Celebrate Wendy Hollender with her Joyful Pearls of Wisdom

It’s Wendy’s birthday! The only thing Wendy Hollender might enjoy more than the art of botanical illustration is sharing her passion with others so that everyone may experience the joys of botanical drawing. To celebrate Draw Botanical’s founder this year, we are sharing Wendy’s wisdom with you. 

 

 

“Dear Wendy…”

Advice for Aspiring Artists

In addition to creating a curriculum that teaches an approachable method to create realistic, three-dimensional plant illustrations using colored pencil and watercolor, Wendy shares how she stays motivated to keep drawing. She truly walks the walk (well actually, draws the drawing!), continuing to create and share her experience to keep all of us motivated to return to our drawing tables. 

 

 

Throughout Wendy’s 25+ years as an artist and educator, many people have asked her many questions. We collected the most common statements she heard and are sharing her inspirational answers here in this post. (Find even more of Wendy’s Wisdom here.)

 

I am too busy to find time to practice botanical drawing.

Emotional needs are just as pressing as physical needs. Not eating may cause you to faint, but not making time for joy causes hopelessness and despair. So just as you spend time each day preparing and eating food so you don’t faint, find a few minutes in your day to enjoy drawing so you remember how beautiful the world is. 

Start simple and build your skills slowly, learning one skill at a time. Maybe start with a few minutes or these 5 warm-up exercises. Practice a little bit every day. Make drawing a habit, and feel the benefits for yourself! 

 

I’m overwhelmed and don’t want to start if I won’t be able to finish soon.

Start small with bite-sized drawings, concentrating on one skill at a time. Working on small drawings is a great way to get started and stay motivated, knowing you only have to commit a small amount of time to feel accomplished.

Wendy’s book, The Joy of Botanical Drawing, is organized like a cookbook and full of bite-sized botanical drawing lessons. If you feel like working on leaves, go to the chapter on leaf lessons, and find flowers in the flower section. The book helps beginners get started and experts take their skills to the next level to achieve amazingly realistic and vibrant botanical illustrations. 

 

I want to do so many creative things, I can’t decide which one to choose.

It is easy to scroll through social media feeds full of amazing creations by so many talented artists and quickly become overwhelmed. So many ideas, so little time. The more time you spend deliberating, the less time you spend actively creating. 

Don’t get stuck in the desert of indecision. Any choice you make will be the right choice for you. Whether you’re someone who likes to juggle multiple projects at once or someone who prefers finishing one thing before starting something else, you are the only one who knows what works for you. If you’re not sure what works for you, experiment and see how you feel. Listen to yourself. 

Remember that it’s okay to change your mind! Always date your work so you can document (and celebrate!) your progress.

 

The negative voice in my head is too loud, I don’t believe I can draw.

Here’s how to quiet your inner critic. Next time that negative voice tries to interject, kindly invite them to take a seat. Instead, let your inner positive voice remind yourself that art is for everyone (including YOU!). Don’t be afraid to be wrong, and just keep practicing. (We’ve never had a student get worse with practice!)

Nothing quiets a critic quite like a compliment. We are often our harshest critics, so it’s important to get help from others. Their feedback will be much more positive than you think! Let our caring community support you in believing in yourself. Join a live workshop, in-person or online.

 

When creating by myself, I get kind of lonely and bored.

Enjoy connecting with your plant. Celebrate your new friendship! If botanical relationships don’t help you feel less alone, drawing workshops (both in-person and online) are a great way to create in community. When working alone, try listening to music/podcasts/audiobooks or chatting with a friend to help occupy your mind while your hand is busy. Do whatever works for you! If you don’t know what works for you, experiment with different options and see how you feel.

Make sure you focus on what interests you, whether that’s veggies in your garden, wildflowers on the side of the road, or anything else that catches your attention. Have your own focus, and embrace your style! Concentrating on aspects you’re most passionate about is the ultimate path to JOY. 

 

I am not sure what to do next in my drawing. How do I know when I am finished?

Let nature be your guide. Listen to your plant, and mindfully follow your focus. 

Reach out to our expert instructors & supportive, talented community for help and honest feedback to figure out next steps for your drawing. Active subscribers to our online courses gain access to our private Art Feed and Webinars. The more you listen to the feedback given to others, the better you’ll get at evaluating your own work. See student success stories here.

 

You can find these inspirational answers and much more in Wendy’s book, The Joy of Botanical Drawing. The book details her favorite way of working, mixing watercolor and colored pencil together to create detailed botanical portraits.

 

Focus on Joy & Keep Drawing

If you focus on the joy of doing, listen (with your eyes) to the beauty of nature, and don’t worry about results, you will always be in a good place. Draw what you can see, and see what you can draw! Keep brightening the world with your creations. With just a few art supplies, we can turn our passion into preservation. If we don’t, who will?