A Perfect Example of What NOT To Do

How many times have you gone to draw or paint something your brain dictates what it thinks it sees but in reality is far from being accurate? 

Here's a perfect example of my doing just that. 

Although I could at any given time turn to this page in my journal book and know this represents a thistle, it's not accurate by any means in the flower head.   Something didn't look right and after taking more time to really study my photograph, I realized just what I had done. 

I have penciled in below the painted illustration showing a more accurate rendering of the flower petals, bracts or whatever they are called.