A dried teasel head

A study of a teasel seed head with pointed bracts, a prickly stem, and one curled leaf on textured paper. Set the seed-head oval and the curve of the supporting stem.

A way into the drawing

1. Establish the construction

   Set the seed-head oval and the curve of the supporting stem.

2. Resolve the main structure

   Wrap the base with the long arching bracts and add the bent leaf.

3. Develop the detail

   Build the short spiny bract rows around the curved head in grouped bands.

4. Control the values

   Shade the far half and the deep bract gaps while keeping selected tips bright.

A small thing to tryAlign surface rows to the seed-head curvature before adding pointed details.