process Archives - Lizzie Harper

Great Burnet Step by Step

Posted on 25th August 2023 in Botanical Illustration step by step

Recently, I’ve illustrated the Great Burnet, Sanguisorba officinalis for an interpretation board, to be cited on Jubilee Pasture, in Bugthorpe, Yorkshire. This blog is a step by step explanation of the process. For step by steps of other botanical subjects, please click here, and visit my Youtube channel for real-time films of me illustrating plants […] Read more

Step by step illustration of a Robin

Posted on 24th December 202124th December 2021 in Zoological step by step

Step by step blogs can be tricky to write – I often don’t know where to begin the explanation. In this blog, I’ll explain how I add colour to a pencil drawing of a Robin Erithacus rubecula. Completed Robin Step by step: Getting reference To get your drawing done, look for royalty free photos online, […] 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

Blueberry: step by step Pen and Ink illustration

Posted on 15th October 2021 in Botanical Illustration step by step

I recently completed a blueberry illustration for a packaging job, and thought it’d be the perfect opportunity to give a quick explanation of how I illustrate shiny dark fruit in pen and ink. Drawing blueberries Coming up with the initial drawing was tricky. it had to fit the layout of the product’s box, and the […] Read more

Step by step Downy Birch leaves

Posted on 9th July 20219th July 2021 in Botanical Illustration step by step

This blog shows how to ink up the Downy Birch leaves and catkins, Betula pubescens. It accompanies a Youtube film which you can watch, to fill in the details. Starting out Begin with a decent pencil illustration of your subject. No need for any shading or tonal detail, but an accurate line pencil drawing is required. […] Read more

Illustrating a Deer for Packaging

Posted on 19th June 202019th June 2020 in Current projects and news, Illustration techniques

My earlier blog, Wild Shreds: Illustrating Pet Food packaging gave an overview of completing illustrations of a series of animals for Wild Shreds pet food. In this post I’ll take a look at the work involved in creating one of these illustrations; the Deer. All illustrations in this blog are copyright Spot Farms 2019. My deer […] Read more

Botanical Illustration of a Japanese Rose

Posted on 15th May 202015th May 2020 in Botanical Illustration step by step

In my last blog, Botanical illustration of Rose leaves, I discussed the processes involved in completing a botanical study of the leaves of the Japanese Rose, Rosa rugosa. This blog will focus on the flower. This sketchbook study was completed for FOR Sweden, and is one of a series of 12 invasive species illustrated. As […] Read more

Botanical Illustration of Rose Leaves

Posted on 1st May 202015th May 2020 in Botanical Illustration step by step

A recent job involved illustrating the Japanese Rose, Rosa rugosa. It’s not the first time this plant has been commissioned, and I’ve done blogs in the past on my approach to illustrating other roses and this very flower. It’s one of a series of invasive plants that were completed for FOR Sweden, and this week’s […] 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

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 Rowan berry

Posted on 10th February 201912th February 2019 in Botanical Illustration step by step

If you’re doing a botanical illustration of a cluster of fruit, the first thing to do is figure out how to tackle one lone berry. In this case, it’s the beautiful bright orange Rowan berry that’s under the spotlight. I have a Rowan, or Mountain ash tree in my garden. Not only do the clusters […] Read more

Step by Step Barn Swallow

Posted on 14th January 2019 in Zoological step by step

Illustrating birds is always wonderful. When it’s for a friend, is a bird you love, and when you have specimens to work from, it’s even better. Pencil roughs As always, the first step in a natural history illustration is to source your reference material and draw up a pencil sketch. I do this directly onto […] Read more

Botanical Illustration of an Autumn leaf

Posted on 15th November 201814th January 2019 in Botanical Illustration step by step

Autumn leaves are incredibly beautiful. The form of the leaf coupled with their wonderful variety of colours make them a treat for anyone to illustrate. This blog is a step by step guide to painting a brightly coloured autumn leaf, in this case a Boston Ivy Parthenocissus tricuspidata leaf. (I’ll mention here that until I wrote […] Read more

