Zinnias
Posted: March 21, 2024 Filed under: Coloured pencil, Echidna Studios, pastel pencils, zinnias | Tags: canal paper, Echidna Studios, Faber Castell pastel pencils 7 Comments
As the title suggests I have zinnias to share today. This pair is just one of seven images in the new digital set, Zinnias, from Echidna Studios. There is a bunch of five blooms, the pair shown on my card and some single blooms. All the images can be layered which means you can create your own bunches or rows of zinnias for printing.
I worked on Montreal Canal Paper, a textured paper made from cotton rag. In the past I’ve used it for watercolour, this time I used my new pastel pencils. The pad of paper I used has six different colours; I chose the green as it gave me an appropriate background. The texture in the paper holds the soft pastel well. I printed the two zinnias on the paper using my laser printer.
I kept the colour scheme limited and enjoyed blending two or three colours together to get diffferent colours and tints. From the Faber Castell set of Pitt pastels I used two greens -165 &170, red -194, blue -157 and white -101. I did most of the blending by adding one colour over another but further softened the blends at the end with a burnishing pencil.
As I often do, I searched for photo inspiration before colouring and found some deep burgandy colours among the many options. I think I might plant some in my garden this spring; the new digital stamps have inspired me. Let me know if you have success with zinnias in your garden.
Heather Telford 
These are gorgeous Heather! Well done! And yes, zinnias are great to grow. After the last frost date scatter seeds in a spot that gets 6 hours of sun a day. Space multiple plantings a few weeks apart , and you’ll have lots of blooms!
The pretty textured paper is a wonderful background using pastel pencils, and the finished look is terrific Heather..I love the deep red and then the contrast with the added white on the other one. x
WOW! Just WOW! Your coloring is superb! That gorgeous, rich color is amazing! I may have to try those pencils but doubt I can pull of the magic you did with this image. Just WOW!
Thanks so much Nancy. The pencils are very soft and enjoyable to work with but I am still getting used smudginess; they are best with textured paper that will hold onto the pastel colour.
your coloring is so beautiful. You make flowers come alive.
tish
Gorgeous flowers!
breathtakingly beautiful!