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FIELD SKETCHING & NATURE JOURNALING - Every artist's masterpiece begins as a sketch.

Betts, Judi. 2005. Sketches of color. Watercolor Basics. March 2005. p 21-23.

If you are successful at finding time to spend outdoors, consider leaving the neurotic detailed ways of botanical art inside your studio. Take your sketchbook outside and throw color all over it. This is what Betts encourages artists to do in her article. She also suggests that artists work on a colored ground and gives helpful suggestions on how to let color loose in your sketchbook.

Fletcher, Adelene. 2000. The Flower Painter's Pocket Palette, Book 2. Chartwell Books, Inc.
ISBN: 0-7858-1173-7

The description to Harden (1996) applies to this follow-up book as well. Fletcher's preliminary sketches are informative and she discusses techniques which were not discussed in the first book. Contains over 70 examples of flowers, berries, and leaves.

Friend, Trudy. 2002. Drawing Problems and Solutions. David & Charles. ISBN: 0-7153-4195-5

Feel the need to hide away and to draw peacefully off in a corner somewhere? Then take this book with you. You will learn a lot about sketching and drawing in pencil. If your life is comprised of mostly responsibilities not related to art, hiding away with this book for an hour a couple times per week will be a real treat. This book is a must-have for any journaler's backpack. Artists will learn how to execute marks to create the following: trees & woodland, landscapes & skies, water in landscapes, buildings in landscapes, village houses & cottages, gardens, plants & flowers, vegetables, textures, pets, horses & ponies, and portraits.

Friend, Trudy. 2002. Watercolor Problems and Solutions. David & Charles. ISBN: 0-7153-1457-2

Although the title of this book refers to "problems and solutions," this book is a great addition to any artist's journaling bookshelf. Friend's book is filled with instructions on how to execute marks and brush strokes that artists can use to create the following: skies & water, trees & foliage, flowers, fruit & vegetables, animals, still life scenes from the landscape, still life paintings of a variety of objects and buildings. Avid journalers will have lots of fun practicing the marks and brush strokes taught by Friend. This 127-page book is small enough and light enough to fit in any journaler's bag or backpack. Consider keeping this book with your sketchbook.

Galison. 2002. Nature Journal. ISBN: 0-7353-0576-5

This small journal contains room for 45 two-paged entries. On the left-hand page, journalers can record the following information: Date, Time, Location, Weather, Companions, and Notes. Sketches can be drawn on the opposing page. Because of the type of paper used in this book, sketching in graphite or colored pencil is recommended. This handy 7" x 5 1/4" x 3/8" paperback journal fits easily into a fanny bag.

Goode, Douglas. 1989. Cycads of Africa. Struik Winchester. ISBN: 0-947430-12-1

Obsessed with cycads since 1964, Goode has described, drawn, and painted 54 African cycad species. If you get a charge out of seeing art and data together on the same sheet of paper, you're going to like this book too.

Harden, Elisabeth. 1996. The Flower Painter's Pocket Palette. Chartwell Books, Inc. ISBN: 0-7858-0578-8

The strengths of this small book are the eight pages dedicated to flower shapes and the many pages of painting demonstrations. Nature journaler's may be especially interested in this book, as each of the featured flowers were painted in no more than three easy-to-follow steps. The step-by-step demonstrations are good examples of how to see and think more quickly. If you would love to loosen up (and are looking for instructions), then browse through this book. Contains over 70 examples.

Johnson, Cathy. 1997. The Sierra Club Guide to Sketching. Timber Press. ISBN: 0-87156-932-9

Johnson provides all of the tools and inspiration one needs to begin sketching their world. Johnson's instruction and advice is very practical and is the result of years of living the life of a sketchbook artist. Her motto is simple, Just draw! She says it best when she encourages readers to "delight in the simple coordination of hand and eye and mind and the magic of nature appering suddenly from blank paper." In this book, Johnson discusses: Tools & Equipment, Getting Started, Putting the Basics to Work, Capturing the Illustion of Light Field Sketching, Sketching in Color, Watercolor as a Sketching Medium - and Beyond, The Landscape, Plants and Flowers, Trees, Sketching in the Animal Kingdom, and Sketching as a Means to an End. [ArtPlantae Books Catalog]

Leslie, Clare Walker. 2003. Nature Journal: A Guided Journal for Illustrating and Recording Your Observations of the Natural World. Storey Publishing. ISBN: 1-58017-296-2

This journal is the companion book to Keeping a Nature Journal by Clare Walker Leslie and Charles E. Roth. In this companion book, Leslie provides drawing instruction and guidance for both first-time artists and experienced artists. Most of this book is comprised of blank pages containing quotes and tips for guidance and inspiration. This book contains an appendix in which Leslie offers her tips on how to draw the following subjects: leaves, twigs, and buds; deciduous trees; evergreen trees; things on the ground; small wild animals; small domestic animals; large animals; birds; insects and spiders; reptiles and amphibians; collections of objects; animal tracks; indoor flowers; outdoor flowers; wildflowers and wild plants; weather; and landscapes. Leslie also created a table of journaling suggestions arranged by season. The paper in this journal is too thin for watercolor. Pencil and colored pencil would be best. Pen & ink might be okay too.

Leslie, Clare Walker and Charles E. Roth. 2000. Keeping a Nature Journal. Storey Publishing. ISBN: 1-58017-306-3

A book for all journalers, both new and experienced. Leslie and Roth do a beautiful job at explaining the many different ways that journals can take shape. Educators will find the chapters addressing teaching and learning especially helpful. [ArtPlantae Books Catalog]

Moleskine Notebook. The Legendary Notebook of Hemingway, Picasso, and Chatwin. Imported from Italy.

