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.

River management, sketchbooks study, sxs, impatiens, invasives, step by step, Himalayan balsam,

Botanical illustration of a Himalayan Balsam Flower

Posted on in Botanical Illustration step by step
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

Posted on in Biological terminology: Definitions, Botanical Illustration step by step, Illustration techniques
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
odonata, shine,

Illustrating Iridescence

Posted on in Biological terminology: Definitions, Illustration techniques
Mechanics of Iridescence There are many subjects in nature which are extraordinarily beautiful.  Animals which glint and gleam with iridescence are definitely one of them.  However, in order to take on the (not inconsiderable) challenge of illustrating iridescent creatures it’s important to have a basic grasp of the processes that cause these animals to shine […] Read more
leaves and shadows

Botanical illustration tips on painting leaves

Posted on in Biological terminology: Definitions
I’ve been doing botanical illustrations this week, and think perhaps some ideas on how to undertake a scientific illustration of leaves might be useful.  Most of these examples are from my botanical sketchbooks (always keep sketchbooks!); although the final pieces are completed works for clients. Getting Reference before you start It goes without saying that […] Read more
1 … 12 13 14 15