Current projects and news Archives

Autumn fruits

Posted on 24th November 202424th November 2024 in Current projects and news

Autumn fruits is a recent project I’ve worked on with the Field Studies Council, (FSC). I’m lucky enough to do a lot of work with them, for their wonderful fold-our identification guides. I discussed working on a guide to coastal flowers a while back, this time let’s focus on autumn fruits and seeds. (The finished […] Read more

Potatoes

Posted on 6th October 2023 in Current projects and news

Potatoes are ubiquitous vegetables, a staple in the west since their introduction from South America in 1590. They’re bought in shops, planted in gardens, made into crisps and fries; but as well as being a vital food crop, they’re also rather beautiful plants. Varieties of Potato There are hundreds of different potato cultivars. Some bear […] Read more

Sand hill Screwmoss: An illustration challenge

Posted on 8th September 2023 in Current projects and news

Sand hill Screwmoss Syntrichia ruraliformis ruraliformis is one of the species completed for a recent commission. There were thirteen species of plant I had to illustrate which were growing on Braunton Burrows sand dunes, and the one that occupied me most was certainly this lovely moss. For an overview of the other species illustrated, please […] Read more

Wildflowers of Braunton Burrows

Posted on 15th June 202311th August 2023 in Current projects and news

A recent commission involved illustrating 30 species for Braunton Burrows, a very beautiful sand dune system in North Devon’s AONB. The main challenges were the timing of the job, during winter when none of the flowers were in bloom, and their unfamiliarity to me. However, I really enjoyed illustrating such a pretty and diverse selection […] Read more

Orchid Botanical Illustration Step by step

Posted on 5th May 202315th June 2023 in Botanical Illustration step by step, Current projects and news

Orchids have always been a bit of a mystery to me, so when I was confronted by the Early Marsh Orchid, Dactylorhiza incarnata ssp coccinea my heart did not leap. It’s one of 13 plants I’m illustrating for a wildflower identification guide to the Braunton Burrows sand dunes system which will be published by FSC Publications. […] Read more

Mosquito life cycle – illustrating the Anopholes mosquito

Posted on 21st April 20238th May 2023 in Current projects and news, Uncategorised

Introducing the African Malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiae The mosquito is one of the most loathed of all insects, partly because of the itchy bites they cause, but also because of their deadly role as vectors for disease, especially malaria. In 2021, according the the WHO World malaria report, there were 247 million cases and 619,000 […] Read more

The Bad Garden

Posted on 14th February 20235th May 2023 in Current projects and news, Uncategorised

The non eco-garden is a companion blog to my earlier one, explaining and extolling the virtues of a garden that encourages wildlife and wild flowers. Eco or Wildlife gardens are also excellent for soil health, and have good wider ecological implications for the environment. This blog examines the flip side; things we may unintentionally do, […] Read more

Good Garden: A wildlife Haven

Posted on 14th February 202324th March 2023 in Current projects and news

Illustrating a wildlife garden is always a challenge, but something I embrace. Not only is it an opportunity to show, visually, good practice; it also gives me the chance to learn new hints and tips on how to make my own garden more friendly to wildlife. The twist on this commission is that this good […] Read more

Carbon Cycle: A Complicated Illustration

Posted on 14th February 20239th March 2023 in Biological terminology: Definitions, Current projects and news

When I was asked to “illustrate the Carbon cycle” for a brochure on gardening and carbon use, by Riksforbundet Svensk Tradgard I wasn’t too perturbed. Easy enough. Four little words. How wrong I was! Overview of the Carbon Cycle Reduced to its simplest form, the Carbon cycle describes the flow of Carbon, and the gas […] Read more

Fungal treats at Cusop Churchyard

Posted on 3rd February 2023 in Current projects and news

Fungal subjects always make my heart sing, so I was really pleased when three turned up in a recent species list I’ve been working on for Cusop Churchyard. Not only were these three species new to me, but one is considered extremely rare! British earthstar Geastrum britannicum The British earthstar is one of a family […] Read more

Bird’s-foot Trefoil: An Excellent Plant

Posted on 4th January 2023 in Botany: Telling species apart, Current projects and news

Bird’s-foot Trefoil: Where to find it? This blog is in praise of a small, common wildflower which grows in grasslands. It spreads across the ground, and is low growing (rarely higher than 20cm). It favours sandy soils, but is tough and grows in a wide selection of substrates, and is able to grow in […] Read more

Natural History Illustration and Life Long Learning: The Field Studies Council

Posted on 19th October 2022 in Current projects and news, Scientific Illustrator out and about

Natural History Illustration and Life-long learning: Field Studies Council Courses is my blog all about how much I love the FSC courses I attend. And no, they’ve not paid me to wax lyrical, honest! I draw and paint a wide range of different species for publishers, charities, packaging, ad companies, and design agencies. I am […] Read more

