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.

Sxs, step by step, demo, tutorial, art tutorial, online tutorial, entomological illustration, process, fritillary, butterfly, natural history illustration, scientific illustration,

Illustration of Silver Washed Fritillary Butterfly

I’ve been working on natural history watercolour illustrations for Buckinghamshire, Bedforshire & Oxon Wildlife Trust this month, and one of the species they wanted me to paint was the beautiful Silver washed fritillary butterfly, Argynnis paphia. This butterfly is instantly distinct from the other fritillaries because of the striking markings on its underwings; greens, golds, and some […] Read more
butterfly, insect, lepidoptera, butterflies,

Natural History Illustration: Butterflies gallery

Before they disappear for another year, I thought it might be worth putting up a collection of my illustrations of some of the more common British butterfly species. These have mostly been commissioned privately, or by the Wildlife Trusts. For a really good guide to the commoner British butterfly species, you should get The Butterflies of Britian […] Read more
stream, dipper, insects, freshwater, freshwater life, bioblitz

Biolblitz and Freshwater Life

I recently went to a “bioblitz” day organised by Radnorshire Wildlife Trust, looking for freshwater life at their nature reserve in Tylcau hill.  For a natural history illustrator, such an event is inspiring and educational. I enjoyed the whole day enormously.  I learnt a tremendous amount, especially about insects, thanks to the endless knowledge and enthusiasm brought by Phil […] Read more
entomology, entomological illustration, illustrating stamps, natural science illustration, dragonfly,

Dragonfly Postage Stamps

As a natural history illustrator, sometimes you’re commissioned to do the most wonderful jobs.  This was the case with Jersey Post’s series of stamps; damsels & dragons.  Lots of dragonfly and damselfly illustrations. Past stamp issues completed for Jersey Post I’ve worked with Jersey Post before.  I completed a series of botanical illustrations of roses for them back […] Read more
Grass, botanical illustration, sciart, graminaceae, grasses

Glorious grasses

I have always loved grasses.  Even as a child I marvelled at their different heights, shapes, and textures.  I love the way fields of grass move and rustle in the wind, and I love the smell of new mown grass (it’s caused by green leaf volatiles (GLVs) and is actually a distress call from the […] Read more
River management, sketchbooks study, sxs, impatiens, invasives, step by step, Himalayan balsam,

Botanical illustration of a Himalayan Balsam Flower

Overview of Himalayan balsam   One of the invasive plants I was asked to paint by Summersault Communications is the Himalayan balsam Impateins galndulifera, which is growing out of control along many of Britain’s water courses, out-competing native plants and clogging up drainage channels. Although a truly problematic invasive species here in the UK, it is also […] Read more
Japanese knotweed, Fallopia japonica, invasives, step by step

Japanese knotweed sketchbook study

Japanese Knotweed job   I’ve been working on a series of three scientific illustrations of invasive plants this week, for Summersault Communications.  This blog is about doing a Japanese knotweed sketchbook study. The article accompanying my illustrations will explain how to identify the plants and why they pose a threat.  I am fortunate in that the […] Read more