Botanical Art Techniques

A fascinating, detailed and useful to all the art techniques you can use to draw or paint botanical elements.
I found it very detailed, with a step by step guide to the different techniques and how to draw botanical elements.
The picture are amazing and the texts are clear.
An excellent guide, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

First, can we just talk about the cover of this book? I don't think I could physically walk past it in a book store without *having to* touch it. But more importantly, the content is just as beautiful and practical, teaching the reader all about botanical art - from caring for and arranging cut flowers to drawing and painting with a wide variety of techniques and tools.

But what makes this book so unique is the unprecedented combination of art and botanical science. It is not just another art book that shows you how to draw and paint; it delves into the anatomy of plants, allowing the reader to first develop a relationship with and knowledge on horticulture.

In addition, "Botanical Art Techniques" contains an astonishing amount of detail applicable not only to floral patterns, such as line control and weight, shading, inking, scaling and much more. The authors also give instructions for portraying leaves, vegetables and roots - but the techniques are valid for drawing or painting anything. Instructions accompanied by illustrations are remarkably detailed.

This book is an absolute treasure to be worked with for years. It is the perfect choice for any aspiring or established artist.

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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.

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.

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

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!

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.

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.

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.

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 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. .

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

This is an amazing book of over 400 pages of botanical art! The artwork in this book contains crayon and watercolour techniques and the artists who showed how to paint/draw individual pieces gave step by step and understandable instructions to complete each piece.

This book would be an amazing gift for any Botanical art fan and contains an absolute wealth of information and beautiful pieces.

Botanical Art Techniques: A Comprehensive Guide to Watercolor, Graphite, Colored Pencil, Vellum, Pen and Ink, Egg Tempera, Oils, Printmaking, and More by American Society of Botanical Artists
is a gorgeous book. Besides being beautiful it is practical. This is a voluminous text weighing in at over 400 pages.

This textbook is extremely unique in that it combines botanical science with botanical art. The first thing you notice is that the book is broken down into tutorials given by experts. The very first chapter discusses basic botany by PhD in botany. The lessons/tutorials are built upon one another. The initial major lesson is drawing botanicals in black and white and using/developing basic graphite skills. Holding the graphite pencil correctly, line control, line weight and light and shadow are covered here. This is only in the first tutorial! So to say this volume is complete and extremely vast would be an understatement.

The drawings are just pure eye candy which spurs the reader to continue to see what is on the next page. This is not just another art book. This book helps the reader develop a relationship with the subject and grow their knowledge of botany in order to make them a better artist. There is even a section on how to care for your cut flowers and how to arrange them so it enhances your view and understanding of the actual flowers.

The authors also give instructions for portraying leaves, vegetables and roots and the techniques are valid for drawing or painting almost anything. The detailed instructions are accompanied by illustrations that are remarkably detailed.

There are many mediums covered in this book. There are watercolors, pen and ink, transferring, acrylics, oils and etching to name a few.

The end results of each tutorial may seem nearly impossible to achieve by the reader but by the process of breaking each skill down into steps with detailed explanations, the artwork seem more attainable. Well done!

I would like to thank the publisher, author and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Let me begin my review by saying that I am a beginner art student. I only really doodle in my journals and requested this book because I wanted to push myself to learn how to draw better.

I really liked how thorough each concept and technique was explained. I especially appreciated that each medium (e.g. Graphite, Pen and Ink, Colored Pencil, etc.) had a selection of introductory tutorials for us to follow/copy, as we worked at our own pace. And then, once we were done with that, there were more advanced tutorials to work on. And not just one tutorial, but 2 to 4.

I really liked that there were detailed pictures for me to use as reference points and that each concept or technique was illustrated in a clear manner.

I also very much appreciated the tips and tricks the book gave on how to care for flowers/plants.

I am very glad I was granted an Advanced Reader Copy of this book for me to review. This review is entirely my own opinion.

Wow! With 420 pages of excellence, Botanical Art Techniques is a gorgeous resource for anyone with an interest in creating drawings of plants. The introduction guides the reader in botanical basics, how to work in nature, or collect (when appropriate) cuttings for home study, and how to create a home studio. The sample studios are beautiful without being out of reach for most home hobby-artists.

The process of observing nature over time and relying on close inspection, is a gift during these stuck at home days. The explanation of why photographing nature is inadequate for botanical artwork was interesting and made total sense, but it hadn’t previously occurred to me.

Detailed tutorials are provided for graphite, pen and ink, colored pencils, watercolors and general instruction is provided for other methods. This will appeal to anyone interested in beginning or improving their own botanical art techniques, or to those who love beautiful botanical artwork.

I love this book. Timber Press never fails to publish books I wish to savor and collect. This one is no exception. I can’t wait to buy a print copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Timber Press for this eARC in return for an unbiased review.

Will use this book and the painting of flowers as a therapeutic intervention with my students. So beautiful. Thank you for the ideas. These are inner city children who do not necessarily have access to the beauty of nature.

This is an incredible resource for anyone interested in botanical art. So much information and detailed instruction. A beautiful book that will be an invaluable reference for any artist from beginner to expert.

