orchids Archives - Lizzie Harper

Spotted Plants and Fungi

Posted on 20th November 202323rd August 2024 in Patterns in nature

Spotted plants and fungi is one of a series of blogs on patterns, follow the links for an overview of pattern, more on stripes, leaf variegation, and a step by step of a variegated geranium leaf. How are spots formed? Spots in plants are caused by areas of darker pigmentation, usually red anthocyanins. Plants sometimes […] 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

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