Art Plantae is pleased to be a retail provider of Moleskine notebooks. Do you have a favorite Moleskine that unleashes your creative energy? If so, please tell us! The following items are available from ArtPlantae Books: Moleskine Pocket Sketchbook, Moleskine Large Sketchbook, Moleskine Pocket Watercolor Notebook, Moleskine Large Watercolor Notebook. [ArtPlantae Books Catalog]

Olmstead, Adrienne. 2000. My Nature Journal: A Personal Nature Guide for Young People. Pajaro. ISBN: 0-9672459-1-5

Designed for young naturalists 8 and older, Olmstead provides activities that encourage children to explore the natural world around them, that teach children ecological principles, and that inspire children to reflect about nature and their feelings towards nature.This books contains dozens of activities, as well as many blank pages for sketching and for journaling. [ArtPlantae Books Catalog]

DRAWING IN GRAPHITE & DRAWING TO LEARN - Square One for Everyone

Barlowe, Dorothea & Sy. 1982. Illustrating Nature: How to Paint and Draw Plants and Animals. Dover Publications, Inc. ISBN: 0-486-29921-X

Artists new to natural science illustration will learn a lot about this discipline from the authors. This book is a nice addition to any scientific illustration library. Other books to consider are Wood (1994) and Hodges (2003). This book contains chapters on the following topics: Materials and Equipment; Animals; Birds; Fishes and Other Marine Life; Insects; Reptiles and Amphibians; Geology and Paleontology; Botany; The Illustrator's Career. [ArtPlantae Books Catalog]

Bays, Jill. 1999. Drawing Workbook. David & Charles. ISBN: 0-7153-0719-3

Bays' book is for those who want to learn how to draw, but who hesitate to do so. She encourages artists to begin drawing with the supplies that they have and not to become obsessed with buying additional art supplies. This book is comprised of ten lessons: Making Marks with Pencils, Colors, and Mixed Media; Starting Out (contour drawing, negative space); Creating Tone (form, lights, & shadows); Texture & Pattern (creating patterns and a "mood" in ones work); Pen & Brush Drawing; Composition; Using Color; Perspective; Drawing People; and Using Sketchbooks.

Cole, Rex Vicat. 1965. The Artistic Anatomy of Trees: Their Structure & Treatment in Painting. ISBN: 0-486-21475-3

A republication of this book that was first published in 1915 in London. Cole embarked on a serious study of trees from an artist's point of view because of his love of trees and his belief that artists cannot paint trees unless they really get to know them. Cole states, "I cannot understand the position of some who assert that an object can be painted in a convincing manner without its mechanism being understood." Cole discusses what to look for in trees, how to balance dark spaces with light, tree outlines, lines of tree branches, light & shade, the shapes of twigs and boughs, as well as that of leaves, buds, flowers, fruits, seedlings, and bark. [ArtPlantae Books Catalog]

Diagram Group. 1999. Complete Drawing Course. Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.
ISBN: 0-8069-4838-8

A very good workbook. Of particular interest to botanical artists are the 41 pages pertaining to the drawing of plants. The 17 pages dedicated to composition and design will interest botanical artists who also have an interest in using botanicals in surface design. [ArtPlantae Books Catalog]

DK Art School. 1998. Perspective Pack: A Toolkit for Artists. Dorling Kindersley Publishing, Inc. ISBN: 0-7894-3510-1

This boxed set of artists' tools was purchased at a discount bookstore that no longer exists. A deal at $9.99, this toolbox contains the following: the book An Introduction to Perspective by Ray Smith, a pair of hinged rulers, two L-shaped framing cards, an acetate drawing frame, two "Draftsman's Nets" (i.e., gridded drawing frames), squared paper, isometric paper, and a model of Escher's "Impossible" triangle.

Edwards, Betty. 1999. The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam ISBN: 0-87477-424-1

An enlightening workbook. Artists will learn a lot about seeing and drawing if they take the time to work through this book seriously.

Harding, J.D. 2005. On Drawing Trees & Nature: A Classic Victorian Manual with Lessons and Examples. Dover Publications, Inc. ISBN: 0-486-44293-4

A republication of the third edition of the book, Elementary Art: or, The Use of the Chalk and Lead Pencil Advocated and Explained published in London in 1846. This edition contains plates from Harding's book, Lessons on Trees that were not included in the Elementary Art book. In this book, Harding provides: general remarks about using chalk and lead pencil to draw nature; discussion about the importance of capturing form; discussion about the act of copying in the study of nature; discussion about the drawing of leaves, stems & branches, and foregrounds; the creation of light & shade; and an overview of art materials and their use. [ArtPlantae Books Catalog]

Hillberry, J.D. 1999. Drawing Realistic Textures in Pencil. North Light Books. ISBN: 0-89134-868-9

Wow. A book that needs to be on every graphite artist's bookshelf. Hillberry's discussion about his techniques is very interesting. His step-by-step demonstrations, inspiring.

Hodges, Elaine R. S. 2003. The Guild Handbook of Scientific Illustration. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN: 0-471-36011-2

An invaluable reference for anyone interested in natural science illustration. A variety of rendering techniques are discussed (from line & ink to 3D graphics). Individual chapters are dedicated to illustrating the following topics: molecules, earth science, astronomy, plants, fossils, invertebrates, fishes, amphibians & reptiles, birds, mammals, habitats, humans & their artifacts, and medical subjects. There are also three chapters about the business aspects of working as a freelance scientific illustrator.

Lighthipe, Mindy. 2000. Foundation Drawing for Botanical & Scientific Illustration. BBB Publishing.

This book can be purchased from the author at http://www.bugsbeastsbotanicals.com. Read a detailed review from the August 2003 issue of the Southern California Botanical Artist.

Lighthipe, Mindy. 2001. Drawing on the Beauty of Plants. BBB Publishing

This book can be purchased from the author at http://www.bugsbeastsbotanicals.com. Read a detailed review from the August 2003 issue of the Southern California Botanical Artist.

