The Botanical Art Files Narratives

This book explores the various narratives that exist in botanical art. It explores their roots in the traditions of botanical illustration, along with the people that pioneered its techniques, conventions and styles. It looks at others who have the power to inspire us, and considers what made them so unique. Its aim is to consider the scope of the botanical art genre today, and its development from the diverse functions it has needed to fulfill in the past. There are many reasons to want to be a botanical artist.There is more than one path to follow, and more than one goal to aspire to. Botanical artists naturally have different objectives and enhtusiasms. There are those who are fascinated by fungi, and others who are inspired by their local indigenous species. Some much prefer to draw than to paint, and of course some simply love to paint flowers, the more colorful and exotic the better.

Petite in size but packed with inspiration, Just Draw Botanicals presents 90 beautiful, contemporary botanical artworks in a range of media and styles. Each spread includes a stunning work of art paired with a discussion of the artist’s approach to creating it, including the techniques employed. At the bottom of the page, find tips on the tools, materials and methods used to make the piece. A hyper-realistic blackberry, a watercolour sketch of a bunch of mint in a glass, a detailed scratchboard study of three pussy willow twigs, a tribal-style pattern inspired by different leaf shapes, an abstract image-transfer print of a milkweed plant… the techniques and subjects covered are diverse. With these and more artworks – created in a variety of media, including watercolour, coloured pencils, oil, pen and ink, mixed media and pencil – explore: Shape, form and light Harmonious colours Contrasting elements Fine detail Capturing movement Cropped compositions Using negative space Anatomical accuracy A visual index is included at the front of the book so you can easily skip to a style or colour palette that interests you. At the back of the book, find an overview of materials and tips for using them; a list of further resources, including books and websites; and two additional indexes, one by artist name and the other by subject. Whether you are an artist looking for fresh ideas for creating botanical art or simply enjoy looking at nature-inspired images, this portable volume is a rich resource.

This essential book is an inspiring guide that looks beyond the technical skills to concentrate on this often neglected aspect. Whether you are a recent convert to the subject or are already an expert this informative guide will emphasize just how important it is for this part to be taken seriously, and to understand and develop these all important visual skills. it will help you to fully comprehend the underlying principles that all great works of art are structure around. It translates them into an easy to understand working method for you to internalize and incorporate into your botanical art practice.

A Practical approach to composition designed for the specific situations of botanical Art

A series of practical composition projects and accompanying exercises applied to the botanical arts designed to increase awareness and solutions to common design problems for Botanical illustrators.

Throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, wall charts were a familiar classroom component, displaying scientific images at a large scale, in full color. But it's only now that they've been superseded as a teaching tool that we have begun to realize something their ubiquity hid: they are stunning examples of botanical art at its finest. This beautifully illustrated oversized book gives the humble wall chart its due, reproducing more than two hundred of them in dazzling full color. Each wall chart is accompanied by captions that offer accessible information about the species featured, the scientists and botanical illustrators who created it, and any particularly interesting or innovative features the chart displays. And gardeners will be pleased to discover useful information about plant anatomy and morphology and species differences. We see lilies and tulips, gourds, aquatic plants, legumes, poisonous plants, and carnivorous plants, all presented in exquisite, larger-than-life detail. A unique fusion of art, science, and education, the wall charts gathered here offer a glimpse into a wonderful scientific heritage and are sure to thrill naturalists, gardeners, and artists alike.

This title brings together the stories of the intrepid explorers (some of whom became botanical artists by default) and the many professional artists who recorded the flora that they discovered on their travels and expeditions.