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9 Steps to Lifelike Leaves
Draw a Leaf in 9 Simple Steps When you create a botanical illustration showcasing a plant’s important parts, you are likely to face the challenge of drawing realistic green leaves. Though there are many different kinds of leaves, this tutorial focuses on how to draw a leaf with net veining (ex. rose, hibiscus, oak, hydrangea). … 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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Listen to Nature: We All Belong
Nothing is “Normal” What We Have to Learn from Flora and Fungi By Wendy Hollender, with Emet Lipson As I spend time drawing and learning from fungi and flora, I’m reminded again and again: diversity isn’t just beautiful — it’s essential. Nature grows in countless forms, and our lives depend on the cooperation of … Continued
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The Secret to Watercolor Techniques
The secret to producing the watercolor painting of your dreams is… patience! Wait for it to dry completely between layers. Keep reading for more helpful watercolor tips from our instructors. Go with the flow “Working in watercolor requires not only patience, but also the willingness to relinquish control. With colored pencils, we are mostly … Continued
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How to Identify & Illustrate The Nightshade Family
How to Identify & Illustrate The Nightshade Family Exploring Plants in Solanaceae By Wendy Hollender, botanical illustrator & educator The Nightshade Family Solanaceae Fun Fact: The potato is not a fruit but a tuber, part of the plant’s root system. A shout out to Tributary Farm for the majority of these wonderful vegetables. Meet the … Continued
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The Art of Drawing Leaves
A Botanical Artists’ Guide to a Realistic Leaf Illustrations Each leaf, with its unique shape, vein pattern, texture, and color, offers a new opportunity to observe and admire beauty in nature. Whether you’re sketching in a garden or from a specimen on your desk, embrace the joy of the drawing process over the pursuit of … Continued
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How To Draw a Tulip in 12 Easy Steps
Scroll through this post for many techniques and step-by-step instructions you can try to improve your tulip drawings. Flowers are notoriously tricky subjects to capture realistically because of their curling petals, tiny reproductive parts, and short life spans. If you feel like flowers are too difficult to draw or too complex for you to … Continued
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4 Tips for Drawing Twists, Rolls, & Folds
To capture 3D forms on a 2D surface, we use light and shadows to create the illusion of depth. This can be tricky, but never fear! We are here to help. Learn how to draw elegant twists, flowing rolls, and delicate folds with confidence! Explore the graceful movement of strappy botanical leaves (like those … Continued
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Recommended Recordings: Instructors’ Favorite Zoom Workshops
Recommended Recordings – Instructors’ Favorite Zoom Workshops Everyone can benefit from learning botanical illustration, so we teach in a way that is inclusive and fun for everybody, including our team of instructors! We love to share our passion for plants and knowledge of colored pencil and watercolor techniques with you. We have taught … Continued
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The Basics of Color Theory: A Guide for Botanical Artists
Learn more about the fascinating world of color theory! Scroll through this post for some free tips to help you achieve realistic colors in your botanical illustrations. Before we begin, we need to have a shared basic vocabulary for describing color. Visualizing a color using these definitions can make it easier to … Continued
