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The Meditative Spiritual Practice of Botanical Art
We all find happiness in our own ways, whether we chase peaks of euphoria or nurture a constant connection to our true selves. From the calm stability of meditative toning (read on for guided exercises) to the euphoric high of finishing a beautiful and realistic rendering, botanical drawing can benefit everyone, which is why we … Continued
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Understanding Flowers
Check out some of the helpful drawing tips taught in our course, The Practice of Botanical Drawing! A flower is the reproductive part or seed-bearing portion of a plant. The main function of a flower is attraction. The enticing form, color, smell and the promise of sweet nectar makes resistance difficult for any pollinator or … Continued
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Practice Makes Progress
If you learned to ride a bike, you most likely didn’t learn it all at once. You probably learned by riding your bike over and over and over. In the beginning, you may have struggled to maintain balance and survived a few falls along the way, but after getting back on your bike again and … Continued
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Set For Success
We want to set you up for success as you begin the botanical drawing process! Here are some of our best tips to prepare your workspace to help before you even put your pencil to paper: Prepare Your Workspace Ready your supplies. Gather and arrange any paper, pencils, colored pencils, watercolor pencils, paintbrushes, palettes, water, … Continued
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Why Botanical Illustration Matters
“The aesthetic beauty of botanical illustration has fascinated and inspired people for centuries but beyond its visual appeal, botanical drawings help identify and understand plants in a timeless manner. Its original purpose was to aid in plant identification for medicinal and culinary uses. Over the centuries, as the discipline developed, botanical illustration has proven itself … Continued
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Draw Spring! Botanical inspiration around the globe
Spring is here! Now is a great time to draw bulbs, buds, and new growth that’s popping up everywhere. When the ground is soft, you can usually get a good look at the roots of a plant. Tulips, crocus, and daffodils will start to appear. Also trees will start to show their baby leaves. Study … Continued
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Brighten the world with your creations
The next time you are finishing up a drawing, put your pencils and paintbrushes down. Admire your page, and take a few deep breaths. Inhale joy, exhale frustration. Inhale peace, exhale stress. Inhale positivity, exhale negativity. Your mind may wonder if you are accurately representing your subject, or notice areas you want to improve. … Continued
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Decolonizing Botanical Art
By Emet Lipson & the Draw Botanical Team Black History is History and should be celebrated always; February being Black History Month is a great excuse to start a conversation about decolonizing botanical illustration and highlight Black culture and Black excellence within a botanical frame. “If we aim to start a conversation about decolonizing … Continued
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Practicing Composition
Check out some of our helpful drawing tips regarding composition that we teach in our course, The Practice of Botanical Drawing! How do you plan compositions? Wendy sometimes lays the actual elements directly on the page! She will also sometimes pin her subject directly to her drawing board to plan her arrangement. Another … Continued
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Practicing Roots
Check out some of our helpful drawing tips regarding roots that we teach in our course, The Practice of Botanical Drawing! Drawing roots is an important component of botanical drawing. Roots may seem complicated, but when you analyze their characteristics, drawing them becomes a simpler step-by-step process. The patterns in roots are similar … Continued
