watercolor techniques Archives

Chequered Skipper Butterfly Illustration

Posted on 6th May 202111th January 2023 in Zoological step by step

Chequered skipper butterflies used to be comparatively common in England, but became extinct here over 40 years ago. There’s still a population in Scotland, but nothing in England. However, the good people at Butterfly Conservation and Back to the brink teamed up with other conservation partners and set about changing that. The result is the […] Read more

Jersey Post: Illustrating Thrift

Posted on 3rd April 2020 in Current projects and news, Illustration techniques

In February, my series of Coastal Flower postage stamps were published by Jersey Post. The presentation pack featured a cliff-top scene in amongst clouds of thrift. This blog explains how I did my best to capture both the flowers and the landscape behind. (All illustrations in this post are copyright Jersey Stamps 2020.) For more […] Read more

Jersey Post: Coastal Flowers Stamp issue

Posted on 20th March 202020th March 2020 in Current projects and news, Showcase of themed natural history illustrations

Jersey Post recently brought out their “Coastal Flowers: Post and Go” stamp issue, which I was lucky enough to have illustrated. (All illustrations in this blog are copyright Jersey Post 2020). Illustrating stamps Each stamp issue involves illustrating six stamps, a presentation pack, an envelope for the First Day Cover, and a date stamp. This […] Read more

Pied Wagtail Illustration

Posted on 20th December 2019 in Zoological step by step

Pied Wagtail The Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba yarrellii is a common garden and urban bird here in Wales. I love the way they trot about, wagging their elongate tail up and down and cocking their black-capped heads inquisitively to one side. We have a regular garden visitor who spends a lot of time scampering from […] Read more

Sycamore Tree step by step

Posted on 6th December 20196th December 2019 in Botanical Illustration step by step

Sycamore trees can have distinctive shapes, and be well loved by those who recognize them. This is why I was commissioned to illustrate a large Sycamore tree growing in the churchyard of All Saint’s Church in Slingsby, North Yorkshire. The tree that dominates the graveyard was to be the centrepiece of a new interpretation board. […] Read more

Botanical Illustration of a Brassica Leaf

Posted on 8th November 2019 in Illustration techniques

An Introduction to Brassicaceae Actually, before I start this blog I need to clarify the title, “Botanical Illustration of a Brassica leaf”. The leaf I’m discussing is that of a Yellow Mustard plant, Brassica juncea, a species of Brassica. The colours of Brassica leaves are very similar across many members of the family. The […] Read more

Mixing Neutral Tints and Colours

Posted on 10th August 2019 in Illustration techniques, Uncategorised

What are Neutral Tints? Neutral tints (or colours) are grey hues which don’t carry any dominant shade. They are, as the name suggests, neutral. In 1887, a neutral tint was defined by Winsor & Newton as, “‘A compound shadow colour of a cool neutral character.” So a blue-grey or a grey with a pink […] 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

comparison of flower and painting of the periwinkle

Step by Step Periwinkle flower botanical illustration

Posted on 17th May 201917th May 2019 in Botanical Illustration step by step

I’ve always loved periwinkle flowers, Vinca major. The blue is such a delicate shade, and I relish the juxtaposition between the dark, glossy leaves and the powdery blue petals. I thought I’d do a quick step by step on how to go about mixing the colours, and illustrating this flower, not least because blue flowers […] 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 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

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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