Martini, Rosie and Meriel Thurstan. 2006. Botanical Illustration Course with the Eden Project. Sterling Publishing Co. ISBN: 9-7807-13-490053

This book is a great book for new botanical artists. The authors lead artists through practical exercises and provide plenty of illustrations to help explain techniques and concepts. The best thing about this book is that the authors share more than just one way of doing things and they encourage artists to make mistakes so that they may develop their own approach to creating botanical art. [ArtPlantae Books Catalog]

Sibley, Mike. 2006. Drawing From Line to Life. MSFA Publishing.
ISBN: 978-0-9551578-0-6

Are you a graphite artist caught up in a world of watercolor how-to books? If you are, then sit down. This book is an inspiring how-to book just for you. Mike Sibley is one of the world’s few professional graphite artists and he shares what he knows in this 287-page reference. In his book, Sibley discusses the following: the tools he uses, line drawing, tone drawing, erasing techniques, blending & layering, indenting, working with photos, negative drawing, perspective, light & shade, transfer methods, the preparation & planning of a drawing, drawing ellipses, drawing textures, drawing reflections, drawing foliage, and drawing hair. Sibley also leads readers through three demonstrations and dedicates two chapters to “fooling your brain.” One chapter is about fooling your brain during the drawing process and the second chapter is about using techniques to convey realism in your artwork that fools the brain of the viewer. [ArtPlantae Books Catalog]

Stevens, Margaret. 2004. An Introduction to Drawing Flowers. Chartwell Books. ISBN: 0-7858-0159-6

A very helpful reference dedicated to the drawing of flowers that will appeal to artists with a desire to draw plants with scientific accuracy, as well as appeal to artists who prefer to capture the "essence" of plants in their artwork. In addition to a review of art material and a discussion of plant morphology, artists will find chapters about the following topics: Form & Perspective; Line & Movement, Light & Shade; Composition & Layout; Ink Techniques; Pastels; Mixed Media; Pencil; Pencil & Brush; Botanical Illustration in Ink or Pencil; Drawing on Different Supports; Expanding Your Skills; Presentation & Care of Work. [ArtPlantae Books Catalog]

West, Keith. 1983. How to Draw Plants: The Techniques of Botanical Illustration. Timber Press, Inc. ISBN: 0-88192-350-8

A must-have reference. West describes how to approach drawing botanical subjects and emphasizes attention to detail in every step. He then discusses capturing botanical subjects in the following media: pencil, ink, scraper board, watercolor, gouache, and acrylics. West also discusses how to photograph plants and how to prepare one's work for printing. [ArtPlantae Books Catalog]

Wise, Rosemary. 1999. Drawing plants: ten pointers to botanical illustration. Plant Talk. Issue No. 17: 29-32.

This article was written by Rosemary Wise, who is the botanical artist at the University of Oxford. Wise offers tips for aspiring botanical illustrators and even describes how to compose a plate and how to draw from herbarium specimens. Copies of the issue of Plant Talk in which this article is found, are available here (as of 4/15/05).

PEN & INK - Drawing With Conviction (And Without An Eraser)

Hickey, Michael. 1994. Drawing Plants in Pen and Ink: A Practical Guide for Botanical Artists. Cedar Publications. ISBN:0-948640-20-0

This 32-page book guides artists through the steps involved in drawing plants in pen and ink. Hickey explains how to create preliminary drawings in graphite and how to turn these drawings into informative pen and ink illustrations. Information about ink pens, correction techniques, measuring techniques, as well as marks and their placement are also covered.

Nice, Claudia. 1993. Sketching Your Favorite Subjects in Pen & Ink. North Light Books. ISBN: 0-89134-472-1

Nice shows artists how to make a variety of different marks and then shows them how to apply what they've learned in the drawing of trees, water, buildings, animals, plants, and faces. While only one chapter is dedicated to drawing plants, botanical artists will find the other eleven chapters very practical because many of the topics Nice discusses may just find its way into a botanical artist's sketchbook or nature journal.

Nice, Claudia. 1995. Creating Textures in Pen & Ink with Watercolor. North Light Books. ISBN: 0-89134-595-7

Add color to your sketchbook! Nice discusses how to incorporate colored inks, watercolor, and acrylics into your pen & ink work. She then instructs artists on how to create a variety of textures and surfaces. Of particular interest to botanical artists are Nice's tips on how to draw and paint driftwood, bark, roots, branches, foliage, trees in the background, flowers, textured leaves, weeds, grasses, mosses, ferns, lichens, mushrooms, fruit, eggs, and onions.

Simmons, Gary. 1992. The Technical Pen. Watson-Guptill Publications. ISBN: 0-8230-5227-3

Simmons shows artists how to create different types of marks and patterns. Throughout this book, Simmons emphasizes the process behind the creation of pen & ink artwork. He addresses frustrations and behaviors typically expressed by pen & ink artists. Simmons' objective throughout this entire book is to help artists control "the cumulative effects of (their) strokes," which is the biggest problem faced by pen & ink artists.

COLORED PENCIL - Painting With Pencils

Borgeson, Bet. 1995. The Colored Pencil. Watson-Guptill Publications. ISBN: 0-8230-0749-9

A great reference for all colored pencil artists. Borgeson discusses the unique characteristics of colored pencils in detail. She also offers instruction and demonstrations on the following: linear techniques, tonal techniques, the construction of dark values, using frisket film, lifting color with tape, sgraffito, impressed line, burnishing, colored papers, using colored pencil with liquid media, blocking in drawings, and preserving artwork.

Borgeson, Bet. 1998. Colored Pencil for the Serious Beginner - Basic Lessons in Becoming a Good Artist. Watson-Guptill Publications. ISBN: 0-8230-0761-8

In this book, Borgeson goes beyond describing colored pencil techniques and emphasizes the process behind creating colored pencil paintings. She discusses several issues of interest to artists (e.g., photos & tracing vs. freehand drawing, tips on how a colored pencil artist may complete a painting from beginning to end, working in the field with colored pencils, and using color to suggest space). Borgeson also includes four demos - two about still lifes and two about landscapes.

