Author: Emet Lipson
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Turning Passion into Preservation
How can we, as botanical artists, make a difference in the world? We can document what is happening outside, right here, right now! Nature’s only constant is change – what you see outside today could be gone by tomorrow. But drawings last much longer! Botanical illustrations are the perfect way to keep the essence of … Continued
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Celebrate Your Progress
When we look at our own artwork, it can be hard to quiet our inner critics and easy to get caught up in chasing perfection and comparing ourselves to others. While admiring expert artistry can be inspiring, it can also be discouraging with thoughts like, “They’re way better than I am,” “I could never … Continued
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Sketching Summer: Ideas & Botanical Definitions
The Practice of Botanical Drawing started as a year-long Challenge, prompting students to track a tree or woody shrub of their choice through all its stages for a year. The final product becomes a “Sketchbook of the Seasons,” with + color and tonal drawings + herbarium components, and + journal documentation from 1-2 trees … Continued
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Verdant Meditations
Thank you to Taliesin Thomas for this lovely feature on dirt-mag.com, aptly titled, “Verdant Meditations.” The piece explores how I became a botanical artist, the philosophy behind the Draw Botanical Method, and a peek into the magic I’ve been making most recently. (See the full feature here.) Plant Partners I work entirely … Continued
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Ultimate Guide to Art Mediums
On the Community Art Feed, in monthly Webinars, and in every Workshop, we are blown away by your work and how no two drawings are exactly alike. Even if we’re all drawing the same subject with the same supplies, we all see (and draw) differently! Different artists prefer working with different materials for … Continued
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10 Questions Every Artist Should Ask While Drawing
Whether you’re just getting started with botanical drawing or you’re a seasoned illustrator, make sure you are set for success and ask yourself these 10 questions to produce realistic botanical illustrations. Beginner Artists, Don’t Miss! Everything you need to know to get started on your botanical art journey is as easy as 1-2-3! Click … Continued
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The Magnolia Family
The Magnolia Family Magnoliaceae 25+ years ago, I was new to botanical illustration and studying at the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) when I discovered the beautiful and unusual flowers of the Tulip Tree that took my breath away. Tulip Tree and Magnolia seed pods are also fascinating! (If you’ve ever seen Dick Raugh’s large … Continued
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Here to Help!
Do you ever look at your page and think, “hmm… something’s not quite right, but I don’t know what…”? You are far from alone, friend. And we are here to help! If you’re reading this, thank you for being a member of our Draw Botanical family. If you subscribe to one our online courses, … Continued
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The Nightshade Family
The Nightshade Family Solanaceae I knew that tomatoes, tomatillos, peppers, potatoes, and eggplants were all related (because apparently eating them causes inflammation), and I was so excited to draw those all together that I dug a little deeper to find out which other plants were members of the nightshade family. Did you know that Tobacco … Continued
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The Onion Family
The Onion Family Alliaceae, sub family of Liliaceae After foraging for ramps near a rail trail in High Falls in May 2021, I read a NYTimes article aptly titled Know Your Onions (+ Shallots + Leeks + Ramps) by Melissa Clark. This inspired me to start a large composition of the Allium family, starting with … Continued
