The Process of Illustration
Lizzie works traditionally, by hand.
After researching the species she’s illustrating, she gathers reference (preferably specimens not images)
Working from a variety of sources, and being sure to emphasise species-specific traits, she draws up her illustration in pencil
Once the client approves this, she’ll complete the illustration in tonal pencil, pen and ink, pen and ink with watercolour wash, or full watercolour
Botanical Illustrations in Watercolour
Lizzie starts by plotting in her dark areas, then blends to lighter colours.
Finally, she picks out her darkest shadows with a deep mix of purple and blue
For more detailed information, check out her step by step blogs
Botanical Illustrations in Pen and Ink
Lizzie begins by drawing in pen and ink outlines
Next, she plots in the darkest areas with patches of solid ink
Finally, she blends these sharply distinct areas with endless stippled dots
If required, she’ll apply a top wash of watercolour
For more detailed information, check out her step by step blogs
Animal Illustrations in Watercolour
Working with specimens from her freezer whenever possible, Lizzie carefully colour matches paint to fur or feathers
Using lots of tiny strokes to add texture, she plots in her darkest shadows
With paler, diluted tints she blends these to lighter colours.
A top wash unifies the illustration and adds vibrancy
Lastly, she plots in the darkest shadows with a deep mix of blue and purple
For more detailed information, check out her step by step blogs
Animal Illustrations in Pen & Ink
First, Lizzie draws in the outlines
She next blocks in the darkest shadows with solid ink
Stippling, she tries to create an easy visual transition between dark areas and the white page
A top wash of colour can be added once the ink is dry
The process is very similar to her botanical pen and ink work
Watercolour Landscape Illustrations
Working from a client list, Lizzie collects species info and visual reference for all the plants and animals involved
Pencil roughs help position each species in the landscape
A more detailed pencil version is sent to the client, with annotations
Once approved, Lizzie “colours in” from distant landscape to foreground
She completes all the plants first
Finally, she will add the “jigsaw pieces” of the animals
For more on this process, check out the following blogs:
Illustrating a Coastal Hay Meadow
Illustrating a Water Meadow Landscape
Illustrating Malham Cove
To see Lizzie’s work as she completes it, follow her on Instagram
She often posts photos of her works in progress in her “Stories” and has links to her blogs, many of which are step by step explanations
This is the European Water Rail, Rallus aquaticus
Its a bird I am yet to see in the wild as it is secretive. It`s found in wetlands, where it hides in thick vegetation.
The last image shows it alongside many tiny toadlets who share the habitat.
#naturalhistoryilliustration #noaiart #waterrail ...
Thistles are brilliant flowers for pollinators, and are the food plants for several butterfly species, like the Painted Lady
They`re also rather beautiful, so Im trying to leave them to grow in corners of the garden rather than pull them out and label them as "weeds"
#thistle #cirsium #botanicalillustration #sciart #noaiart ...
This is a recent of the foxglove Digitaria purpurea
Although Ive illustrated it before, I wasn`t overjoyed with the paintings I`d done, so took the opportunity of a free day to complete a better version.
With the soft green leaves and purple flowers with the dark purple spots in their throats, it`s been a treat to illustrate.
#botanicalart #botanicalillustration #foxgloves #digitaria ...
New blog out, one in a series on trees. This one is all about the Olive, Olea europea:
https://lizzieharper.co.uk/2026/07/olive-olea-europea/
There`s plenty of the history and folklore of the Olive, as well as some on the botany and the threats facing this crop, and some surprising facts about uses the Olive has been put to over millenia.
The colours of olives and olive leaves are a joy to work with, muted greens and warm purples. And drawing the twisted trunk of an ancient olive tree is a treat.
#olive #oleaeuropea #noai #botanicalillustration ...
My garden is baking in the UK heat, but these four wildflowers are thriving, and attracting loads of pollinators. Bees, hoverflies, and lots of butterflies.
There`s Scabiosa columbaria Small scabious, Oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare, Common Knapweed Centaura nigra and Evening primrose Oenothera biennis.
I`m a rubbish gardener, so any "weeds" that grow in my garden are welcomed, and I grew the Knapweed from seed. Now it pops up everywhere, much to the pleasure of the bumble bees. It`s one of the top 5 nectar producing wildflowers in the UK, hence it`s popularity with the insects.
Scabious, with its beautiful pale blue blooms, is another of the same top 5 species.
No idea where the very blousy Evening primrose came from, but it looks great.
I feel incredibly lucky to still have these flowers looking lovely in the garden, despite not being watered, and despite the high temperatures and dry weather.
(My #botanicalillustrations) ...
Lovely to get my copy of the RHS Wildflower pocket guide by Gareth Richards, which I was lucky enough to so some botanical illustrions for.
Putting colour behind my illustrations makes them look really different, its an interesting effect.
#botanicalart #botanicalillustration #RHS #wildflowers ...
New step by step film just out, this one is me doing a botanical illustration of Lavender Lavendula angustifolia "Hidcote":
https://youtu.be/2au3CZVGNQk
Hope you enjoy it, and that maybe you can get your hands on some lavender to draw and paint too?
#botanicalillustration #stepbystep #arttuition #flowerpaintings #botanicalart ...
Lizzie Harper Newsletter June 2026
Hear about Lizzie`s books, due to be published in 2027; other commissions and jobs, bread her blogs, hear about her workshops, and have the opportunity to buy original illustrations. ...
Sketchbooks
Most of Lizzie’s work is done direct to order
However, when she gets the chance she loves sketching for pleasure
Below are some pages from her sketchbooks