Gildow, Janie and Barbara Benedetti Newton. 2000. Colored Pencil Solution Book. North Light Books. ISBN: 1-58180-026-6

This book does not contain pages and pages of text. Instead, each topic discussed by Gildow & Newton is presented as a question. For example: What should I know about paper?, How can I make gradual changes in value and color?, and How do I create the smooth waxy surface of peppers? The authors answer a total of 73 questions. These questions address: how to create one's workspace, design & composition, application & technique, color & light, reflection & transparency, creating texture, and how to fix mistakes. The authors have graciously included the line drawings of the artwork they included in the book. Artists who purchase this book have the authors' permission to copy these drawings so that they can get directly to the business of learning how to create colored pencil paintings. This book is a must-have for anyone interested in this medium.

Greene, Gary. 1996. Creating Textures in Colored Pencil. North Light Books. ISBN: 0-89134-653-8

In addition to learning about basic pencil techniques, colored pencil artists will learn how to create natural textures when drawing flowers, fruits & vegetables, leaves & wood, earth & water, humans, and animals. They will also learn how to create ten man-made textures (e.g., rust, porcelain, and cloth).

Greene, Gary. 1997. Creating Radiant Flowers in Colored Pencil. North Light Books. ISBN: 1-58180-172-6

Greene systematically leads artists through 64 demos on how to create colored pencil paintings of several types of flowers.

Martin, Judy. 1992. The Encyclopedia of Colored Pencil Techniques. Running Press Book Publishers. ISBN: 0-7624-0771-6

In the first half of this book, Martin explains 42 different techniques that artists can apply using colored pencil. She describes each technique using step-by-step instruction and photos. The second half of this book is dedicated to showing how colored pencil has been used by artists to capture landscapes, cityscapes, nature, people, as well as assorted objects. Each example is cross-referenced to a technique featured in the first part of the book. This way artists can see how any given technique was applied.

Strother, Jane. 1993. The Colored Pencil Artist's Pocket Palette. North Light Books. ISBN: 0-89134-549-3

Consider this book to be a pocket glazing chart. While there is no way around layering and blending your own colors, this book may save you time during your color mixing routine. The color charts that fill the pages of this book were created using only 36 colors.

Wise, Morrell. 1985. Drawing with Colored Pencils. Walter Foster Publishing, Inc. ISBN: 0-929261-07-0

This small book contains good information and several examples. Botanical artists will especially like Wise's step-by-step demonstrations on rendering the following fruits: cherry, apple, strawberry, and grapes. Wise's paintings of these fruits all have deep, rich colors and are painted beautifully.

GOUACHE (& OIL TOO) - Going Opaque to Capture Detail & Learning About the Old Masters

Cateura, Linda. 1995. Oil Painting Secrets from a Master. Watson-Guptill Publications. ISBN: 0-8230-3279-5

This book is based on a collection of class notes taken by Cateura when she was a student in master oil painter David Leffel's class at the Art Students League of New York. Artists can learn plenty from Leffel's thoughts on: brushstroke techniques, light & shadow, edges, color, painting still lifes, painting backgrounds, developing creativity, solving problems, attitudes that restrict artists' development, and much more.

Dehn, Adolf. 1955. Watercolor, Gouache, and Casein Painting. The Viking Press.

Dehn discusses the materials and techniques for watercolor, gouache, and casein. In one of his chapters about gouache, he offers instruction on seven different "experiments" artists can perform to become acquainted with the medium.

Ippolito, Frank. 1993. Painting with gouache. Journal of Natural Science Illustration. Vol. 2(1): 1-10.

A modified version of this article can be viewed at Ippolito's website (http://www.productionpost.com).

Weingrod, Carmi. 2000. Taking a good look at gouache. Art Methods & Materials.

Weingrod compares and contrasts gouache to watercolor, body color, and acrylic. Brands of gouache and acrylic gouache are compared and suitable painting surfaces are discussed.

WATERCOLOR - The Traditional Medium

Barron's Art Handbooks. 1996. Mixing Colors: Watercolor. Barron's Educational Series, Inc. ISBN: 0-8120-6619-7

Frustrated with the trial-and-error approach to color mixing? If so, then you may appreciate the more methodical approach described in this book. This book contains color charts that were created using only the three primary colors and the three secondary colors (i.e., yellow, red, blue, orange, violet, and dark green). Each color swatch is accompanied by a bar chart that identifies the colors needed (& their quantities) to make the specified color. If you drive yourself crazy mixing colors that come out too dark or too light to use, then this little book might just provide the insight you need. It'll at least stop you from chucking your homework out the window. A total of 425 colors are featured.

Crespo, Michael. 1988. Experiments in Watercolor. Watson-Guptill Publishing. ISBN: 0-8230-1621-8

Crespo believes that "the best way to learn painting is to paint" and that "painting is a cumulative experience." This is why his book is a collection of twenty exercises, each leading into the next. His exercises address topics such as: edges, aerial perspective, painting water, and chiaroscuro.

Dewey, David. 1995. The Watercolor Book: Materials and Techniques for Today's Artist. Watson-Guptill Publications. ISBN: 0-8230-5639-2

An extremely helpful book containing step-by-step demonstrations supported by descriptive photographs. The chapter about color is especially informative.

Evans, Anne-Marie and Donn Evans. 1993. An Approach to Botanical Painting in Watercolour. Hannaford and Evans. ISBN: 0-9520862-0-4

Anne-Marie Evans describes her six-step painting process in this book. She also guides students through the drawing process and through various painting exercises.

