Purple Coneflower Sketch

Sketching a native wildflower in colored pencil, black ink, and white acrylic on tan sketch paper

This mixed media sketch was giving me a few problems at first, but in the end I think I like it. If I put it away for a couple months or years and then look at it later, I may really like it. Sometimes that happens!

Intention and exploration

Seven sketch artists gathered in the newly beautified courtyard at GoggleWorks Center for the Arts in Reading Pennsylvania and chose subjects that attracted them the most. The financial backer of the project and the architect were among the sketch artists, and so were a few additional art friends including my very good friend Benji Stiegeler, visiting all the way from Basel, Switzerland!

After an introductory lesson on outdoor sketching, I helped Sandy and Mary Ann with sketches of a curved concrete bench backed by contrasting foliage and a native redbud tree. Mel sketched a planter covered in colorful mosaic tiles. Doug chose the steel entry gate as his subject. Benji painted a vertical section of the former brick factory building and its large windows. And Mary the architect rendered a carefully measured drawing of the alleyway showing remnants of former industry, with planter beds softening the edges.

I went from person to person, helping work out sketch problems, and then turned my attention to a sketch of my own at the very end, of a simple purple coneflower. Here is the full sketch below, final version:

I usually like to start out with some intention, and discover new things during the sketch process. I think this time because I was rushing, I just started putting marks on paper and figuring it out almost entirely as I went. I’m not sure if that method feels right for me, although I’m sure it does for some people.

I used Caran D’Ache Supracolor water-soluble colored pencils over some thin pen lines. I ended up with a sketch that:

• Seemed a bit lost

• Lacked contrast

• Lacked cohesion

• Felt off-balance

So later that night I made an effort to correct those things.

I liked what I had done with little flecks of contrasting colors in the background, so I kept that, but went over the entire area with vertical hatch lines to darken and unify the texture. I thickened the black outlines of the flower petals, leaves, and stems; and I introduced some white acrylic marker into the tips of the petals, which I smeared with a flick of the finger toward the center of the flower.

Last of all I signed the work, and added a couple notes along the bottom.

Artists at work

Here are pictures of the other artists at work. I highly recommend getting out and sketching with a group if you can. If you’d like to experience group art-making, but with guided instruction, below is a link to my upcoming workshops which are held in southeast Pennsylvania. I’d love to see you!

Sign up for a workshop, including a Mary Blair-inspired gouache painting workshop happening July 12, 2025, at Historic Yellow Springs.

Sketch artists and friends: Mel, Sandy, Benji, Mary, Mary Ann, Doug