The Art of Botanical Drawing From TimberPress

The Art of Botanical Drawing
by Agathe Ravet-Haevermans 

This gorgeous book came from the city I live in, Portland!  Not everything great about Portland is on TV, and not everything on TV is true!!  This botanicals book about the art of drawing plant-life and painting illustrations with watercolor is by the scientific illustrator at the Natural History Museum in Paris.  It exudes taste, style, know-how, and classic botanical art like something from a museum in Paris - sort of because it is, or the author-artist is, anyway.

I tried my hand at a step-by-step exercise as I do in my video reviews, but this book doesn't have step-by-steps.  Instead, it has color charts, and tips 'paperclipped' to the pages, along with information on how to see botanicals in order to be able to draw them.  I loved the subject matter she chose - a drying rosehip rather than roses, a rope of braided garlic which is so lovely I almost ran and bought garlic, and my fave (which I tried out) the pumpkin blossom - rather than the pumpkin.

The Art of Botanical Drawing: An Introductory Guide

My attempt will be published September 23 - Draw and Paint Pumpkins - Art By the Book Review - The Art of Botanical Drawing and Late Summer Botanicals.

In doing my research for my attempt, I put together a video with royalty-free images, for anyone who'd like to try - and if you get this book, you probably will.  If you live in the Northwest, chances are you have pumpkins growing outdoors, right now, but it won't always be late August, and not everyone lives where pumpkins like to grow, so here is a video with Late Summer Botanicals - just a few - to draw from.  

Flower Painters Your Masterpiece Awaits This Six-Step Process

Ever feel ashamed that you want to paint flowers?  This book will have you bursting with pride - and color.  Its a book for watercolor painters, but gouache, colored pencil, and acrylics can apply.  Each page, after the bsic techniques and essential tools are explained, has a full-color, full-bleed photograph of a flower.  The facing page breaks down a watercolor - near masterpiece - into 6 steps to follow and paint along.  The artists in the book don't make flower painting seem boring, or tired - like we've seen it all before - and the artists' convey their personal approaches through the 6-steps to any reader willing to participate.  I've only done one exercise, The Bird of Paradise, which I put on video for  you to see if you think it 'works'.  Did I improve?  This video is scheduled for August and I will put a link to the video review, here.  So subscribe to the left - not to miss this review.

Do I think this book 'works'?  Definitely.  After only reading and testing one 6-step exercise, the book has opened my mind to the creative and skillful approach the book teaches the artist who reads it.  Complete each exercise in the book and the information is priceless, without a doubt a style improvement if not a life-changer.

Watch the step-by-step video review of this book with the art exercise Bird of Paradise from inside the book to find out what can be expected from the subtitle's claims: Create Your Own Masterpiece in 6 Easy Steps, here!

How to Paint Watercolor Flowers: Create Your Own Masterpiece in 6 Easy Steps