Fletcher, Adelene. 2000. The Flower Painter's Pocket Palette, Book 2. Chartwell Books, Inc.
ISBN: 0-7858-1173-7

The description to Harden (1996) applies to this follow-up book as well. Fletcher's preliminary sketches are informative and she discusses techniques that were not discussed in the first book. She also offers instruction on how to paint berries and different types of leaves. Both this book and the first book are small enough to fit in a journaler's backpack (whereas your favorite journaling instructor does not). Contains over 70 examples of flowers, berries, and leaves.

Guest, Coral. 2001. Painting Flowers in Watercolor: A Naturalistic Approach. Timber Press. ISBN: 0-88192-509-8

Guest carefully leads the artist through all the stages required to paint botanicals. She shares her approach to drawing, planning, and painting and demonstrates her process throughout the book. [ArtPlantae Books Catalog]

Harden, Elisabeth. 1996. The Flower Painter's Pocket Palette. Chartwell Books, Inc. ISBN: 0-7858-0578-8

The strengths of this small book are the eight pages dedicated to flower shapes and the many pages of painting demonstrations. Nature journalers may be especially interested in this book, as each of the featured flowers were painted in no more than three easy-to-follow steps. The step-by-step demonstrations are good examples of how to see and think more quickly. If you would love to loosen up (and are looking for instructions), then browse through this book. Contains over 70 examples.

Harrison-Tustain, Susan. 1999. Glorious Garden Flowers in Watercolor. North Light Books. ISBN: 1-58180-389-3

Harrison-Tustain discusses how to buildup washes, how to handle paint, and how to create backgrounds, textures, and luminous colors. She provides 17 demonstrations focused on the painting of flowers and leaves and their respective features (e.g., crinkly petals, leathery petals, shiny leaves, etc.). The author also demonstrates how to paint insects, chewed leaves, and dewdrops. [ArtPlantae Books Catalog]

King, Bente Starcke. 2004. Beautiful Botanicals: Painting and drawing flowers and plants. North Light Books. ISBN: 1-58180-494-6.

This book is an inspiring reference and a practical one too! Bente Starcke King provides a general overview of the following: art supplies, workspaces, flower morphology, foreshortening, composition, shading techniques, signing & dating artwork, framing, concealing mistakes, and exhibiting one's work. She also leads artists through 18 demonstrations that allow students the opportunity to apply what they learn from her. She teaches students techniques in the following media: graphite, pen & ink, ink wash, transparent watercolor, watercolor w/pen & ink, and watercolor w/colored pencil. Feature demonstrations include: graphite (how to transfer a drawing, curled leaf on acetate); pen & ink (spruce cone, cyclamen); ink wash (curly grass, daffodil), transparent watercolor (onion, snowdrops & winter aconites, bluebells, daffodils, trillium & violets, magnolia, rose hips); watercolor w/pen & ink (Mountain Ash, Echinacea); watercolor w/colored pencil (tulips, Virginia creeper, irises, dog roses). [ArtPlantae Books Catalog]

Seslar, Patrick. 2001. The One-Hour Watercolorist. North Light Books. ISBN: 1-58180-035-5

Seslar offers artists many suggestions on how to create paintings in less time. His suggestions are good and, while this book doesn't address botanicals specifically, it does contain information the traveling botanical artist may find useful. For example, the practice of creating preliminary sketches from postcards when traveling to unfamiliar locations. This simple act prepares artists for the unique shapes that will be found on their journey.

Sidaway, Ian. 2000. The Watercolor Artist's Paper Directory. North Light Books. ISBN: 1-58180-034-7

Sidaway has created a very helpful reference. He offers information on 62 different types of watercolor paper, some common and some not-so-common. For each type of paper, he offers a rating for the following characteristics: absorbency, speed of absorbency, wet strength, amount of size, ease of correction, whiteness, roughness, uniformity of texture, cost, formats available, and heaviest weight available. Sidaway also subjects each paper to different watercolor techniques and notes how each type of paper performed.

Sherlock, Siriol. 2004. Botanical Illustration: Painting with Watercolors. B T Batsford. ISBN: 0-7134-8862-X

Sherlock provides instruction in the painting of a variety of flowers and instruction in how to create a variety of effects. She describes the color choices she made for each featured painting and describes how she approached each painting. Sherlock also offers many helpful tips throughout the book. Sherlock discusses wet-in-wet technique and how to achieve color & form in flowers, foliage, and fruit. She shares time-saving techniques and advice on how to paint details such as the center of flowers and petal markings. [ArtPlantae Books Catalog]

West, Keith. 1991. Painting Plant Portraits: A Step-by-Step Guide. Timber Press, Inc. ISBN: 0-88192-372-9

West leads artists carefully through the painting process by showing, step-by-step, how he drew and painted respresentatives from eleven plant families: Amaryllidaceae, Ranunculaceae, Iridaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Papaveraceae, Fabaceae, Rosaceae, Campanulaceae, Asteraceae, Onagraceae, Alstroemeriaceae. [ArtPlantae Books Catalog]

Stevens, Margaret. 2004. The Art of Botanical Painting.. HarperColling Publishers. ISBN: 0-00-716988-4

Margaret Stevens and fellow members of the Society of Botanical Artists (SBA) in England have created an invaluable reference. Artists are sure to benefit from instruction in drawing techniques, colored pencil techniques, watercolor techniques, and gouache painting techniques. Stevens and SBA contributors also provide instruction on the painting of fruit, vegetables and foliage. Artists will find the leaf library and the flower library of particular interest. Not to mention the step-by-step explanations of how some SBA members completed plant portraits that are featured in this book. [ArtPlantae Books Catalog]

Wise, Rosemary. 2001. Botanical illustration in colour. Plant Talk. Issue No. 25.

This article was written by Rosemary Wise, who is the botanical artist at the University of Oxford. In this article, Wise explains how to create a botanical painting. She explains how to mix greens and how to stretch paper. She also describes clearly how to lay washes, how to paint leaves (both upper and lower surfaces), and how to paint flowers and fruits. She makes a few comments about framing and reviews the materials artists need to create their own botanical painting. This article is available online and can be read here.

