This close-up oil pastel drawing is a fresh chapter in my ongoing rose series. After painting many roses in watercolor, I wanted to challenge myself with oil pastel to explore a richer, more velvety texture and deeper color saturation. The purple-ish pink hues and intricate, soft folds of the petals were especially rewarding to render in this medium.
 
Every layer of pastel was built with care to capture the luminous highlights and delicate shading that make this rose feel alive and tactile. As one of my earlier serious works in oil pastel, it holds a special place in my journey as I pushed the boundaries of the medium while celebrating the timeless beauty of the rose.