Botanical Art Techniques
A Comprehensive Guide to Watercolor, Graphite, Colored Pencil, Vellum, Pen and Ink, Egg Tempera, Oils, Printmaking, and More
by Carol Woodin; Robin A. Jess
Impressions: This is a thorough and in-depth guide to drawing plants with a mind for scientific study. The amount of study and thought for each plant is fascinating. I feel like I do the abridged, abridged version when I try and draw or paint botanicals. I don’t strive to understand the plant but it is apparent that the writers of this book are systematic in their study.
Liked: I am a bit speechless as to how detailed this book was. It was surely an undertaking to compose and I appreciate that. I loved how many types of mediums were addressed and discussed! What a resource this book is.
Disliked: Not too sound ungrateful but there was so much to read it was overwhelming. I think I could sit down and read this in a sitting to glean information and this is defiantly a buy and explore over time kind of a book. I didn’t dislike this I was just surprised at how much is actually there.
Learned: I learned some new perspectives on drawing proportions, layering for depth, and creating texture. I never would have thought to paint on vellum however it looks beautiful. I fully want to try etching sometime now too!
Quotes: I didn’t read enough of the text to garner any good quotes.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion shared here.

Beautiful illustrations and helpful tips on recreating photo quality illustration. Using a variety of methods and tools this guide helps the professional and amateur artist.

This volume is, as its title implies, a comprehensive guide to botanical art techniques. The tutorials include details about the teaching artist, examples of their art, and detailed step-by-step photo tutorials explaining each skill. It is a book that is thorough in its crash course of Botanical Arts. This book includes introductory skills through advanced techniques. The combination creates essential reading for a new artist. It also results in a useful reference and refresher for those looking to improve or add proficiency.

The introductory section covers the basics that any inspiring botanical artist should understand to begin a successful study of the art. This includes how to care for cut flowers, tips for field work, and a crash course in basic botany. The first part of the book focuses on black and white drawing. It covers tips for basic pencil (graphite) technique as well as that for pen and ink. Skills include the basic -- how to hold a pencil and the importance of a pencil tip, to the more advanced -- how to shade to enhance, not muddle a drawing. The book does not assume knowledge nor patronize the reader. Part two introduces color and offers tutorials for color pencil and watercolor -- on both paper and vellum. In addition to photo tutorials, detailed diagrams are also included, for example there is one that explores how to create depth--from one full strength and detailed "hero" specimen with multiple layers of muted colors, decreased detail, and reduced scale. The third part provides a brief exploration of specialized techniques such as etching, silver point, acrylics, and oils. This section also includes principals and both traditional and modern approaches for botanical art composition.

As a self-taught watercolor artist, this volume provides refreshers on lessons long forgotten (perspective). It also unlocks mysteries of "how to do that" (for example, the use of masking fluid and composition). It is a book that is welcome on my shelf as I explore botanical art techniques.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me an eARC of this book!!!
Was looking for some techniques to correctly draw botanicals and found them here.
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars!

I love flowers. I know it’s hyper-girly, but I do. I love trying to grow them, and I always try to keep flowers in the house. I love the gorgeous art in this book, and I thought the tips for extending the life of cut flowers was extremely helpful. I really loved this book because it gave me so many great ideas and tips for flower arranging! I received this as a free e-book but I would be very proud to display this on my shelves.

This book is a good introduction to drawing botanicals. Everything up to page 50 is a bit irrelevant and long winded. After that there are some great drawings to follow along and there is technique to follow. On page 86 you lost me. Jumping into an elaborate sketch with multiple flowers and leaves. After that there is more elaborate plants. And then into ink technique. On page 112 I noticed as they go thru instructions they specify which exact tools to use. This is very of putting for people. Not everyone has exact tools, this should be reworded to general terms. They also ask you to use techniques such as stippling but never tell you what that is. There is a lot missing from this book. And it focuses on things that are irrelevant. I’m sad to see another art book that doesn’t teach you much. All in all it is a very interesting book. Great if you already have the tools or know how to use art tools already.