Wunderlich, Eleanor B. 1991. Botanical Illustration in Watercolor. Watson-Guptill Publications. ISBN: 0-8230-0530-5

In this book, artists will find thorough instruction on the drawing and painting of botanical specimens. Wunderlich does a wonderful job preparing artists and their workspace before showing artists how to draw buds, flowers, leaves, stems, shrubs, trees, fruits, and vegetables. [ArtPlantae Books Catalog]

OTHER REFERENCES

Calendars

Firefly Books. 2004. The Botanical Garden 2005. ISBN: 1-55297-182-1.

This calendar complements the Botanical Garden texts written by Roger Phillips and Martyn Rix. Each month features wonderful photographs of selected members of a given plant family. The plant families highlighted in this year's calendar are: Aspleniaceae, Iridaceae, Convallariaceae, Papaveraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Liliaceae, Ranunculaceae, Solanaceae, Tropaeolaceae, Asphodelaceae, Verbenaceae, and Umbelliferae (Apiaceae).

New York Botanical Garden. 2004. New York Botanical Garden Engagement Calendar 2005.
ISBN: 0-89327-960-9.

This calendar features the orchid paintings of Walter Hood Fitch (1817-1892). Fitch created over 10,000 images over his lifetime. This desk calendar lays flat so that each two-page spread can be enjoyed without a lot of fuss. Each two-page spread consists of one of Fitch's paintings and one page upon which to write down a week's worth of activities.

Royal Horticultural Society. 2002. Classic Botanic Address Book. Featuring the art of Johann Gesner (1709-1770). Frances Lincoln Ltd. ISBN: 0-681-33889-X.

Royal Horticultural Society. 2003. Classic Botanic Diary 2003. Featuring the art of Johann Gesner (1709-1770). Frances Lincoln Ltd. ISBN: 0-681-33879-2.

Cookbooks

Yepsen, Roger. 1998. A Celebration of Heirloom Vegetables: Growing and Cooking Old-time Varieties. Artisan, a division of Workman Publishing Company, Inc. ISBN: 1-885183-88-7.

Exhibit Catalogs/Art Collections

American Society of Botanical Artists. 2002. Art Imitates Life: Botanical Art in 2002. Johnson & Johnson World Headquarters, New Brunswick, NJ. March 27 - May 22, 2002.

American Society of Botanical Artists. 2003. ASBA North American Western Region Exhibit. Loveland Museum/Gallery, Loveland, CO. February 15 - April 13, 2003.

American Society of Botanical Artists & The Horticultural Society of New York. 2003. The Sixth Annual International Juried Botanical Art Exhibition of the American Society of Botanical Artists at the Horticultural Society of New York. September 25 - October 31, 2003. ISBN: 0-9744153-0-8.

Bridson, Gavin D.R., James J. White, and Lugene B. Bruno. 2003. American Botanical Prints of Two Centuries. Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation. Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA. April 27 - July 31, 2003. ISBN: 0-913196-75-4.

Filoli. 2003. Fifth Annual Botanical Art Exhibition. October 3 - 18, 2003.

Korach, Karen A. 1972. Catalogue 3rd International Exhibition of Botanical Art & Illustration. 12 November 1972 to 30 March 1973. Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation. Carnegie-Mellon University. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. ISBN: 0-913196-14-2.

Lawrence, George H.M. 1968. Catalogue 2nd International Exhibition of Botanical Art & Illustration. 20 October 1968 to 15 April 1969. Hunt Botanical Library. Carnegie-Mellon University. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Mabberley, David. 1999. Ferdinand Bauer: The Nature of Discovery. Merrell Holberton Publishers and The Natural History Museum, London. ISBN: 1-85894-087-7.

Mabberley, David. 2000. The Anatomy of Flowers. Merrill Publishers Limited and The Natural History Museum, London. ISBN: 1-85894-116-4.

New York State Museum. 2000. Focus on Nature VI: Natural History Illustration. April 26 - July 31, 2000. Albany, NY.

New York State Museum. 2002. Focus on Nature VII: Natural and Cultural History Illustration. April 25 - September 9, 2002. Albany, NY.

New York State Museum. 2004. Focus on Nature VIII: Natural History Illustration. April 24 - September 12, 2004. Albany, NY.

New York State Museum. 2006. Focus on Nature IX: Natural History Illustration. April 20 - September 10, 2006. Albany, NY. [ArtPlantae Books Catalog]

Guild of Natural Science Illustrators. 2002. Annual Members Exhibition. University of Kansas. Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Research Center. Lawrence, KS.

Oakland Museum of California. 2003. The Art of Seeing: Nature Revealed Through Illustration. Oakland, CA.

Reveal, James L. 1996. America's Botanical Beauty: Illustrations from the Library of Congress. Fulcrum Publishing. ISBN: 1-56373-002-2. (Originally published as Gentle Conquest in 1992.)

Sandler, Michelle and Randy Sandler. 2000. Albert R. Valentien: The California Years 1908-1925. Cincinnati Art Galleries. June 2 - July 3, 2000.

Secrist, Sally W. and N. Ann Howard. 1977. Catalogue 4th International Exhibition of Botanical Art & Illustration. 6 November 1977 - 31 March 1978. Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation. Carnegie-Mellon University. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. ISBN: 0-913196-19-3.

Sherwood, Shirley. 1996. Contemporary Botanical Artists: The Shirley Sherwood Collection. Weidenfeld & Nicolson, The Orion Publishing Group. ISBN: 0-297-82270-5.

Sherwood, Shirley. 2001. A Passion for Plants: Contemporary Botanical Masterworks from the Shirley Sherwood Collection. Cassell & Co. ISBN: 0-304-35828-2.

