Parnassia palustris, called the Grass of Parnassus by Dioscorides is actually not a grass, but a dicot, member of Celastraceae family, the one in which the recently drawn spindle (Euonymus) is also included. The 10-20 cm stem spring from a cluster of smooth heart-shaped leaves and beautifies bogs and alpine areas with its delicate white … Continue reading Sketching Flowers – 23. Parnassia palustris
Category: botanical art
Drawing Tutorials – Hazelnuts
Last week's drawing tutorials were dedicated to the drawing of hazelnuts. Using the specimens collected over the years, I made three studies from life, starting from the simplest, a single Corylus avellana fruit, the common hazelnut. In the second video I practiced some quick gestural drawings, looking at the different postures of the fruit. Finally … Continue reading Drawing Tutorials – Hazelnuts
Sketching Flowers – 21. Phalaenopsis orchid
I've got many messages from you to continue the series started in June, therefore, among other topics, every month we will study at least one flower: morphology to better understand the structure of the flower and a drawing using the classical method. I imagine that this series will at some point turn into a book … Continue reading Sketching Flowers – 21. Phalaenopsis orchid
Daily Sketches – 18. Paeonia
Today's tutorial was a request from one of my lovely Patrons, the sketching of a Peony flower. In this video you will learn how to estimate proportions between the center ( carpels, stamens and anthers) and the rest of the flower and how to use construction line and geometrical shapes to draw the petals. Here … Continue reading Daily Sketches – 18. Paeonia
Sketching a Blue Anemone with Ink and Watercolor
Have you noticed how many anemone species are booming in the spring? I was surprised to see in our area no less than 5 species of anemone: 1. A. ranunculoides (yellow anemone, yellow wood anemone, or buttercup anemone)2. A. sylvestris syn. Anemonoides sylvestris (snowdrop anemone)3. A. blanda (the balkan anemone)4. A. nemorosa ( wood anemone) … Continue reading Sketching a Blue Anemone with Ink and Watercolor
How to Draw Flowers like Leonardo da Vinci
Even though they are impressive, the botanical drawings of Leonardo da Vinci are not highly publicized. Partly because there are only few of them and partly because, in the spirit of that time, they were conceived as preliminary sketches for paintings, and not as drawings in themselves or as in-depth botanical studies. In fact, not … Continue reading How to Draw Flowers like Leonardo da Vinci
Between Art and Science
These days my creative work is divided between Botanical Portraits and the Botanical Journal.Drawing portraits of plants is mostly about beauty and art. Using old masters techniques and translating them into what I think I can call already my own handwriting, I try to capture the essence, the graceful movement, the perfection I see in … Continue reading Between Art and Science
Drawing and Painting a Geastrum Mushroom in my Botanical Journal
I came across this Geastrum (earthstar) mushroom in a coniferous forest by the end of November. Geastrum is a species of inedible and saprophage fungus, it obtain its nutrients by decomposing green matter. The fruit body develops at first underground (hypogeous) in the form of a small ball. As it matures, it pushes up through … Continue reading Drawing and Painting a Geastrum Mushroom in my Botanical Journal
How to draw a cluster of flowers – step by step
How to draw a cluster of flowers (umbel inflorescence): Step 1 - Draw...
Botanical Journaling – September 2020
Botanical Journaling - September 2020 - Lysimachia monelli, Quercus gall, Exochorda x macrantha, Tilia and Ilex fruits. Ink and Watercolour on sketchbook.