Helen Birch - Böcker

Petite in size but packed with inspiration, Just Draw Botanicals presents 90 beautiful, contemporary botanical artworks in a range of media and styles.Each spread includes a stunning work of art paired with a discussion of the artist’s approach to creating it, including the techniques employed. At the bottom of the page, find tips on the tools, materials and methods used to make the piece.A hyper-realistic blackberry, a watercolour sketch of a bunch of mint in a glass, a detailed scratchboard study of three pussy willow twigs, a tribal-style pattern inspired by different leaf shapes, an abstract image-transfer print of a milkweed plant… the techniques and subjects covered are diverse. With these and more artworks – created in a variety of media, including watercolour, coloured pencils, oil, pen and ink, mixed media and pencil – explore: Shape, form and lightHarmonious coloursContrasting elementsFine detailCapturing movementCropped compositionsUsing negative spaceAnatomical accuracyA visual index is included at the front of the book so you can easily skip to a style or colour palette that interests you. At the back of the book, find an overview of materials and tips for using them; a list of further resources, including books and websites; and two additional indexes, one by artist name and the other by subject.Whether you are an artist looking for fresh ideas for creating botanical art or simply enjoy looking at nature-inspired images, this portable volume is a rich resource.

Renowned botanical artist and professional gardener, Carolyn Jenkins combines her love of art and gardening to create stunning compositions (often very different from traditional botanical painting) with vibrant colours that leap from the page.The first part of this book – Botanical: Grow – explores time well-spent in the garden and covers much of the traditional details of botanical painting, from observation to capturing light, colour and texture. The second part – Contemporary: Paint – explores how Carolyn works with photography, using the computer to help with crop and composition, achieving maximum impact and creating luminous paintings that shine from the page. Her stunning illustrations are full of vibrant colour, and her larger-than-life artworks have gained an enthusiastic following on Instagram. This practical guide contains all the techniques and practice you need to create beautiful botanical art, plus step-by-step photography, crop, composition and photoshop demonstrations, to bring luminous colours, textures and impact to your own work.