Hi Monica

Thanks for the comment. Now, the thing with magnifiers is that I’ve never worked with them. Ive been told Optivisor 6 is a good one by students I’ve taught in the past? I think they’re a great idea, but I’ve not used them. I have recently been told to start using reading glasses, so I find that these (a + 1.5 works fine) plus a good and bright daylight light is fabulous. I’ve recently purchased one and it’s made a big difference. However, with mosses I use a different technique, especially because they are so very tiny. I am dreadfully short sighted, so when I paint moss I take the contact lens out from my stronger eye. Cant see anything much at a distance, but moss, and the sheet of paper I’m painting on? Massively clear. The other eye I leave with a lens in. This means I can go on mixing colours etc rather than stumbling about like some lost nocturnal beast. Sadly, if your eyesight is in any way decent this unusual solution may not work. Saying that, I am surprised at just how many botanical illustrators out there are alarmingly short sighted, so maybe you’ll be in luck? Thanks for the comment, and sorry not to be of more use! Lovely to find someone else into painting mosses, it’s something of a niche endeavour…

Do you ever use a magnifying tools…if so can you recommend one PLEASE! Thanks Monica