Introduction:
What better way to tell mom that you think she's special than a card and flowers. Or better yet, a card that is flowers! Today we will play with pastels and make cards for mother's day using patented Bloomin Flower paper. We will use a flowers still life to help decorate the cards.

Materials:

• Bloomin Flower paper that is 5x7 folded in half
• Soft pastels 4x5 squares of colored paper
• Pencils and erasers
• Scissors
• White glue
• Markers or pens optional (Still life flower display optional)

Directions:
1. Take a minute to really look at the still life. Plan your composition— choose which elements of the still life you want to capture and how you want to arrange them on your paper.

2. Using a pencil, lightly sketch the basic lines of your drawing. Then using the soft pastels, color in your drawing. Be sure to layer your colors and blend them together with your fingers, a tortillon, stump, or Kleenex for best results.

3. When your drawing is done, fix it with a spray fixative or hair spray. Then glue it to the bloomin flower card with white glue. If you want to cut out a window in the front of your card you can use it as a frame for your drawing. If you want to write a message on the inside of the card, write it on white paper and glue it to the inside of the card.

Art Terms:
Still life – a painting or drawing of inanimate objects contrived by the artist according to some theme, symbolic or aesthetic. Flower displays are popular still life subjects for any artist.
Composition – the overall placement of objects in a work of art. An artist's decision to place elements of the artwork in specific places affects the final product in important ways.
Tortillon – a small stump of tightly rolled grey or white paper, usually pointed on one end only, used to blend charcoal and pastel. Usually between 2 and 3 inches long.
Stump – a cigar shaped implement used in drawing to blend charcoal, soft pencil, pastel, chalk, or crayon. Can be anywhere between 3 and 6 Inches long.

Resources:
Blovits, Larry. Pastel for the Serious Beginner. Watson-Guptill Publications, New York. 1996.

Creevy, Bill. The Pastel Book: Materials and Techniques for Today's Artist. Watson-Guptill Publications, New York. 1991. Roddon, Guy. Pastel Painting Techniques. Northlight Books, Ohio. 1987.

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