Yes, this is totally outside of the realm in which I usually review, but I saw this one on Netgalley and I couldn’t resist (Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an ARC). For the past couple of months I have been playing around with watercolour painting and I thought it would be fun to look through this book.
First off, I was blown away by the gorgeous examples in this book. They are absolutely stunning. I especially loved being able to see the steps that the artist took to get to the finished product. The final piece may seem nearly impossible to achieve, but by breaking it down into steps that are paired with explanations, the pieces seem more attainable. On that note, though, I would recommend this book for intermediate or advanced painters. I think it would be rather overwhelming for those who have not had time to experiment and become comfortable with their paints and brushes.
Lastly, I would recommend getting a paperback copy of this book. While the e-book was nice, I would have much preferred flipping through real pages.

By far the best most comprehensive book on doing botanical art Well thought out and well laid out for ease of learning. Anything you need to learn about this genre of art the answer is here. .

This is a phenomenal primer on creating botanical art for those who are very serious about the craft. With over 400 pages, it goes into step-by-step techniques using a variety of media from pencils to watercolors and much more. It is well illustrated with incredible botanical art throughout, showing all of the steps the artists undertook to create the finished work.

I have always been in awe of artists who could create watercolor or colored pencil botanical art that looked like a photo and I finally understand how they do it. The amount of detail they use is incredible -- precisely measuring each petal, using multiple papers and tracing designs onto new sheets, using all different materials to enhance the effect, and so on. In one case, one stunning piece was listed as taking 200 hours of work.

This is for artists way out of my league (not just in talent but in time and money for supplies), but I was also able to see how to do so much that is in my league, and how various materials give the effects I'm after. A fantastic resource.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.

First of all, this book is the most comprehensive instructional guide on botanical art I have come across.

With images and step-by-step instructions so thorough, even the beginner artist will find much value in this guidebook. The author begins each new medium section with a lesson on technique and proper use of each tool using detailed images.

As a pencil and watercolor artist myself, this book provides plenty of value. The majority of the book covers pencil drawing and watercolor techniques, with a smaller section on using oil and acrylic. Any artist could spend hours experimenting with different techniques, applying them not only to botanicals but expand to other subjects.

Overall, Botanical Art Techniques is a beautifully organized, functional guide that will delight any artist and plant-lover alike.

The detail in this book in terms of all of the tools and steps needed for each medium makes this book a great reference even if none of what you want to paint/draw is botanical. That being said, the depth it also puts into step-by-step projects to help you really master each of the mediums in botanical art is great if that is a subject you want to focus on.

This is a glorious book - full of excellent drawings and photographs of every aspect of plants and flowers. Anybody wanting to know more about the botanical aspects of drawing plants will value it and its structured approach to dealing with all the different parts of various plant families. This book is a pure joy to read, browse through and wonder .It will make an outstanding and welcome gift to art lovers and horticulturists alike.Highly recommend it.
*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I found all of the actual artwork in this book quite lovely and given my lack of artistic ability I doubted I’d replicate the results for myself. The book didn’t then me into a great artist and wasn’t beginner friendly for me at a zero skill level, but it was very well put together.

This book is very informative about botanical illustration, in fact, in the introduction contains chapters dedicated to how care flowers, how to prepare them before getting to work, how to set up the studio (by various artists), basic botany, etc.
The first part is dedicated to monochromatic techniques (graphite and pen and ink), the second part to the colored ones (coloured pencils, watercolor on paper and on vellum), the third one to mixed media, other techniques including oils and acrylics. The text is easy to understand and is well illustrated. The techniques are well explained containing info I have not seen before in books, like sharp or a bit blunt pencils' different use. The volume is really complete as reference.
The artwork is gorgeous, but the other photos are a bit disappointing, they have an old look.

The cover is spectacular. This is the kind of book that in a shelf and in a library really stand out.
It is very practical and technical and very captivating. It it exhaustive but never boring.
You can find plenty of wonderful illustration and this is the reason why you can buy this book also if you are not a painter.