Flowers of Montserrat: Botanical illustration

Posted on 7th October 2022 in Current projects and news

Montserrat is an island in the Carribbean, part of the Leeward isles and the Lesser Antilles chain. So when I was asked to illustrate some of the flowers that grow there I wished fervently that the client would send me out to do research on the ground. Alas, it was not to be. Realistically, there […] Read more

Ants in the UK: Four subfamilies

Posted on 26th August 202226th August 2022 in Biological terminology: Definitions, Current projects and news

Having recently written a blog on the anatomy of ants, and been on three marvellous FSC courses about these fabulous insects, I’m going to try and share what I’ve learned about telling the four UK subfamilies of ants apart. To get anywhere with ant identification, you need a basic grasp of ant anatomy, and a […] Read more

Rocky shore ecosystem illustration

Posted on 31st July 20222nd August 2022 in Current projects and news

Rocky shore ecosystem: a lucky break I recently illustrated The Hidden Universe by Alexandre Antonelli. This image of the zonation of a rocky shore ecosystem was one of the illustrations. The timing of this illustration was an extraordinary stroke of luck. Alex wanted a drawing that shows the different animals and seaweeds on rocky […] Read more

The Brecknockshire Flora

Posted on 27th July 202213th August 2022 in Current projects and news, Showcase of themed natural history illustrations

The Brecknockshire flora is written by John Crellin and Mike Porter, and is a detailed overview of the plants growing in Brecknockshire, along with their geographical distribution. It covers everything from Charophytes through eudicots, and most things in between. Although it will be, when completed, an academic volume aimed at botanists, the authors are keen […] Read more

Ant anatomy for Beginners

Posted on 13th June 202222nd July 2022 in Biological terminology: Definitions, Current projects and news

I’ve recently gone on a couple of fabulous courses with Field Studies Council (FSC). Two of these focussed on Ants. They were taught by Gino Brignoli, and the second by Mike Fox, both ant experts. These courses are open to anyone with an interest, and are always an excellent way to learn an enormous amount […] Read more

Hay Festival Mug Design

Posted on 3rd June 2022 in Current projects and news

Hay Festival approached me early in the year, to see if I could come up with a design for the Hay Festival 2022 commemorative mug. I knew it was a big ask – a landscape full of local flowers and animals with Hay bluff behind, and plenty of references to the festival. I also knew […] Read more

The Hidden Universe: Pen and Ink Illustrations

Posted on 22nd April 2022 in Current projects and news

The Hidden Universe by Alexandre Antonelli is a short and powerful book. I was asked to provide pen and ink illustrations, and had the absolute luxury of reading the whole book before lifting a pencil. This may not sound unusual to you, but in all the years I’ve been illustrating books, it’s only the fourth […] Read more

The Treeline – Book Illustrations

Posted on 4th February 20224th February 2022 in Current projects and news, Showcase of themed natural history illustrations

The Treeline: The last forest and the future of life on earth by Ben Rawlence is an exploration of the arboreal forests than encircle the globe. These are already being massively altered and changed by the climate emergency. It has just been published, in January 2022. I was lucky enough to be asked to do […] Read more

Heath Star Moss Sketchbook study

Posted on 7th January 2022 in botanical terms, Current projects and news

Heath star moss is one of three invasive species I’ve just illustrated for FOR in Sweden. In this case, the moss is an unwelcome invasive in Iceland, where it outcompetes other mosses and affects the delicate balance of existing ecosystems. Sketchbook pages FOR have commissioned several sets of invasive species over the years, and favour […] Read more

Cow Parsley: All about an Umbellifer

Posted on 12th November 20211st July 2024 in Botany: Telling species apart, Current projects and news

Cow parsley Anthriscus sylvestris was on the list of plants I recently illustrated for FOR Sweden. These plants are invasive in Scandinavia, and particularly troublesome in Iceland. Sketchbook studies All the botanical illustrations I do for FOR are in a sketchbook format. I love working this way; it gives me the opportunity to include tons […] Read more

Illustrations for “30 animals that made us smarter”

Posted on 27th August 202127th August 2021 in Current projects and news

A recent commission saw me completing pen and ink illustrations for “30 animals that made us smarter” by Patrick Aryee. This fabulous book is based on the BBC World service podcast, and focuses on biomimicry. Biomimicry is when us humans investigate the marvels of nature, and learn and innovate from these discoveries. Mosquito mouthparts lead […] Read more

Wood Ants: Illustrating a guide to the wood ants of the Cairngorms

Posted on 22nd July 202122nd July 2021 in Current projects and news

Earlier this year, I had one of the hardest and most wonderful jobs. I was commissioned to illustrate all the Wood ants species that occur in the UK for an identification guide which has just been published by the Cairngorms National Park Authority . The physical guide is now available (and a classy item t is […] Read more