watercolour Archives - Page 2 of 4

Bird’s-foot Trefoil: An Excellent Plant

Posted on 4th January 2023 in Botany: Telling species apart, Current projects and news

Bird’s-foot Trefoil: Where to find it? This blog is in praise of a small, common wildflower which grows in grasslands. It spreads across the ground, and is low growing (rarely higher than 20cm). It favours sandy soils, but is tough and grows in a wide selection of substrates, and is able to grow in […] Read more

Beatrix Potter: Illustrator and Inspiration

Posted on 11th November 202216th February 2023 in Scientific Illustrator out and about, Showcase of themed natural history illustrations

Beatrix Potter is known to people the world over as the creator of the Peter Rabbit books. These are indeed wonderful, but there’s so much more to explore. This blog examines a little of the extraordinary skill and illustrative mastery of this Victorian writer and illustrator, thanks to a recent visit to the Beatrix Potter: […] Read more

Trees: Beech

Posted on 21st October 20229th December 2022 in Trees

Introduction Beech trees are common across Britain, favouring chalky soils. The oldest Beech trees live up to 400 years. You’ll find them in open spaces and in woodland and can tell them straight away by their smooth bark. The trees produce beech mast which is nutritious for animals, and the canopy supports wildlife. Beech wood […] Read more

Illustrating Yellow flowers: Five approaches

Posted on 9th September 2022 in Illustration techniques

Botanical illustrations of yellow flowers can be really challenging. As you try to add depth to the darker areas of the flower, you run the risk of making the petals look green, or orange. Here are a few techniques to try which should help mitigate this. Yellow Flowers 1: Pen and ink An easy way […] Read more

Ants in the UK: Four subfamilies

Posted on 26th August 202226th August 2022 in Biological terminology: Definitions, Current projects and news

Having recently written a blog on the anatomy of ants, and been on three marvellous FSC courses about these fabulous insects, I’m going to try and share what I’ve learned about telling the four UK subfamilies of ants apart. To get anywhere with ant identification, you need a basic grasp of ant anatomy, and a […] Read more

The Brecknockshire Flora

Posted on 27th July 202213th August 2022 in Current projects and news, Showcase of themed natural history illustrations

The Brecknockshire flora is written by John Crellin and Mike Porter, and is a detailed overview of the plants growing in Brecknockshire, along with their geographical distribution. It covers everything from Charophytes through eudicots, and most things in between. Although it will be, when completed, an academic volume aimed at botanists, the authors are keen […] Read more

Sedges, Grasses and Rushes: Telling the families apart

Posted on 1st July 2022 in Botany: Telling species apart

I recently went on another excellent FSC course, this time on identifying grasses (other grass courses by FSC available here). One of the first things to do is to figure out what makes a grass a grass, and not some other plant. In most cases, it’s sedges and rushes that can lead to confusion, so […] Read more

Ant anatomy for Beginners

Posted on 13th June 202222nd July 2022 in Biological terminology: Definitions, Current projects and news

I’ve recently gone on a couple of fabulous courses with Field Studies Council (FSC). Two of these focussed on Ants. They were taught by Gino Brignoli, and the second by Mike Fox, both ant experts. These courses are open to anyone with an interest, and are always an excellent way to learn an enormous amount […] Read more

Paintbrushes: Exploring synthetics Part 2

Posted on 29th March 20228th May 2023 in Illustration Equipment, Testing Synthetic Watercolour brushes

This blog is a follow up to one I wrote a while ago on Paintbrushes, and accompanies the series I’ve done on art equipment. There’s an accompanying Youtube film showing me trialling these four synthetic brushes. In my last blog (and accompanying Youtube film review of brushes ), I ended up recommending Rosemary and Co. […] Read more

Heath Star Moss Sketchbook study

Posted on 7th January 2022 in botanical terms, Current projects and news

Heath star moss is one of three invasive species I’ve just illustrated for FOR in Sweden. In this case, the moss is an unwelcome invasive in Iceland, where it outcompetes other mosses and affects the delicate balance of existing ecosystems. Sketchbook pages FOR have commissioned several sets of invasive species over the years, and favour […] 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

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

Cowberry original watercolour illustration for sale

Cannock Chase Museum: Exploring botany

Posted on 30th October 202130th October 2021 in Scientific Illustrator out and about

Cannock Chase Museum: Botany Cannock Chase museum was our destination on a recent field trip with the wonderful group IAPI (Institute for Analytical Plant illustration). The Chase is in the West Midlands, near Birmingham. The museum is a treasure trove of information about the area’s coal mining past, history of breeding racehorses, role as a […] 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

Wood Ants: Illustrating a guide to the wood ants of the Cairngorms

Posted on 22nd July 202122nd July 2021 in Current projects and news

Earlier this year, I had one of the hardest and most wonderful jobs. I was commissioned to illustrate all the Wood ants species that occur in the UK for an identification guide which has just been published by the Cairngorms National Park Authority . The physical guide is now available (and a classy item t is […] Read more

Trees: Hawthorn

Posted on 25th June 202125th June 2021 in Trees

Trees: Hawthorn is another blog inspired by my illustrations for “The Tree Forager” by Adele Nozedar, recently published by Watkins. It’s inspired me to have a look at a few of my favourite trees. The Hawthorn is another in this series, along side the Sycamore and the Oak. Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna is one of the commonest […] Read more

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

Trees: Ash

Posted on 2nd April 20212nd April 2021 in Trees

Trees: Ash This is the third in my series on common trees, and this time it’s the Ash tree under the spotlight. The Ash Fraxinus excelsior is one of our commonest trees, and is steeped in folklore. It’s easy to identify, and the timber is extraordinarily strong and versatile Identification: Tree shape Ash trees have […] 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

Trees: Sycamore

Posted on 22nd January 202122nd January 2021 in Trees

Trees: Sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus is a maple, and is Europe’s largest maple species. It’s easy to recognise, is common, and has some interesting folklore. Identification: Tree shape The tree grows to 35m and has a domed outline, with dense foliage. Trees often have heavy lower branches. It’s a deciduous species, and grows fast in a […] Read more

Trees: English Oak

Posted on 8th January 2021 in Trees

I’ve been working on illustrations for “The Tree Forager” by Adele Nozedar, due to be published in August 2021. It’s inspired me to have a look at a few of my favourite trees. The English oak is the first in the series. The English oak Quercus robur truly is an iconic tree. English Oak is […] Read more

Botanical Illustration of a Sycamore Leaf

Posted on 11th December 202011th December 2020 in Botanical Illustration step by step, Illustration techniques

This blog follows on from my earlier step by step post on drawing a Sycamore leaf, which also has an accompanying youtube film. Apologies for the grey background on some of the photos. The final piece (at the end of a blog) shows a truer version of the colours. Setting up When you’re about to […] Read more

Comparing Periwinkle Species

Posted on 27th November 202027th November 2020 in Botany: Telling species apart

Periwinkle species feature on the list of a recent job of invasive plants I’ve completed for FOR Sweden. I’m very fond of these plants; that warm, mauve blue coupled with the glossy green leaves makes for a pretty garden plant. It was a pleasure to spend time comparing the Lesser periwinkle, Vinca minor (a problematic […] Read more