Here are the blogs I’ve written over the years.  Subjects range from step by step painting tutorials, to botanical anatomy, to current projects.

They appear in the order they’ve been written.  However, if you scroll down the page you’ll find they have also been organised into categories to make browsing a little more focused.

There are even some guest blogs in amongst.  I hope you enjoy them, and do please feel free to leave a comment.

Life on the Edge: illustrating insects on the South Devon coastline

Posted on in Current projects and news, Showcase of themed natural history illustrations
Illustrating insects for South Devon National Landscapes “Life on the edge” project is a real treat.  Insect illustration is one of my earliest and greatest passions, so to have a list of invertebrate species to work through is a real joy. These illustrations will be used in a “Spotter’s guide”, and appear across the base of […] Read more

Olive Olea europea

Posted on in Trees
The Olive one of a series of blogs I’m writing on  trees.  You can also see blogs on the Elder, the Yew, the Ash, the Oak, the Holly, the Sycamore, the Rowan, the Hawthorn, the Birch, the Lime, the Scots pine, and the Beech. The Olive is native to the Mediterranean, growing across Europe, Asia […] Read more

Painting Bumblebees

Posted on in Showcase of themed natural history illustrations
I often get asked to paint bumblebees.  This blog takes a look at a few I’ve illustrated over the years, and talks about some of the challenges. White tailed bumblebee Bombus lucorum: Description White tailed bumblebees appear across all of Britain.  Queens emerge in March and April, with workers appearing about 6 weeks later.  Nests can […] Read more

Illustrating apple blossom

Posted on in Current projects and news
I’ve been doing quite a few botanical illustrations of apple blossom over the last few years, so thought I’d discuss some of the challenges and joys of working with such beautiful flowers. Composition If possible, start by finding out what variety of fruit tree you’re looking at.  There are lots of experts out there, and […] Read more

Grasses in Cambridge Collections: Combating grass blindness

Posted on in Scientific Illustrator out and about, Showcase of themed natural history illustrations
Grasses in Cambridge Collections: Combating grass blindness discusses an amazing day I spent recently, looking at herbarium specimens and illustrations of grasses held in Cambridge collections.  The collections were gorgeous, but the accompanying talks and interchange of ideas will leave the longest lasting impression. Guinea grass Megathyrsus maximus As many who read this blog regularly […] Read more

Dandelions: Why to love them

Posted on in Botany: Telling species apart
I’ve been illustrating a Dandelion, Taraxacum officinale, recently, and want to do a blog about why they are such beautiful and successful wildflowers. Distribution and adaptability Dandelions are incredibly common, growing in meadows, gardens, cracks in the pavement, and almost anywhere with enough soil for them to establish themselves.  They’re adaptable and brilliant at colonizing […] Read more

Nasturtium

Posted on in Current projects and news, Wildflower families
The nasturtium, Tropaeolum majus, is one of my favourite garden flowers.  It’s a blaze of colour in the autumn, is edible, and is a great subject to draw. Family Nasturtium are members of the Tropaeolaceae.  Members are succulent with alternate leaves and flowers borne singly on stems.  They’re climbing vines, originating in South America.  Other […] Read more

Grasses of Montserrat and the Eastern Caribbean

Posted on in Botany: Telling species apart, Showcase of themed natural history illustrations
I was recently commissioned to illustrate some common grasses of Montserrat and the Eastern Caribbean by UKOTCF.  As regular readers will know, this is something of a dream job for me. I first illustrated grasses way back in 2014, for the HarperCollins Flower Guide by David Streeter.  Not knowing that I was planting the seeds […] Read more
for sale

Wildflower families: Lamiaceae

Posted on in Wildflower families
Wildflower families: Lamiaceae, the Dead-nettle family is the latest in my series of blogs on wildflower families.  My online Field Studies Council course on ten common wildflower families, delivered by Iain Powell, provided information and inspiration.  I draw and paint wildflowers all the time, so learning more about what separates the families and what are […] Read more

Wildflower seed mix – Packet design

Posted on in Current projects and news
This wildflower seed mix packet design is a recent illustration completed for Roselyn Seeds. I have created illustrations for several species of wildflowers grown by the company, including Cornflower, Red Campion, Cranesbill, and Meadow buttercup. Roselyn seeds logo, (featuring my Common blue butterfly) I have also created the artwork for their Wildlife Garden seed mix, […] Read more

Wildflower families: Apiaceae

Posted on in Wildflower families
Wildflower families: Apiaceae, the Carrot family is my latest blog in this series on common flower families.  I was inspired to write this series by my online Field Studies Council course.  I spend a lot of time drawing wildflowers, so it’s important for me to learn more about their family similarities and differences. As a […] Read more
Great plantain

Wildflower families: Plantaginaceae

Posted on in Wildflower families
Wildflower families: Plantaginaceae, the Plantain family is my latest blog in this series on common flower families.  I was inspired by my online Field Studies Council course taught by Iain Powell.  I do a lot of observing and illustrating wildflowers, so it’s important to know more about their families and similarities and differences. For definitions […] Read more

Rosaceae Fruit

Posted on in botanical terms
Rosaceae Fruit Whilst recently researching the wildflower families, I fell down a fruit-shaped rabbit hole.  And it is because of the amount of variety shown in the fruit of the Rosaceae, or rose family. Japanese rose Rosa rugosa For more on what makes a plant a member of the Rosaceae, check out my recent blog […] Read more
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