Illustration techniques Archives - Page 2 of 2

Botanical Illustration: Comparing HP Watercolour Papers 1

Posted on 5th May 201715th December 2020 in Illustration Equipment, Illustration techniques

Hot press water colour papers and botanical illustration This is the first of three reviews of Watercolour Hot Press papers for botanical illustration. Please check out the second and third in this series for more tests and results! As some of you may know, there’s been a bit of a panic in the Botanical illustration […] Read more

Leaf painting workshop

Posted on 9th December 201630th December 2018 in Illustration techniques

I recently taught a day-long session on how to do botanical illustrations of leaves, focusing on mixing greens and leaf form. The workshop was at The Walled Garden in Treberfydd. We set ourselves up in an airy glass house, and had ready access to the enormous variety of beautiful plants Alison grows and sells at the […] Read more

Botanical Illustration: Step by step painting of leaves

Posted on 18th November 201619th December 2018 in Botanical Illustration step by step, Illustration techniques

I recently taught a workshop of botanical illustration of leaves. I broke down the process of painting a leaf into incremental steps. these were shown on a demonstration painting of a blackberry leaf. Demonstration illustration showing different steps involved in painting a blackberry leaf. There’s also a breakdown of the colours used to mix the greens […] Read more

Natural History Illustration: Drawing is Vital

Posted on 4th March 201618th December 2018 in Illustration techniques

It might seem self-evident that being a natural history and botanical illustrator involves a lot of drawing, but I don’t think the importance of this can be stressed too much. A lot of my work involves creating detailed illustrations of plants and animals, carefully done and accurately noted. This is part of the job, but […] Read more

Botanical Illustration: Sketchbook studies

Posted on 31st July 201513th December 2018 in Illustration techniques

A sketchbook is a vital part of both the drawing and the learning process for me. Being asked to consider my relationship with them recently by Illustrator Magazine has made me pause. It’s not something I’ve thought about before, but it has made me realize just how vital these tools are to me. This blog […] Read more

Botanical Illustration: Working from Photo reference

Posted on 10th July 201513th December 2018 in Illustration techniques

As a natural history illustrator, you often get asked to complete botanical illustrations of plants which aren’t in season, or bloom. This is where sketchbooks, filled with notes prove invaluable. But what if you’re asked to illustrate a botanical subject you’ve not got notes on, and which you can’t get hold of? Use a photo. […] Read more

Using Negative Space

Posted on 27th March 201510th December 2018 in Illustration techniques

Natural history illustration requires the illustrator to draw accurately and with confidence, and using negative space can help with this. It’s a tool I use every day. The easiest way to think of negative space is as the space between and around objects; the triangles between spokes of a bike wheel, the ovals in the […] Read more

Illustrating a Nature Reserve map

Posted on 26th February 20157th December 2018 in Illustration techniques

I am often lucky enough to work with the Wildlife Trusts UK, creating scientific illustrations and botanical illustrations for their interpretation boards and leaflets. A while back, Staffordshire Wildlife trust and (separately) Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust started comissioning maps from me. These are quite tricky to do as they have to be correct and clear; and all the […] Read more

Natural History Illustration: Lansdscape

Posted on 18th April 201430th November 2018 in Illustration techniques

Natural History illustration needs landscape painting skills Natural history illustration incorporates a wide range of techniques. I realised about ten years ago that a desirable type of of natural science illustration was one that incorporated numerous species of plant and animal into one landscape. This wetland landscape done for Natural England is an example. Working on […] Read more

Composition and sketchbook studies

Posted on 21st March 201427th November 2018 in Illustration techniques

Winter, and my natural history illustration work continues. There’s no problem sorting out composition and sketchbook studies if they’re of conifers, like this Douglas fir. Sketchbook studies: Composition Instead of examining the techniques involved in mixing colour, I thought it might be an idea to discuss composition. This is how a botanical subject sits […] Read more

Botanical Illustration: Why it’s still relevant

Posted on 7th March 20143rd December 2018 in Illustration techniques

Why use botanical illustration? I recently read a good blog by Susannah Spier. She argues that botanical illustration still matters. I agree strongly with it. It’s the basis of this week’s blog. It’s a relevant question. There are so many good ways of recording botanical subjects with digital devices. Why should the traditional skills […] Read more

Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus natural history illustration by Lizzie Harper

Natural History Illustration: Don’t work for free

Posted on 17th January 201427th November 2018 in Illustration techniques

Natural history illustrator (Claudia Hahn) tweets (angrily) that she’s been asked to do a load of work for a successful music company…for free. What’s sad is that this is a very familiar tale. I’ve decided to write a quick blog about why this is never a good idea. Who asks illustrators to work for free? […] Read more

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Gardening illustrations: Drawing hands

Posted on 8th November 201325th November 2018 in Illustration techniques

As scientific and botanical illustrators; it’s unlikely that you’ll choose to draw hands doing the steps involved in various gardening techniques unless you’re getting paid for it. Why draw hands? However, there are benefits to taking on this sort of work. It can be quick, the pay’s not too bad, and I know a great […] Read more

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Natural History Illustration: Pencil

Posted on 6th September 20132nd December 2019 in Illustration techniques

Pencil doesn’t seem to be a very fashionable medium for scientific illustration, or indeed for illustration as a whole. I think this is rather a pity as highly rendered pencil illustrations can be not only stunning but also a true joy to work on. Materials I always use mechanical pencils, preferring pentel P205 0.5mm HB or H […] Read more

Mistake, fixing mistakes, error, fixing it, mending, white gouache, natural history illustration, botanical illustration,

Natural History Illustration – Fixing errors

Posted on 15th June 201314th November 2018 in Illustration techniques

Scientific illustration and botanical art are similar to all other disciplines in one crucial way. Mistakes are made. This week’s blog explains how these happen, and how to fix those which are redeemable. Where relevant, I’ve marked up my illustrations with red to show where the mistakes are, or where alterations were called for. Fixing […] Read more

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Scientific illustration: Getting reference

Posted on 24th May 20133rd December 2018 in Illustration techniques

It is a trueism that “you are only as good as your reference.” As a practitioner of scientific illustration, I am always searching for good reference of both plants and animals. You never know what the next job will ask for, so need to be prepared for any request. Plants get sketched and details noted, […] Read more

Japanese knotweed, Fallopia japonica, invasives, step by step

Japanese knotweed sketchbook study

Posted on 3rd May 20133rd December 2018 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

Pen and Ink Techniques – Colour

Posted on 26th April 201327th November 2018 in Illustration techniques

Last week’s blog explained the importance of pen and ink techniques to scientific illustration, and showed how to use line and stippling. This week explains how to use colour with pen and ink illustrations. Introducing colour to pen and ink Sometimes monochrome illustrations can feel gloomy, but the commissioner still needs accurate line illustrations. A good […] Read more

Scientific Illustration: Pen and Ink Techniques

Posted on 18th April 201314th November 2018 in Illustration techniques

As a scientific illustrator, you need to be able to feel confident using pen and ink. Often pen and ink is the best medium for a diagram as it’s exact and clear. Other times, commissioners like the traditional look of pen and ink illustrations. This week and next week’s blogs are an overview of […] Read more

Illustrating Iridescence

Posted on 24th March 20133rd November 2018 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

Botanical Illustration: Tips on mixing greens

Posted on 9th March 201325th October 2018 in Illustration techniques

This week I’ve been mixing greens and painting ivy leaves, as have many members of the Botanical Art for Beginners group. Comparing the dark greens of an ivy leaf with those of a yellow butterwort leaf got me thinking. A crash course in mixing greens could be handy. Watercolour paints First, I think it needs […] Read more

Botanical illustration tips on painting white flowers

Posted on 15th February 201311th January 2019 in Illustration techniques

Painting White flowers: A problem needing a solution I was painting a snowdrop the other day, and wrestling, as always, with the best way to paint the petals of white flowers. There are as many different approaches to this troublesome aspect of botanical illustration as there are scientific illustrators; so I thought it’d be worth […] Read more

Dragonflies and pond landscape

Posted on 28th October 201218th October 2018 in Illustration techniques

Illustrating the background I had a wonderful week working on the Dragonfly landscape commission. Once I’d got the go-ahead I put in the sky and the distant landscape, keeping it light and working from far to near, giving closer shrubs and water a bit more colour. Illustrating the plants and animals Then I worked into […] Read more