conker Archives - Lizzie Harper

Trees: Horse chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum

Posted on 27th July 2024 in Trees

Trees: Horse chestnut is one of a series of blogs I’m writing on common British trees. You can also see blogs on the Elder, the Yew, the Ash, the Oak, the Holly, the Sycamore, the Rowan, the Hawthorn, the Lime, Scots pine, and the Beech. The Horse chestnut is easily recognized, with distinctive palmate leaves […] Read more

Autumn Illustration workshop at Cambridge Botanic Gardens

Posted on 2nd January 201810th January 2019 in Painting workshops

In the autumn I was lucky enough to do two day’s teaching at Cambridge University Botanic Gardens teaching a botanical illustration course with a focus on drawing autumn fruits, berries, and leaves, to a class of twelve adults who varied from quite experienced to complete beginners. The first day we looked at leaves, and collected a wonderful assortment from […] 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