about composition so I could arrange them more artfully. I didn’t want to stop drawing, though, so I soldiered on! The flowers didn’t quite end up where I intended to put them. (I meant for the stalk on the right to be a bit lower.) I want to find more joy in translating the colors I see to the colors of pencils I have. It’s an opportunity to practice acceptance.

Looking at the reference and the drawing, I see that I didn’t get the angles quite right. The photo is taken from above the flower, not from beside it. If I had understood that earlier, I might have captured the subject more faithfully.

I love to spend time really looking at a flower. The “stars” in the middle of the flowers are very dark red. The center stalks emerge from white, ruffled petals. The buds are covered with fine hairs. I wish I could see the actual plant!

I would like to make another drawing of this plant, magnifying the center area. Before I do that, though, I want to learn more about composition!

 

Skills

Posted on

September 29, 2017

2 Comments

  1. Donna Divine

    Looks like blue Borage to me! Lovely painting.

    Reply
    • Kate

      Thank you, Donna. I appreciate the encouragement. I hadn’t seen borage in real life until after I painted this. It added to my delight.

      Reply

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