Activity

Leaf shading is not great, I haven’t done the leaf tutorials yet. 🙂 It’s the overlapping skill I’m trying to work out.

Hi Peta- the leaf drawing is really well done! As is the view of the branch and seed pods! Beautiful work! My comment would be on the leaves. While we draw leaves with a dark side and a light side both respective sides do have both dark and light areas on them just in different ratios. Your leaves are too divided down the middle with a dark and…[Read more]

These are such great studies!

@Doug Milne Thank you so much for helping me understand how to do the leaves better. I am working through the botanical basics and haven’t got to the leaf bit yet. 🙂 You are absolutely right about the embossing tool too. I’ll try the things you suggest when I attempt a leaf again. I’ve also just ordered Wendy’s book because I see you guys…[Read more]

It’s been a crazy busy week. Finally got back to the Botanical basics videos today, and really really loved drawing the roots. So therapeutic!

Hi Peta, Strange, I never thought of drawing roots as “therapeutic” But looking at this drawing certainly is! I love the rhythms! and I really feel the depth. Beautiful job. The only thing I’m seeing that bothers me is the top of the root on the far right seems too light. Particularly next to that dark shadow side of the tuber.

@katylyness Thanks a lot, I can totally see what you mean about that little right hand root. It’s annoying me now. Will fix it. 🙂 Thank you.

Beautiful, Peta!

I was not going to post this as I am really struggling trying to figure out how to tone and make what I am toning look like a tomato. I have started soooooooo many and ripped them up. I forced myself to stop making this one worse and to post it for some feedback. Ugh. Lol

Hi Linda, Don’t tear this up! It is looking good. You have good toning skills and your basic drawing is sound. Just a few things will give it a more “tomato” feel. First of all, if you have Wendy’s The Joy of Botanical Drawing, check out pages 43-45. She has great instruction on toning a spheric object. In general, think about the light source. H…[Read more]

If you’d like to see a tomato I drew for reference, check out my portfolio. There is an drawing of a tomato with a peach. I did this drawing to examine the way textures on a surface affect the highlights and shadows.

I’m so glad that you were brave and posted this! Good job. We are all here to learn. Our own drawings are never as bad as we think. 🙂 All of us “instructors” have drawers full of “lost” drawings.:)

You said it Sam! “lost” is a good term.

Hi Theodora, this is so lovely! That center just pops out at me. I can’t look away!

This is so bright and beautiful!

Gorgeous Dora! Such bright, pure colors! It looks like it is floating on the page!!!

Pretty! Yes you really captured the glow of the mighty sunflower.

Great little portrait, Lisa! Acorns are such great subjects.