Cowslip botanical illustration: Sketchbook study

Posted on 7th September 201814th January 2019 in Illustration techniques

Late this spring, I completed a private commission to illustrate the Cowslip, Primula veris, as if doing a sketchbook study. Sketckbook study sheet of the Cowslip These are almost my favourite sort of commission as I can spend time really getting to know the plant, examing it from different angles, dissecting out its structures, checking out […] Read more

Pansy step by step sketchbook study

Posted on 10th May 201811th January 2019 in Botanical Illustration step by step

Pansies and violas are one of the loveliest garden plants to study through botanical illustration; they’re also common, affordable, and quite easy to paint. This blog will talk you through the basic steps in completing a sketchbook study of a viola or pansy. For lots more of my botanical illustration step by steps, click here. […] Read more

Step by step Painting Bloom on a Fruit

Posted on 30th November 20179th January 2019 in Botanical Illustration step by step

In this blog, I’ll go through the steps involved in creating a life like botanical illustration of a fruit with a “bloom” or cloudiness on its skin, such as these Sloes (Prunus spinosa). These feature on a series of stamps completed for Jersey Post in their Fruit and Berries issue, out now. (Click here for a […] Read more

Step by step Great Willowherb

Posted on 19th May 20178th January 2019 in Botanical Illustration step by step

One of the botanical illustrations I was recently commissioned to complete for the Field Studies Council is the Great willowherb, Epilobium hirstutum. This will feature in an upcoming leaflet on Wayside wild flowers. Here is an explanation of the steps involved in creating a botanically accurate illustration which is also visually appealing. It needs to allow a novice to identify […] Read more

Botanical Illustration of Red Clover- step by step

Posted on 20th April 20178th January 2019 in Botanical Illustration step by step

This botanical illustration of Red clover Trifolium pratense was completed recently for the Field Studies Council who are producing a leaflet on identifying plants and wild flowers of the wayside and hedgerows. You’ll see the same basic approach is taken with all my step by step blogs; it’s only the details and colours that very. Gathering reference […] Read more

Botanical Illustration: Rose step by step

Posted on 3rd July 201430th November 2018 in Botanical Illustration step by step

I love the series of 50 natural history illustrations (done in a sketchbook style) needed for the follow up to The Hedgerow Handbook by Adele Nozedar. This rose is one of the plants on the list. The book is “The Cultivated Forager”, and will tell you what and how to eat common garden plants. Preparing to paint This week […] Read more

Step by step, process, tutorial, how to, art teaching, art tutorial, sxs, sketchbook, sketchbook study,

Step by step sketchbook study of a rose

Posted on 12th July 201315th November 2018 in Botanical Illustration step by step

I recently did a botanical illustration sketchbook study of a rose for a natural history illustration project I’m working on. This proved really tricky; partly because the flower and foliage were very dense and lush, but mostly because by the end the rose had shed all its petals! Step 1: Set up the Rose and […] Read more

Natural History Illustration: A Stag Beetle in Woodland

Posted on 31st March 201327th November 2018 in Current projects and news

I had a wonderful comission recently; to do a natural history illustration of a stag beetle to accompany a poem by Chris Meredith. Starting the job I began by reading the poem carefully (I’ve transcribed it at the end of this article) to get the atmosphere right, and to list what species I’d be […] Read more

Botanical illustration of hawthorn berries y Lizzie with her paintbox

Step by step Botanical illustration of Hawthorn berries

Posted on 1st January 201317th October 2018 in Botanical Illustration step by step

In this blog I’ve broken down the steps involved in painting the berries of the Hawthorn Craetegus monogyna. This approach works just as well for any red shiny berry, although you’ll need to take care with what hue of red you mix. The real secret to getting these berries looking properly shiny is to ensure you […] Read more