Watercolor West. 2001. 33rd Annual Juried Exhibit of Transparent Watercolors. Riverside Art Museum, Riverside, CA. September 15 - November 3, 2001.

Watercolor West. 2002. 34th Annual Juried Exhibit of Transparent Watercolors. City of Brea Gallery, Brea Civic and Cultural Center. Brea, CA. October 19 - December 8, 2002.

Watercolor West. 2003. 35th Annual Juried Exhibit of Transparent Watercolors. Riverside Art Museum, Riverside, CA. September 6 - October 25, 2003.

White, James J. and Donald E. Wendel. 1983. Catalogue 5th International Exhibition of Botanical Art & Illustration. 11 April to 15 July 1983. Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation. Carnegie-Mellon University. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. ISBN: 0-913-196-41-X.

White, James J. and Donald E. Wendel. 1988. Catalogue 6th International Exhibition of Botanical Art & Illustration. 8 April to 31 July 1988. Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation. Carnegie-Mellon University. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. ISBN: 0-913196-52-5.

White, James J. and Autumn M. Farole. 1992. Catalogue 7th International Exhibition of Botanical Art & Illustration. 13 April to 31 July 1992. Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation. Carnegie Mellon University. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. ISBN: 0-913196-55-X.

White, James J., Autumn M. Farole, and Sharon M. Tomasic. 1995. Catalogue 8th International Exhibition of Botanical Art & Illustration. 13 November 1995 to 29 February 1996. Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation. Carnegie Mellon University. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. ISBN: 0-913196-63-0.

White, James J. and Lugene B. Bruno. 1998. Catalogue 9th International Exhibition of Botanical Art & Illustration. 12 October 1998 to 26 February 1999. Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation. Carnegie Mellon University. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. ISBN: 0-913196-64-9.

White, James J. and Lugene B. Bruno. 2000. Gifts of Winter. Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation. Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA. October 30, 2000 - February 28, 2001. ISBN: 0-913196-69-X.

White, James J. and Lugene B. Bruno. 2001. Enduring Perfection: Paintings by Damodar Lal Gurjar. Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation. Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA. April 26, 2001 - July 28, 2001. ISBN: 0-913196-73-8.

White, James J. and Lugene B. Bruno. 2001. 10th International Exhibition of Botanical Art & Illustration. Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation. Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA. October 28, 2001 - February 28, 2002. ISBN: 0-913196-73-8.

White, James J. and Lugene B. Bruno. 2002. Anne Ophelia Todd Dowden: A Blossom on the Bough. Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation. Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA. September 19, 2002 - February 28, 2003. ISBN: 0-913196-74-6. [ArtPlantae Books Catalog]

White, James J. and Lugene B. Bruno. 2003. The Healing Plants of Ida Hrubesky Pemberton. Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation. Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA. September 25, 2003 - February 29, 2004. ISBN: 0-913196-76-2. [ArtPlantae Books Catalog]

White, James J. and Lugene B. Bruno. 2004. Catalogue 11th International Exhibition of Botanical Art & Illustration. 24 October to 28 February 2005. Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation. Carnegie Mellon University. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. ISBN: 0-913196-79-7.

Zdanowicz, Irena. 1996. Beauty in Truth: The Botanical Art of Margaret Stones. National Gallery of Victoria. October 17 - December 16, 1996. ISBN: 0-7241-0187-X.

History

Brown, Andrew.Flower Paintings from the Apothecaries' Garden. Contemporary Botanical Illustrations from the Chelsea Physic Garden. Antique Collectors' Club. ISBN: 1-85149-503-7

This collection of paintings by the Chelsea Physic Garden Florilegium Society was compiled in honor of the Society's tenth anniversary. Fifty-six artists contributed one painting each to this book. Each painting is accompanied by information about the featured plant, as well as a short biography of the contributing artist. [ArtPlantae Books Catalog]

Butler, Patricia. 2000. Irish Botanical Illustrators & Flower Painters. Antique Collectors' Club. ISBN: 1-85149-357-3.

Cribb, Phillip and Michael Tibbs. 2004. A Very Victorian Passion: The Orchid Paintings of John Day. Blacker Publishing & The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. ISBN: 0-500-97015-7

This collection of orchid paintings from orchid enthusiast, John Day (1824-1888) is inspiring. This book contains only a sample of the more than 2,300 orchids painted by Day that are housed at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. [ArtPlantae Books Catalog]

Daniels, Gilbert S. 1974. Artists from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation. Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA. ISBN: 0-913196-17-7.

Dykens, Margaret N. et al. 2003. Plant Portraits: The California Legacy of A.R. Valentien. The Irvine Museum. Published in conjunction with the exhibition, Plant Portraits: The California Legacy of A.R. Valentien at the San Diego Natural History Museum. December 12, 2003 - September 7, 2004. ISBN: 0-9714092-5-0.

Eustis, Elizabeth S., John F. Reed, and David L. Andrews. 2002. Plants and Gardens Portrayed. Published in conjunction with the exhibition, Plants and Gardens Portrayed: Rare and Illustrated Books from The LuEsther T. Mertz Library. May 2 - July 31, 2002. New York Botanical Garden, The Bronx, NY.

Flannery, Maura C. 1995. The visual in botany. American Biology Teacher. 57(2): 117-120. Flannery suggests using botanical art as a tool to help biology students appreciate plants and become more comfortable with botanical terms. In her article, Flannery discusses the long association between botany and art and shares with readers the viewpoint that modern botany is what it is today because of the work of botanical illustrators. This article is a good history lesson and worth the trip to your local college library.

Griffiths, Mark. 2002. Orchids: From the Archives of the Royal Horticultural Society. Abrams Books. ISBN: 0-8109-0438-1

This history book about orchids features 300 full-color plates of paintings completed by different artists, including Walter Hood Fitch. Artwork is from the collection of the Royal Horticultural Society. ArtPlantae Books has the mini-version of this book in stock. [ArtPlantae Books Catalog]

McAlpine, Daniel. 1989. The Botanical Atlas: A Guide to the Practical Study of Plants. Smithmark Publishers. ISBN: 0-8317-7495-9.

