White lilies (calla), A4 colour pencils on the smooth white paper.
Drawing flowers is a relaxing exercise. They are kinder to draw than people, as even if it is not exactly the flower in your drawing that is in front of you, you can still recognise it. That is both comforting and reassuring for ever-uncertain artist like myself.
The process
This is my favourite process: I start with the ink drawing and then I move to the page where I only use colour pencils.
Calla lilies are elegant flowers with smooth, trumpet-shaped blooms that combine simplicity and sculptural beauty. Though commonly called "calla lilies," most species belong to the genus Zantedeschia rather than true lilies. Their distinctive single petal (a spathe) curves gracefully around a central spike (the spadix), creating a clean, modern silhouette prized in floral design and horticulture.
Calla lilies originate from southern Africa, particularly South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho. They grow naturally in marshy areas and along stream banks.
In Europe and North America, white calla lilies are strongly associated with weddings and funerals. At weddings they symbolize purity and marital bliss; in funerals they represent resurrection and sympathy. Their sleek form has made them a staple of modern floral design.
In Christian art and tradition, calla lilies are sometimes linked to the Virgin Mary and the resurrection of Christ, aligning white blooms with purity and spiritual renewal.
In regions where they are native, calla lilies are part of local flora and landscaping; their cultural meanings vary by community and are less universally codified than in Western ceremonial use.