botanical art Archives - Page 3 of 3

Coastal Flowers: Illustrating a Flower Guide

Posted on 21st February 202016th March 2022 in Current projects and news

I’ve recently completed a series of thirty three botanical illustrations of coastal flowers for Field Studies Council Publications. What I love about these jobs is the enormous amount you learn about species you may never have noticed before. In this blog, I’m going to showcase a few of these lovely plants, and what seaside habitats […] Read more

Botanical Illustration of a Brassica Leaf

Posted on 8th November 2019 in Illustration techniques

An Introduction to Brassicaceae Actually, before I start this blog I need to clarify the title, “Botanical Illustration of a Brassica leaf”. The leaf I’m discussing is that of a Yellow Mustard plant, Brassica juncea, a species of Brassica. The colours of Brassica leaves are very similar across many members of the family. The […] Read more

Desk with finished botanical illustration, sweet peas, and paint box

Step by Step Everlasting Sweet pea botanical illustration

Posted on 26th July 201924th January 2023 in Botanical Illustration step by step

Sweet peas are beautiful flowers, and a joy to paint. This blog is a step by step guide to painting the Two-flowered Everlasting Sweet Pea Lathyrus grandiflorus. About Sweet peas Members of the legume family; Sweet peas are classed alongside peas, gorse, beans and lupins. Lots of food crops are members of this family; alfalfa, […] Read more

comparison of flower and painting of the periwinkle

Step by Step Periwinkle flower botanical illustration

Posted on 17th May 201917th May 2019 in Botanical Illustration step by step

I’ve always loved periwinkle flowers, Vinca major. The blue is such a delicate shade, and I relish the juxtaposition between the dark, glossy leaves and the powdery blue petals. I thought I’d do a quick step by step on how to go about mixing the colours, and illustrating this flower, not least because blue flowers […] Read more

Step by Step: False Virginia Creeper

Posted on 22nd February 20195th April 2019 in Botanical Illustration step by step

Whenever I paint a plant, I tend to use the same approach. This blog is a step by step look at how I paint the False Virginia Creeper, Parthenoccissus inserta. Pencil Rough Once you’ve assembled your reference (preferably from life as it’s much easier than working from photos), draw up a pencil rough. This needs […] Read more

Step by Step winter jasmine sketchbook study

Posted on 15th January 201922nd February 2019 in Botanical Illustration step by step

Winter jasmine, Jasminum nudiflorum, is one of the only flowers in bloom in Hay on Wye in January. I decided to do a sketchbook study of it, along with some notes on composition. Thinking about composition When you have a plant with a distinctive straggly shape, like the Winter jasmine, you want to consider how […] Read more

Botanical Illustration: Comparing HP Watercolour Papers 3

Posted on 20th October 201715th December 2020 in Illustration Equipment, Illustration techniques

Introduction to the watercolour paper quest This is the third of three reviews of Watercolour Hot Press papers for botanical illustration. This time, I find the holy grail…a replacement! Please check out the first and second in this series for more tests and results. As a natural history illustrator and someone who does plenty of botanical illustration, […] Read more

Botanical Illustration: Comparing HP Watercolour Papers 2

Posted on 21st June 201715th December 2020 in Illustration Equipment, Illustration techniques

This is the second of three reviews of watercolour Hot Press papers for botanical illustration. Please check out the first and third in this series for more tests and results! As a botanical illustrator, having a good hot press watercolour paper to work on is really important. Unfortunately, recently the paper I used to use, Fabriano […] Read more

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

Illustrations for Foraging for Edible Plants Chart

Posted on 8th April 201618th December 2018 in Current projects and news

I’ve recently been working on natural history illustrations for The Field Studies Councils publications department. They appear on a fold out chart of edible British plants which has only just come out. I’m delighted with the result. They’ve used my illustrations beautifully, and the way the information is included is innovative and clear. Finding reference Despite it being November […] Read more

Step by step illustration of a Wild Strawberry

Posted on 18th December 201518th December 2018 in Botanical Illustration step by step

One of the botanical illustrations I’ve been asked to paint as a natural history illustrator, is the Wild Strawberry . This will be one of the plants featured on a fold-out identification chart of Edible British Plants produced by the Field Studies Council. There’s also a 2 minute Youtube film of this illustration being completed online, in time […] Read more

Dog rose: Step by step illustration

Posted on 17th November 20153rd March 2020 in Botanical Illustration step by step

I’m currently working on a series of botanical illustrations and natural history drawings for Field Studies Council, who will use them on identification charts. One of the charts details edible British plants, and includes the Dog rose, Rosa canina. The first step is to draw up a pencil rough. I use a mechanical pencil, such as the Pentel […] 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

Illustrating at the National Botanic Garden of Wales

Posted on 26th June 201513th December 2018 in Scientific Illustrator out and about

My botanical illustrations have just appeared in The Garden Forager by Adele Nozedar, so we were honoured to be invited to the National Botanic Gardens of Wales to celebrate its launch. We also took part in a foraging weekend. Setting up in the Botanic Garden’s Glasshouse The event was based in the glorious glasshouse, and I have rarely been prouder […] Read more

Illustrating Invasive Plant Species

Posted on 4th June 201513th December 2018 in Showcase of themed natural history illustrations

Natural history illustrators have to do natural science and botanical illustrations of both beneficial and of problematic invasive species. Many times, the reason a plant or animal is causing problems within an ecosystem is because it doesn’t belong in that system. It hasn’t evolved in equilibrium with the other species there, and thus out-competes them. […] Read more

Botanical Illustration: Ivy

Posted on 22nd January 20157th December 2018 in Botanical Illustration step by step

I recently got to illustrate common Ivy Hedera helix. I’m often asked to do botanical illustrations of this plant, and always enjoy it enormously. Reference is so very easy to come by! I had look on the wall at the back of the garden, and decide the shape of this Ivy sprig is perfect; fluid but […] Read more

Step by Step Fly agaric fungus

Posted on 7th November 20145th December 2018 in Botanical Illustration step by step

Natural history illustrators are quick to paint specimens that turn up on their doorstep. So when Dave Prescott of Herefordshire New Leaf appears with a beautiful fly agaric fungus (Amanita muscaria) I leap at the chance to paint it. Drawing up the Fly agaric First up, draw it. I want to focus on the stem (stipe), so take […] 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

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Step by step Sketchbook study of a quince

Posted on 15th November 201327th November 2018 in Botanical Illustration step by step

My botanical illustrations being done for The Cultivated Forager (follow up to The Hedgerow Handbook, also by Adele Nozedar) are, inevitably, going to take a back seat over the colder months of the winter. However, this sprig of quince was still looking fresh, and the fruit in perfect condition. Drawing up a quince As before, this […] Read more

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Step by step – Painting a Sweet Pea

Posted on 19th July 201315th November 2018 in Botanical Illustration step by step

I’m currently working on a series of sketchbook style illustrations of common cultivated garden plants (like the sweet pea); there’s a possibility these will illustrate a book on foraging in the garden in the next year or so. One of the plants needing illustrating was the sweet pea. While visiting a friend, I espied her sweet peas, […] Read more

Step by step Salmonberry watercolour painting

Posted on 18th December 200113th September 2019 in Botanical Illustration step by step

One of the loveliest plants I had to paint for FSC Publications latest chart on invasive species is the Salmonberry, Rubus spectabliis. I’d not seen this plant before, and was amazed by the big pink flowers, and the striking similarity to blackberry and raspberry. Not surprisingly, I tackled painting the berries in a similar way. Pencil […] Read more