Spring is around the corner, but unlike the past years, this year is facing a global issue with the Coronavirus and it is spreading fear especially with the uncertainty of it all. We shall keep stay positive and hopefully things will all be resolved soon.

Since most of us are quarantined or about to be, this challenge is coming in a good time and you can take a couple hours of each day for the next two weeks especially if you had a long commute.

If you are not familiar with this challenge let me tell you more about. This is the fourth year of the challenge and it’s basically a free community activity, where I provide you with flower templates to paint to improve your brush-work skills and colour selection for 14 days.

It is also a nice way to welcome the beautiful Spring season with all the flowers that will blossom soon.

Floral motifs have a very important role within Islamic patterns and you can see them highlighted beautifully in the Safavid, Ottoman and Muogl periods. They were used before and after those periods as well, but my favourite examples come from those three. In last year’s challenge, I focused on Mogul patterns that I photographed on one of my visits to the Victoria and Albert Museum and it was fun to reproduce those flowers.

This year I am taking inspiration from Safavid Iranian textiles that are exhibited in The Met in New York. I haven’t actually been in person, but I have been browsing their online gallery to choose this year’s flowers for you.

Join me from Wednesday 18th March for 14 days

(until the 31st of March) to paint one flower per day.

If you can't make time on these dates you can still join when it's good for you. I will still come have a look if you mention me or tag me.

Benefits of this Art challenge:

Understand the floral language in Persian biomorphic patterns.
Practice your painting skills.
Practice ink and brush outlining.
Satisfy your soul with some art! (A golden flower a day keeps the doctor away?)

Things you can do with your flower:

Turn them into a card
and give them to your friends and family for all the upcoming occasions
Hang them in your house
I am sure any house would use a series of sparkly flowers!
Add them to other creative projects
Golden flowers are so versatile and you can find some use for them or include them in other creative projects.

All the original images and the tracings are below and you can click on each to enlarge and print or you can download this pdf file that contains all flower templates and images. You can work directly from the photos, or you can work from the templates.

PLEASE NOTE: This is a personal challenge and it should not be used for commercial gain.

How to paint the flowers?

First thing you want to do is trace the design in pencil and then transfer it to a watercolour paper by turning the tracing paper onto the pencil side and trace again. Once you have your design you can paint it in anyway you want. I usually start with one layer of colours or gold and then outline the design in black ink and a brush and then add secondary colours or shading. You can do it however you want and I will be sharing process images on instagram if you want to do the same.

Art Supplies for the Golden Flower challenge:

I highly recommend using what you already have at home, but if you really want to get something new or want to use the same things I will be using then checkout these recommendations below. You don’t have to buy new art supplies if you already have some. Always try to use what you have. You can also check your local art supply store for deals and other options.

Tools: Printed Flower Design, Tracing Paper, Pencils, brushes, real gold or gouache gold, watercolours and/or gouache colours.

Amazon UK (Amazon.co.uk) Links:

Gold Gouache
Watercolour (for shading optional)
Black ink
Pro Arte Brushes (Series 101 or 202) or any brushes you own as long as they are fine and thin.

Amazon US (Amazon.com) Links:

Share your golden flowers & find other participants on social media!

Share your completed flower on instagram or Facebook and please tag me on @islamicillumination and add these hashtags so we can all find each other! #GoldenFlowerChallenge2020 #GFC20

You can also copy this caption if you like:

This flower is part of the #GoldenFlowerChallenge2020 #GFC20 by @islamicillumination
We are painting one flower a day for 14 days to practice our painting and illumination skills.
You can participate too by visiting www.islamicillumination.com

Learn more about Islamic illumination