Rose Art, the worlds most famous flower in todays art.You’ve found my rose art page! All kinds of information can be found here on roses. Not only how to create Rose art in drawing and painting them, but you can also launch onto other areas for a more enriching experience with this wonderful flower. No other flower has captivated society as this, the worlds most famous flower! 
Roses have had a colorful and very long history. We believe the species is over 35-40 million years old based on fossil evidence from Colorado, North America, Europe and Asia. It is thought that these early flowers, which resembled the wild Sweetbrier, were used for food and medicine. They had five petals and were usually either pink or white in color. From these humble beginnings, it is now the most complicated family tree of all known flowers with over 30,000 varieties. The cultivation of this flower we think started in Asia 5000 years ago and they’ve been a part of our experience ever since. Click here to read about myths and stories and a boat load of historical stuff compiled from numerous sources and placed in a very convenient package on this next page. Stay on this page for a very compressed version and other tantalizing tidbits about rose art. 
A short history on roses: Cultivated roses from China were introduced to Europe in the late eighteenth century. These were a repeat blooming variety. From here began the experts splitting between old roses (before 1800) and modern roses (those cultivated and hybridized in England and France during the 19th century). Until that time, old roses were only shades of pink or white (in Europe). Where as the red rose from China came on the scene in Europe after 1800. The Chinese kept written records of their roses. Confucius (500 BC) recorded the growing and cultivation of roses in the Imperial Rose Garden of the Chinese Emperor. How’s that for keeping a journal! (Here’s another reason, as an artist, to keep yourself a journal! Who knows who will find it in the future and be amazed at your strokes of genius!) Now if you want more interesting things on the History of the Rose, click here. Rose Art Yellow roses appeared after a Frenchman Joseph Permet-Ducher found a mutant yellow flower. He’d been breeding them for 20 years trying to create one on his own prior to its discovery. Wouldn’t you know it, mother nature always knows best! At this point, only a true blue or true black rose have not been found or created, but both are very close! 
The rose has been represented in poetry, symbolism, heraldry and art throughout the world. One of the first great symbolism’s was during the War of Roses 15th Century England where the House of York was represented by the white rose, and the House of Lancaster by the red rose. Could you imagine 2 football teams using roses as their mascot! Thanks goodness no!Roses have been used as an aphrodisiac, medicinal purposes, cosmetics, perfumes, aromatherapy and even worshiped! We purchase over 1.2 billion cut roses in the U.S. a year! Valentines day being 1st then Mothers day a close 2nd. There are thousands of Rose Societies. (talk about clubbing!)They have inspired musicians, poets, authors and even artists! Did you know the rose became so popular, it became legal tender?
Here are several links to examples on how to get started on your own Rose drawing or painting!
A "From my easel" example on how to draw and paint a rose.
A fantastic example of using the grid method in drawing a rose from my friends website.
Another great rose drawing example using a grid pattern.
Thanks! A most excellent Growing Roses page Link to the Rose Color Meaning page Link to History of the Rose Back to the Top of Rose Art
New DVD now available at intro price for one month only!
|
