4 Steps to Start Your Seasonal Sketchbook: Winter
Draw Botanical Blog
by Emet Lipson
2M ago
In winter, the exposed twigs and branches on a tree offer important information about a tree’s structure and identifying characteristics. Leaf arrangement and leaf scars are studied easily on these exposed branches, and often dormant buds, dried bracts, seed pods, nuts, dried berries, and capsules are present too. Observing these details can help you understand the life cycle of the tree as the seasons progress and will be the first building blocks to your seasonal sketchbook. Botanical sketchbook documenting an Elderberry from flower to fruit The Practice of Botanical Drawing started as a yea ..read more
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4 Tricks to Fool the Eye: Trompe L'oeil
Draw Botanical Blog
by Emet Lipson
2M ago
Demo from Trompe L’oeil Workshop by Wendy Hollender   Have you ever seen a drawing so realistic that it fools you into believing it’s a three-dimensional object? “Trompe L’oeil” is a French term meaning “Fool the Eye”.    Learn (from Wendy!) how to incorporate these fun techniques on kraft paper and tell a story by choosing related or symbolic elements to draw. Lesson inspired by Gerald P. Hodge, 1999, with whom Wendy studied back in the last century. Scroll through this post for examples of student work produced during the workshop. Find Trompe L’oeil Workshop Recording Here ..read more
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5 Warm-Up Exercises to Stretch your Drawing Muscles
Draw Botanical Blog
by Emet Lipson
2M ago
5 Warm-Up Exercises to Stretch your Drawing Muscles What do artists and athletes have in common? They both use their bodies as instruments to perform enjoyable activities. To keep their instruments in tip-top shape, they often stretch their muscles before they begin.    Elderberry Study Page by Wendy Hollender   Botanical drawing can take a loooong time, and you may not finish in one sitting. When that unfinished drawing is taunting you from your table, telling you that you couldn’t possibly get back into that zone… Warm up and have fun! Try these 5 simple and effective exercise ..read more
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Set For Success
Draw Botanical Blog
by Emet Lipson
2M ago
Set For Success The Power of Preparation When you cook dinner in your kitchen, how do you prepare? You probably clean the countertop, retrieve ingredients, gather utensils, maybe pre-heat the oven. Just as you prepare your kitchen before you jump into the art of cooking, you must prepare your drawing space before you jump into the art of botanical illustration. BEFORE you begin botanical drawing, prepare your workspace, set up your light source and subject, and position yourself so you’re all set for success! Here are some great tips to prepare your workspace before you even put your pencil t ..read more
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Unearth the Perfect Gift
Draw Botanical Blog
by Emet Lipson
4M ago
Botanical Art Gift Guide for the Nature-Lover, Art-Enthusiast in your life Surprise your loved ones with a gift that expands their love for the beauty of the natural world. Whether you’re shopping for a seasoned artist or more of a beginner art-enthusiast, let us guide you toward the perfect present that will elevate their artistic journey, and bring the serenity of nature into their lives. SALE THRU FRIDAY, NOV. 24, 2023 Get 20% OFF Zoom Workshops & Recordings when you buy 3 or more Use coupon code FRIYAY at checkout to receive the discount.   Botanical Art Classes   Cultivate ..read more
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Practicing Watercolor Techniques
Draw Botanical Blog
by Emet Lipson
4M ago
If patience were an art supply, we think it would be watercolor! Why? Because in order to produce the watercolor painting of your dreams, you need to wait for it to dry completely between layers. Keep reading for more helpful watercolor tips from our instructors.   Artist: Pam Thompson   Go with the flow “Working in watercolor requires not only patience, but also the willingness to relinquish control. With colored pencils, we are mostly able to control what our hands create on the page, but one of the uniquely beautiful aspects of watercolor is the spontaneity and flow of the pigment ..read more
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Welcome to the (Plant) Family
Draw Botanical Blog
by Emet Lipson
5M ago
Did you know that Chocolate, Cotton, Okra and Hibiscus are all related?! Plants are classified by their reproductive structures, so plants in the same family have flowers (and other reproductive parts) that look alike, but otherwise, they are free to be their unique (and delicious!) selves.     Plant Blindness The more I draw botanicals, the more I learn about plants. The more I learn about plants, the more I realize how little I knew about them! Humans suffer from “plant blindness,” a term coined by a pair of US botanists and biology educators (Elisabeth Schussler and James Wanders ..read more
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Fall in Love with Winter Magic
Draw Botanical Blog
by Emet Lipson
5M ago
As the days grow too dark and cold to hang around outdoors, we need to keep ourselves occupied and our spirits up. Just because we’re not able to comfortably enjoy much time outside doesn’t mean we can’t still spend our time connecting with nature. I want to share with you my favorite botanical subjects to study at this time of year in the hopes that you will find inspiration around you, too.   Radish by Wendy Hollender   Drawn it before? Draw it again! In each visit with a plant, I learn new lessons. While one radish may show me the glory of vivid color, a different radish may revea ..read more
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Turning Passion into Preservation
Draw Botanical Blog
by Emet Lipson
6M ago
How can we, as botanical artists, make a difference in the world? We can document what is happening outside, right here, right now! Nature’s only constant is change – what you see outside today could be gone by tomorrow. But drawings last much longer! Botanical illustrations are the perfect way to keep the essence of the season around all year long.     Don’t miss your chance to draw colorful autumn leaves with us and preserve that cozy fall feeling! Workshop starts on October 22, 2023.   White Oak Leaf & Acorn by Wendy Hollender, Oct. 2018   Like scientists gath ..read more
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The Practice of Botanical Drawing: Ideas for Expanding Lessons
Draw Botanical Blog
by Wendy Hollender
6M ago
Botanical Drawing Lessons are a guide to build on. Expand each lesson with new and different subjects! Watch this Video. Get advice from Wendy.   We know that masters aren’t made overnight, and that consistent practice is the key to success. Think of my books as a template. I show you one lesson with one subject, and you can go back to that lesson and do it so many different ways! Let nature guide you and tell you what to do next. [branches banner] For example, lesson 1, drawing a branch. Start with a simple branch. Then maybe you practice your overlaps with a group of branches. The ..read more
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