British trees Archives - Lizzie Harper

Trees: Hawthorn

Posted on 25th June 202125th June 2021 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

Trees: Ash

Posted on 2nd April 20212nd April 2021 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

Trees: Sycamore

Posted on 22nd January 202122nd January 2021 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 8th January 2021 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

Botanical Illustration of a Sycamore Leaf

Posted on 11th December 202011th December 2020 in Botanical Illustration step by step, Illustration techniques

This blog follows on from my earlier step by step post on drawing a Sycamore leaf, which also has an accompanying youtube film. Apologies for the grey background on some of the photos. The final piece (at the end of a blog) shows a truer version of the colours. Setting up When you’re about to […] Read more

Pen and Ink Illustrations of Trees

Posted on 11th October 201924th February 2022 in Illustration techniques, Showcase of themed natural history illustrations

The Living Wisdom of Trees: Commission In the summer, I completed more than a hundred pen and ink illustrations of trees for “The Living Wisdom of Trees” by Fred Hageneder. The commission involved illustrating 54 species of fully grown tree, along with details such as blossom, leaves, or fruit. Illustrating the botanical details was […] Read more