Comments on: Habit sketch of Cow parsley: step by step

By: Lizzie Harper

Lizzie Harper — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 10:28:18 +0000

In reply to Bonnie. Hi Bonnie, Im so glad this is helpful for you, and well done learning botanical watercolour! Hope you love it as much as I do.

By: Bonnie

Bonnie — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 19:22:29 +0000

I discovered you for the first time today, 12-4-2025. I am working on learning botanical watercolor on my own and your work is absolutely fascinating. Not only is it beautiful and so skillful but you are incredibly fun to listen to as you work. What a joy it is that I have found you. I look forward to getting to know you better here through your posts and work.

Thank you,
Bonnie

By: Lizzie Harper

Lizzie Harper — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 07:22:46 +0000

In reply to Eleanor Cornford.

Hi Eleanor

Thats really interesting. I know, I was talking to my other half last night abotu how what they do at Kew is probably something I could never manage (I was thinking of Lucy Smith who spends all her time doing exquisite ink drawings of newly described palm species) and of Deborah Lambkin (I think) who is the orchid painter for the RHS orchid society. Absolutely perfect in all respects. But what if she fancied painting a sedge one day? Im jelous of you doing that course though, one day I hope to have time to take a Kew course. SO much to learn.

The cross over between archeological and botanical makes total sense to me, it’s the same skills I suppose. Minute examination and attempting to record it. I bet you’re excellent at the botanical stuff with that experience under your belt. And how lovely to have painted theatre backdrops, that’s what my Mum did in her 20s, at La Scala and various opera houses across Italy and Paris in the early 1960s. She loved it, and all the bustle and panic of hitting the deadline of a show opening.

Thanks so much for your message, really good to know you’re back into the botany. Bet you’d adore the totally minute stuff; grass flowering heads, mosses etc. And I love that your husband comes nature-walking with you! Mine rolls his eyes and does stuff with bicycles, but never objects when I appear with armloads of green stuff to draw, then disappear for days on end.

Thanks Eleanor
X

By: Eleanor Cornford

Eleanor Cornford — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 18:57:49 +0000

Thanks for your interesting description of your methods, and your lovely, crisp artwork. I did a course at Kew with Annie Farrer some years ago, and knew Christabel King. Their methods were strictly for scientific botanical illustration, and exquisite, but far too exacting for me. I painted large scenic backdrops for theatre as a career and after retiring took up archaeological illustration, equally specific in technique. So quite a change from 100 ft backcloths down to tiny artefacts/flowers. Thanks to your video I am enthused to try botanical illustration again. Your technique of lining in and then filling in with mid-tones then dark reminds me of my scenic art technique, it has encouraged me to do botanical art again. So I have been dragging my husband on early morning walks, collecting far too many samples and photos to ever get them done before they decline. Thanks again, (and I envy your ‘shed’/studio)!

By: Lizzie Harper

Lizzie Harper — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 17:08:31 +0000

In reply to Biography. Thank you, lovely to have return visitors!

By: Biography

Biography — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 08:31:32 +0000

Beautiful illustration demonstrated on your blog, I love visiting this blog on regular basis – Thanks

By: Lizzie Harper

Lizzie Harper — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 08:47:59 +0000

In reply to Ineke Dusseljee. Hi Ineke, oh the joys of life getting in the way of making art! Good luck with it all, and yes, report back about the Fluid 100 once you have a moment to breathe. X

By: Ineke Dusseljee

Ineke Dusseljee — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 13:16:28 +0000

Hi Lizzie,
This is another amazing painting and tutorial. Unfortunately to busy with the builders and dust accumulating, to try this out. I will in the new year try out some work on the beautiful paper.
Stay safe, and healthy.
Greetings,
Ineke

By: Lizzie Harper

Lizzie Harper — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 08:29:39 +0000

In reply to Peter Little.

Hi Peter

I know, it’s true – my hands are super beaten-up! More to do with cleaning/cooking/ walking in the frosty hills and all the other bits of life than illustrating. But I do worry a bit about them. And about my eyes. Thanks so much for your input and thoughtfulness. And Im so sorry about your arthritis, it’s a horrible affliction, and I believe it’s very painful. Although, as (I think?) an auto-immune condition, I dont know if there’s anything anyone can do to make it less likely that we’ll develop it? If there were to be, Id probably be up for it! Thanks again
Lizzie

By: Peter Little

Peter Little — Sat, 27 Nov 2021 08:21:28 +0000

Dear Lizzie A very good and informative video but I worry for your hands they look like a war zone. Please look after them or else they will become arthritic and having suffered with this I don’t want you to go through the same thing.
Apologies for this diversion from the subject of the video.

Regards Peter