When botanical artists are faced with the task of illustrating, tall or large plants, it is not always practical -or advisable -to paint the specimen in its entirety. Doing so can result in a leggy composition or large areas of empty white space, making the artwork feel disjointed. Instead, the artists' task is to arrange the various parts of the plant in a way that remains botanically accurate while creating a more compact and visually pleasing composition. A number of strategies can help...

When you reach the final tonal drawing stage of the graphite module there will be a number of challenges to overcome. The final drawing assignment will require you to pull together all of the skills learned previously in the course - most importantly the task introduces the composition into the mix, which can be the most daunting aspect. This post is about the final graphite drawing but it also relates to the process of creating any composition. Final composition of Ludisia discolor, with...

When you have completed the first part of the course, with the line and tone exercises, you will move on to the study page in graphite. This will be your research page for your final drawing. Typical study page made in a large sketchbook but this could also be completed on loose paper, ideally use the same as the paper for both study page and final drawing. If you’ve never made a plant study page before, you’ll find it a fascinating and valuable process. It’s an essential practice for all...