Botanical Art Techniques offers a wide variety of flowers and plants to draw inspiration from, and to study in order to attempt your own floral art projects. The book contains very detailed images, tutorials, and helpful descriptions of how to draw and what to focus on when creating your art.

I especially enjoyed the parts of the book that offered instuctions on how to make scientific illustrations of plants (Alice Tangerini's tutorial). These drawings are very retro and "in" right now, and it would be great to draw one of my own.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wishes to learn new drawing techniques, and who is interested in drawing or botanical art in general.

I love, love, love this book!

As a coffee table book to leisurely browse or as a wannabe artist craving details, the author provides gorgeous artwork and guidance on creating masterpieces step-by-step in various media including watercolor, oils, graphite, vellum, egg tempera, and more. Self described as “A Comprehensive Guide” and authored by the “American Society of Botanical Artists”, the beginning matter provides some basic understanding of botany to assist the reader. The book then is segmented into sections on black/white, color, and specialized. What a beautiful book to have in your collection that would be accessed time and again.

Digital copy provided by NetGalley. Thank you!

"Botanical Art Techniques" is an awesome, comprehensive guide to drawing or painting botanical art for anyone from a complete beginner on up. They started with the very basics and progressively worked up to projects suitable for more advanced artists. The different articles were written by different people, but the articles worked well together to teach about botanical art techniques. The authors covered the basics of the different mediums: graphite, pen and ink, colored pencil, watercolor on paper or on vellum, and more briefly on egg tempera, oil, acrylic, gouache, silverpoint, and etching. They also covered the basics specific to botanical art, like working in a studio or outside, how to keep the plant alive while you draw it, and things to consider in composition.

They also gave step-by-step demonstrations for drawing or painting a variety of subjects, like flowers, leaves, fruits and vegetables, roots, branches and stems. There were demonstrations for a cactus, kiwi vine, crab apple branch, slipper orchid, grapes, magnolia flower, and many more. The instructors did a very good job of teaching how to do these things rather than just telling you how to replicate a certain drawing. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn how to make realistic art in a wide variety of mediums, but also specifically to anyone interested in botanical art.

This is an art book for artists and for plant lovers. Reading it electronically doesn't do it justice and I really want to flip through the pages and get a better feel for the book as a whole. In e-format, the content is certainly appealing and my impression is that the book is a truly comprehensive guide to any kind of botanical art that you might want to try. Techniques are clearly described and very detailed- down to how you should sharpen your pencil to create different kinds of lines.

I tend to look at an artist's work to see if I even want to take their art courses or buy their books. Are their masterpieces beautiful? Is the usage of colour striking? Realistic?

Because of that I can heartily recommend this giant book on botanical illustrations. A quick look at the paintings inside the book shows nothing but gorgeous creations. And look at that long long list of contributors! Award winners, artists who exhibit locally and internationally, people whose paintings are in collections all over the world. Artists who give workshops. People who have painted for a long long time and seem to live and breathe botanical painting.

Really all you need to know if you want to go into botanical illustrating. There are also lots of step-by-step illustrations for you to try out.

The American Society of Botanical Artists have put together an excellent book.

One thing possibly missing which I say about most painting books are videos to go together with those step-by-step. Some things are just better seen than read. At least that's how I feel as a visual learner.

Thank you Netgalley, ASBA and Timber Press for the ARC. This is my honest review.

This is a beautiful book, with techniques for different types of art suitable from beginner level to advanced. Everything is covered, including graphite, coloured pencil, watercolours, oils, and acryllics.

The artwork is stunning, and shows what can be achieved with each medium. Step-by-step instructions accompany each project, which range from simple drawings for beginners to complicated compositions for more advanced artists.

There are also sections with details on scientific illustrations and field studies, and a comprehensive guide to the materials needed for each medium.

I was given a digital copy to review and loved it, so I can imagine the physical copy will be truly a book to treasure! Highly recommend for anyone who wants to improve their skills.

This was not quite what I was expecting and way more detailed on how to actually draw and shade and look at plants. Not just pictures of nature and drawings like I was imagining. This would be great to have in any art class and library!

A stunning book! A wonderful art text for drawing botanicals of all sorts.

I don’t know what I was expecting but this book is both helpful for honing drawing skills AND would make a beautiful addition to any bookcase.

What can I say about this book, simply; Amazing. I think it is the Bible for the Botanical Illustrator. I must say it is the Bible for any artist who starts in this botanical field.
You have absolutely everything you should know, techniques, materials, different mediums, composition, color theory, just everything.
You would not be disappointed if you include this book in your library.
Thank you Timber Press, for letting me read this ARC.
I love it!
.

Another great book I have had the honor of previewing early. Even if I never get a drawing complete the book I spires me and is just nice to look at.

If you like botanicals and art, this book is for you. Or if you just like to browse through beautiful images and dream of being able to recreate them, this book is for you.

