Making a Start: The Botanical Illustration Course. Leaf Line Drawings

I thought it might be good to have a blog that's just for students, so here it is. Here I will briefly discuss materials, the workspace, modules, my own practice as well as anything that might be interesting for the botanical student. If there is anything you want to know more about, please drop me a message or comment on the blog.

The first task for the beginning of the course is to organise yourself with materials and the workspace. Never overlook the importance of the this - well sharpened pencils and a suitably arranged desk, with everything you need at hand is essential - you need to be comfortable whilst drawing or painting.

Left handed artists desk, using a small upright easel. This is the best position for drawing because you can see the drawing right in front of you without having to strain your neck when leaning over.

One of the next exercises is measured drawing, this is face on drawing of leaves and flowers. With the leaves, a simple leaf, a compound leaf and a monocot need to be drawn.

The work begins with basic measurements, height and width, then plot the shape within the space, graph paper can be helpful for looking at the space around the actual leaf. Keep the working lines light so that they are easily erased. I like to use a Faber Castell 9000 wooden H grade pencil but you can use a clutch pencil or mechanical pencil. Use a putty eraser for corrections - its'd easier on the paper. Leaves can be drawn in a sketchbook or on loose paper.

Hedera helix, Ivy. This is the method of drawing using measuring. Dont be tempted to just draw around the leaf, take time to measure.... it will improve your skills

Hazel leaf

The veins should show what is obvious with the naked eye and no more, in this hazel leaf, tertiary veins are prominent, where as the Ivy leaf above it has slightly less prominent tertiary veins. Observe the veins carefully.

There is a system for plotting the secondary veins, which can be seen in this video. This is a no frills live approach, which I hope helps.

A mixed page of measured leaf portraits. All are drawn life size with H and HB pencil on an A4 sheet of watercolour paper

Next up: Flower portraits.