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How to Draw a Realistic Three-Dimensional Rose
Have you always wanted to draw and paint a rose? I love to look at old botanical illustrations and chintz fabrics of cabbage roses. They are quite enchanting, in part, due to the use of dramatic light and shadow. Check out Pierre Joseph Redoute to see the most beautiful and famous botanical paintings of roses. … Continued
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Instagram for the Botanical Artist
I am a fan of Instagram. As a botanical illustrator, author, and instructor I look for ways to experience creativity and think in different ways about botanical art. I follow a lot of other botanical artists on Instagram that I admire, and I decided to ask some of them about how they use Instagram to … Continued
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Botanical Art Workshop in Greece 2018
Botanical Art Workshop Retreat on the Pelion Peninsula in Greece, June 2018 Lafkos is an old village dating back to the 15th century. There is exceptional plant diversity in this region that rivals anywhere else in the world, which makes it a paradise for botanical artists. We drew, ate, walked, collected plants, swam, ate some … Continued
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Botanical Illustration Workshop in Paradise
There are several reasons why a Botanical Illustration Workshop at the National Tropical Botanical Garden on Kauai, Hawaii is one of my favorite places to teach and draw plants. On March 15, 2018, we concluded our 9th year of this three-week intensive workshop, which grows more popular each year. We now have two full time … Continued
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Review of "Leonardo Da Vinci" by Walter Isaacson
Book recommendations to listen to while drawing. As some of you know or can imagine, being a botanical artist requires a lot of time spent at the drawing board. I often listen to audio books as I work, which helps me to relax and stay focused on my drawing. My mind is free to listen … Continued
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Teaching Botanical Illustration - How and Why I began
Nature is a perfectionist when it comes to the arrangement of form and color. Let nature guide you and you will always find the process of drawing educational and exciting. I studied art in college at the Rhode Island School of Design and became a professional textile designer. I never studied teaching, though many art … Continued
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Get Started with Botanical Drawing
I want to help you get started with botanical drawing. I will share with you the most common reasons that stop people from starting to draw, and I’ll give you tips on how to overcome these road blocks. Often people think that accomplished artists are born with a natural talent to draw. I am here … Continued
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Drawing Botanical Illustration: Experiments in Lithography
I have been interested in learning lithography techniques for a long time. I discovered a print studio and workshop near my home, and I decided to give it a try. Of course I would be drawing botanical illustration. All I knew about lithography was that it was based on drawing with an oil crayon on … Continued
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Timeless Botanical Drawing Technique from a 1760 Coloring Book
I recently taught a drawing workshop at the Midwest Women’s Herbal Conference. Naturally in this venue, the attendees were plant fans and enthusiastic to learn botanical drawing. At one point, someone asked me about creating an adult coloring book to go along with that popular trend. I replied that I thought Botanical Drawing was so … Continued
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Botanical Drawing Technique: Composition and Emily Dickinson’s Herbarium
In its unfading flowers I hear the bright bee hum: Prithee, my brother, Into my garden come!” ― Emily Dickinson This post references the article: “Emily Dickinson’s Herbarium: A Forgotten Treasure at the Intersection of Science and Poetry” by Maria Popova. Read the original article here. The recent digitization of Emily Dickinson’s herbarium pages by Harvard … Continued