So, this book is definitely beyond my skill level as an artist, as a bontanist, etc. That being said, it was a delight to peruse. The artwork is stunning and informative, the guidance given is wide-ranging, clear, and concise. They cover more subjects than it had even occured to me there are in the subject. Of particular use to me (as a novice) were cut flower preservation, pencil carriage (I've been drawing since childhood and taking art classes since grade school, but I've never read a better synthesis on how to achieve various and effective pencile strokes), and water color wash techniques.

This is a book that will take you from 0 to 100 in creating botanical artworks and in the interim you'll be able to absolutely gorge yourself on the incredible artworks gracing each page. I'm not sure I've ever seen a specialist art book so well worth it for the subject enthusiast.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the arc to review.

A wonderfully illustrative and thorough book on illustrating and drawing plants. I found it to be clear and concise and really easy to follow. I enjoyed the variety of methods and plants listed within the book. The directions and info were great!

This book is visually stunning the cover I mean just wow it is absolutely beautiful!!

This is a book I must have so the price gave me pause but you know what... Sometimes you get what you pay for and this book has just everything! 420 glorious pages of stunning beautiful art. And people the book even tells you how to care for your flowers so they last longer while you draw them... what??? Yes please!!

The content is practical, teaching the artist drawing and painting techniques with a wide variety of tools and environments from studio to field applications it covers everything. Roots, leaves, stems anything relating to botanical's is meticulously detailed.

This book is an absolute must have for any serious artist. It is the perfect gift for anyone who loves to draw or paint.

I received this book from NetGalley and Timber Press for an honest review.
#BotanicalArtTechniques
#NetGalley

Wow!
To begin, this book is very practical and technical, filled with the most detailed and gorgeous illustrations. I adored learning about the process behind botanical drawings through this book, and I feel humbled by the practice and dedication botanical artists have for their art and craft.
It's a wonderful reference book for artists interested in plants and still life, or artists focused on realism.

WOW, 5++ STARS! *This* is the artbook for botanical realism I've hunted for decades to find! Take my money, I want the print edition!

This is an enormous class in botanical rendering, yet it is easy enough to flip to a section of a particular technique if desired. It can serve as a very entertaining coffee table book, but that would leave the gift of its power on the table: Because this is such a feast, work in hand is the siren call here.

Sign me up for this class! That is what this book can be, over 400 pages of intense instruction to devour in the comfort of your own home studio or kitchen table.

I think I will dream of the drawing of Echinocactus grusonii. Holy moly what detail and beauty!

This book teaches a scientist eye for detail in the botanical (and then covers technique in great precision) -- and isn't perfection in art merely learning to truly SEE? It highlights painting from life (because photography will never capture the range of color and value seen with the miraculous human eye) although does mention photography too for our artistic convenience. Step 1 in art is the art of seeing, and here is an art book that states that, hurray!

As a painter depicting realism (in fantastical mashings and settings), I have perused many botanical illustration books, how-to and final artist compilation both, and have never been completely satisfied. I have an immense art book library, and this book is going to be a stand-out among all of them (as I am reviewing an advanced digital copy here).

Moreover, it highlights a REASON to specialize in botanicals: The world crisis of detachment from nature, from Nature Herself, the matter that made our physical being. "...the work contains the potential to affect the way people look at the world..." We all have our reasons for coming to be artists; we are reminded we are a vital force needed for a new reason.

This book can be an entrance for beginning artists as basic drawing techniques are discussed; it has a basic introduction to line type and shading form. It then moves to flowers and leaves, fruit and vegetable, branch and pattern, the golden ratio in nature and how to render it well, and increases complexity and technique building ever upward in final result, such perfection. I remember many many years ago trying to paint a pineapple in high realism - pattern that is not ruler perfect can drive an artist eye fairly wild, but here is a path for those efforts.

Then entire correct botanical plant depiction is shown, proper botanical format with parts of the plant rendered, whether in graphite or color wash or ink. There are so many techniques covered that I cannot list them all. If one wanted to become a professional botanical artist, this is the book to buy.

I am gifted today for the perusing of this book, and cannot wait for the print copy. Thank you to NetGalley, and to Carol Woodin, and Robin A. Jess (and the Society) and to Timber Press for an advanced reader copy.

HIGHLY recommended, a solid buy now.