paint Archives - Lizzie Harper

A Visit to Cranfield Paint Factory

Posted on 11th October 2024 in Illustration Equipment

Visting the Cranfield paint factory was an absolute treat – the perfect combination of being wowed by the manufacturing processes, and being taught an enormous amount about a subject that I was already fascinated by. My friend Lucy, founding member of AGNES, arranged the visit. AGNES encourages ecologically sustainable practise within the arts community. Lucy […] Read more

Watercolour paints: Inside my paint box

Posted on 1st December 20234th July 2024 in Illustration Equipment

Watercolour paint choice is very personal, and everyone will have their own favourite colours. I have recently been giving the matter more thought as I try to simplify equipment lists for students, and thought I’d share my paint box with you. My paint box in use I also made a guide to the colours I […] Read more

Mosquito life cycle – illustrating the Anopholes mosquito

Posted on 21st April 20238th May 2023 in Current projects and news, Uncategorised

Introducing the African Malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiae The mosquito is one of the most loathed of all insects, partly because of the itchy bites they cause, but also because of their deadly role as vectors for disease, especially malaria. In 2021, according the the WHO World malaria report, there were 247 million cases and 619,000 […] Read more

Habit sketch of Cow parsley: step by step

Posted on 26th November 202126th November 2021 in Botanical Illustration step by step

Habit sketches are an important aspect of doing botanical illustrations. They need to show an entire plant, and suggest how it grows within its environment. This one of the Cow parsley, Anthriscus sylvatica, was recently done for FOR in Sweden. It accompanied a large sheet of sketches of the same plant. To learn more about […] Read more

Cow Parsley: All about an Umbellifer

Posted on 12th November 20211st July 2024 in Botany: Telling species apart, Current projects and news

Cow parsley Anthriscus sylvestris was on the list of plants I recently illustrated for FOR Sweden. These plants are invasive in Scandinavia, and particularly troublesome in Iceland. Sketchbook studies All the botanical illustrations I do for FOR are in a sketchbook format. I love working this way; it gives me the opportunity to include tons […] Read more

Botanical illustration of hawthorn berries y Lizzie with her paintbox

Equipment: Paintbrushes

Posted on 10th September 20218th May 2023 in Illustration Equipment, Illustration techniques, Testing Synthetic Watercolour brushes

Equipment: Paintbrushes is another in the series about what tools I use when I illustrate; so feel free to check out my earlier blogs on what watercolour paper to use, the guest blog on waterproof inks, watercolour paints, pencils and erasers, and another on what science stuff you might need. Paintbrushes As with all of […] Read more

Equipment: Paints

Posted on 19th February 202119th March 2021 in Illustration Equipment, Illustration techniques

Equipment: Paints is another in my series about materials and equipment used for creating botanical and natural history illustrations. Check out my blogs on which watercolour paper to use, pencils and erasers, and a review of waterproof inks. Future blogs in this series will include one on my paintbrush of choice, one on science stuff […] Read more