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.

edible foraging

Trees: Hawthorn

Posted on in Trees
Trees: Hawthorn is another blog inspired by my illustrations for “The Tree Forager” by Adele Nozedar, recently published by Watkins.  It’s inspired me to have a look at a few of my favourite trees.  The Hawthorn is another in this series, along side the Sycamore and the Oak. Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna is one of the commonest […] Read more
fraximus, ash, compound leaves,

Trees: Ash

Posted on in Trees
Trees: Ash This is the third in my series on common trees, and this time it’s the Ash tree under the spotlight. The Ash Fraxinus excelsior is one of our commonest trees, and is steeped in folklore.  It’s easy to identify, and the timber is extraordinarily strong and versatile Identification: Tree shape Ash trees have […] Read more

Equipment: Pencils & Erasers

Posted on in Illustration Equipment
This is another blog in the series on equipment used.  Check out earlier blogs on Waterproof inks, Watercolour papers, Paints  and  look out for one I’ll soon be publishing on brushes. Personal Preference As mentioned before, choosing your equipment can be quite a personal choice.  We develop loyalty to brands and types of drawing tool […] Read more
Sycamore leaf

Trees: Sycamore

Posted on in Trees
Trees: Sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus is a maple, and is Europe’s largest maple species.  It’s easy to recognise, is common, and has some interesting folklore. Identification: Tree shape The tree grows to 35m and has a domed outline, with dense foliage.  Trees often have heavy lower branches.  It’s a deciduous species, and grows fast in a […] Read more

Trees: English Oak

Posted on in Trees
I’ve been working on illustrations for “The Tree Forager” by Adele Nozedar, due to be published in August 2021.  It’s inspired me to have a look at a few of my favourite trees.  The English oak is the first in the series. The English oak Quercus robur truly is an iconic tree.  English Oak is […] Read more
Ladybug entomological illustration by Lizzie Harper

Equipment: How to Choose a Waterproof Pen and Ink for Watercolour

Posted on in Illustration Equipment
Equipment: How to Choose a Waterproof Pen and Ink for Watercolour is a guest blog from KT of Goldspot pen shop. Ink and watercolour is a classic, intriguing combination that creates some really amazing effects when accomplished with the right tools.  Black outlines define a beautiful watercolour painting that jumps off the page! Fig illustration […] Read more

Butterflies of Bentham Sand dunes

Posted on in Current projects and news
Several butterflies are included in the recent landscape illustration completed for South Devon Area of Natural Beauty.  This blog will discuss each species, and links to my earlier blog on the wildlife and plants of Bentham bay sand dunes. Clouded Yellow The Clouded Yellow, Colias croceus, travels to Britain every year from southern Europe and Africa.  […] Read more

Comparing Goldenrod Species

Posted on in Botany: Telling species apart
Comparing Goldenrod species was one of my tasks in a recent commission  for a Horticultural company in Sweden.  All the illustrations were sketchbook studies.  Every plant was an invasive. Overview of Canadian Goldenrod Solidago canadensis and Early Goldenrod Solidago gigantea The focus of the illustration is the Canadian goldenrod. Most Goldenrods are native to the […] Read more
Lupin

Garden Lupin Sketchbook study

Posted on in Botanical Illustration step by step, Botany: Telling species apart, Current projects and news, Illustration techniques
The Garden Lupin, Lupinus polyphyllus, is one of the invasive plants I was recently asked to illustrate for FOR Sweden.  This blog talks you through the steps involved in creating a finished botanical illustration of this flower.  There seems to be an enormous amount of confusion over the English name of this plant: Blue bonnet […] Read more
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