Michel, Marianne Roland. 2002. The Floral Art of Pierre-Joseph RedoutÈ. Published in conjunction with the exhibition, The Floral Art of Pierre-Joseph RedoutÈ (1759-1849). Bruce Museum of Arts and Science, Greenwich, CT. July 20 - November 3, 2002. ISBN: 0-9720736-1-2.

Riley, John J. and David P. Banks. Orchids of Australia. Princeton University Press. ISBN: 0-691-11490-0

Artist's can learn about 150 of Australia's native orchids by studying the life-size colored pencil paintings of Australian botanical artist, John J. Riley. Opposite each illustration is information about each plant.

Saunders, Gill. 1995. Picturing Plants. UC Press. ISBN: 0-520-20306-2.

Sherwood, Shirley. 1996. Contemporary Botanical Artists. Weidenfeld & Nicolson, The Orion Publishing Group. ISBN: 0-297-82270-5

The first of three books highlighting the botanical art collection of Dr. Shirley Sherwood. Features the artwork of 113 artists. [ArtPlantae Books Catalog]

Sherwood, Shirley. 2001. A Passion for Plants. Cassell & Co. ISBN: 0-304-35828-2

The second of three books about the botanical art collection of Dr. Shirley Sherwood. Features the artwork of 89 artists. [ArtPlantae Books Catalog]

Sherwood, Shirley. 2005. 1,000 Years of Botanical Art. Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. ISBN: 1-85444-206-6

This third book about Dr. Shirley Sherwood's collection was published in conjunction with the exhibit, A New Flowering: 1000 Years of Botanical Art that was held at the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford, May 2 - September 11, 2005. In this exhibit, botanical material from the libraries and museums of Oxford University were displayed next to contemporary examples of botanical art so that comparisons could be made between the work of early botanical artists and that of modern botanical artists. [ArtPlantae Books Catalog]

Tomasi, Lucia Tongiorgi and Gretchen A. Hirschauer. 2002. The Flowering of Florence: Botanical Art for the Medici. Published in conjunction with the exhibition, The Flowering of Florence: Botanical Art for the Medici. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. March 3 - May 27, 2002. ISBN: 0-89468-288-1.

Woldbye, Vibeke. 1991. Flowers Into Art: Floral Motifs in European Painting and Decorative Arts. Published in conjunction with an exhibition in Kunstindustrimuseet, Copenhagen, Denmark. SDU Publishers. October 5 - December 2, 1990. ISBN: 90-6179-140-5.

Photography

Nuridsany, Claude and Marie Perennou. 1997. The Metamorphosis of Flowers. Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
ISBN: 0-8109-3625-9.

Video

Fitzgerald, Helen. 2002. Botanical Painting in Watercolour, Volume I. TFM Productions, Australia. Video can be purchased directly from artist.

In this video, Fitzgerald discusses how to: create tone; create form using tone and geometric shapes; setup a palette; mix colors and create glazing charts; draw a specimen and compose it on a page; paint the flowers, seed pods, leaves, and stem of a eucalyptus plant. Helen's drawing and painting style is very relaxed and confident. Artists will no doubt enjoy learning from her.

Fitzgerald, Helen. 2003. Botanical Painting in Watercolour, Volume II. Candlelight Pictures, Australia. Video can be purchased directly from artist.

In this video, Fitzgerald discusses: technical aids that can be used by artists; additional colors artists may like to add to their palette; how to use technology (i.e., scanners) to their advantage; and how to use field sketches when gathering information about a plant. Helen then spends most of the video demonstrating various painting techniques such as: viewing the differences between opaque and transparent colors, painting leaves with different glazes to recreate the changing colors of leaves, creating form using complementary colors, painting white fruit, painting shiny leaves, drawing/painting curved leaves, and painting the flower, cone and leaf of Banksia. Dry brush technique is also demonstrated. Helen's drawing and painting style is very relaxed and confident. Artists will no doubt enjoy learning from her.

Friend, Trudy. 2002. Watercolor Problems and Solutions: A Trouble-shooting Video. Teaching Art Videos. North Light Books. (#00557)

This video complements her book of the same name in the Field Sketching & Nature Journaling section of the art library. The techniques Friend demonstrates will appeal to anyone who keeps a watercolor sketchbook. Friend demonstrates the following: how to create a tonal scale and how to apply this technique in a painting; how to paint leaves, grass, a seed pod, a tree, a shrub with colored flowers, a window and its adjacent wall that is covered with vegetation; and a scene comprised of a building, trees, vegetation, and other small details (e.g., windows, chimney, etc.).

King, Bente Starcke. 2004. Beautiful Botanicals: Painting and drawing flowers and plants. Teaching Art Videos. North Light Books. (#00843)

This video complements her book of the same name in the Watercolor section of the art library. In this video, King encourages artists to follow their instincts and to apply the techniques they learn from her and other instructors, in a way that they see fit - even if what feels right to them "isn't in the rule books." King demonstrates the following: ink wash technique (tulip painting), application of washes, glazing, complementary colors (tulip paintings), painting white flowers on white paper (primrose painting), combining watercolor with colored pencil (lily painting).

Nice, Claudia. 2001. Creating Textures in Pen & Ink with Watercolor with Claudia Nice, Part 1. Teaching Art Videos. North Light Books. (#00448)

This video complements her book of the same name in the Pen & Ink section of the art library. Nice demonstrates how to create textures using contour lines (onion drawing), parallel lines (house shown at a distance), crosshatching (rocks in a brook), stippling (African violet drawing), and scribble line (chili pepper drawing). She then combines pen-&-ink work with watercolor in an ocean scene.

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