Upon first glance, the cover is eye-catching and immediately makes me want to pick it up to look inside. This book is by far one of the best art tutorial books I have ever laid eyes on. The art is beyond beautiful, and the guidance they provide is easy to understand. There are different chapters on shading, how to correctly hold a pencil, how to analyze a flower to draw it proportionately, how to arrange cut flowers, and so much more. Various techniques are provided throughout that allow you to create in a variety of mediums including paint, ink, and pencil.

One of my favorite things though, is that it dives into botanical science. It showcases the basic anatomy of a plant so you can become more acquainted with what you are drawing. By doing so, it let's you understand and connect with the art even more. I have always loved drawing flowers, but this has made me appreciate them so much more than I previously had.

I cannot speak highly enough about this book. Whether you are a seasoned artist or just dipping your toes in, this is a must have! I am counting down the days until I can get my hands on a physical copy!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary eARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes. I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me this opportunity!

This is a really fun book for anyone interested in botanical art. I draw and cut/sculpt flowers for jewelry making purposes and am constantly trying to learn to improve my drawing technique. Loved how detailed and structured this book was, with various mediums demonstrated. Photos were extremely helpful and well curated. A lot of care and hard work went into crafting this guide, and it has provided an excellent resource to improve my skillset.

BOTANICAL ART TECHNIQUES had me at that exquisite cover, and kept me entranced ‘til the last page. It’s a gorgeous guide from the pros at the American Society of Botanical Artists. Provides helpful instruction for any artist, no matter how skilled, with a host of tutorials on using watercolor, colored pencil, ink, pen, oils, egg tempera, and more. Awash in glorious photos (900+) plus examples of stellar work done by the best contemporary artists in the field, BOTANICAL ART TECHNIQUES has become my haven of joy amid “le virus horrible.”

5 of 5 Stars

Pub Date 15 Sep 2020

Thanks to Timber Press and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

#BotanicalArtTechniques #NetGalley

This title is absolutely beautiful. I come from a family of artists which each lesson seemingly being good at different types. This book reminded me of my great aunts art and the art I grew up drawing as a child and made me crave the experience of drawing once again. Loved it and loved the detail with materials and structure of drawing.

A beautiful and expert rendering on the subject, this book contains everything you need to know about botanical art, from basic botany ftoor the artist to the different techniques and mediums available.

The text contains detailed instructions on wwhere and how to start your artwork, with reference material ranging from flowers to veetables, and the magnificent illustrations are enough to make anyone want to pick up a pencil and start drawing,

I especially liked the fact that graphite as a medium was explored, as well as pen and ink. The current situation is the perfect time to stat drawing or painting, and this is the ideal companion, To be honest, I would love a print copy, it is truly a gem.

Many thanks to the publishers and Net Galleybfor my ARC.

OMG, this book! A must! An absolute must for artists, budding or expert and even for students of Botany. And full five stars because why not!
This is a guide on making detailed and botanical sketches and paintings in all sorts of mediums, be it graphite, oil, colour pencils, water colours, pen & ink or acrylics and even techniques like etching, using water colours on vellum, gouache or metalpoint (which I wasn't even aware of). Did I leave anything out? Probably.
I tried some of the techniques using water colours and colour pencils because those are the only things I have with me now. The amount of detailing was amazing and at times I wonder how can one possibly copy nature on paper like that! The pictures of the step by step progress of the artworks were really useful.
The ebook was a little difficult to read and zoom into. Considering that this is an art guide, you will need the physical copy but rest assured, this is an important book to have on your desk if you do detailed sketching and painting, especially of plants.
More than 50 artists have contributed to the compilation of this book - each with their unique techniques and tips. More range for you! Now this is what I call a proper guide!
Highly recommended!

Links to my blog and Instagram below.

This is such a beautiful book! The illustrations and step-by-step guides are very helpful for a beginner. This is a very comprehensive book, full of great information. The art is truly next level, the American Society of Botanical Artists has some truly outstanding members. This is a stunning book by artists for artists.

If I could give 6 stars, this book would get it! Excellent painting reference tool!! I have been learning how to watercolor and I loved how this book went into so much detail with descriptions on how to draw and paint the details on botanical paintings such as how to draw the hairs of a cactus along with the basics for any type of drawing or painting. It is quite extensive with instructions and photos on painting specific types of flowers found in nature covering the scientific parts of a plant for accuracy while also making the painting appealing. There are many botanical images throughout the book to use as reference in practicing the art.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. #BotanicalArtTechniques

This incredible, beautiful, art book is a must have for any artist or aspiring artist interested in botanical drawing. From a detailed overview of botanical aspects of flowers and plants to the multiple mediums meticulously explained. The use of multiple artist experts creates an authoritative yet approachable instructional book for all skill levels.

Thank you NetGalley and Timber Press for the opportunity to read and give an honest review of this book.

This book was amazingly thorough. It exceeded my expectations. It covered
botanical art in many forms. Included were: pencil drawing, colored pencil art, watercolor, tempera and several others.

The book included the art and techniques of various botanical artists. The illustrations were very detailed in demonstrating the process. They were plentiful and well done.

This would be an excellent reference book for the shelf of artists interested
In drawing or painting things that grow like fruit, flowers, vegetables, and mushrooms.

I cannot say enough about this book. It was, however, well beyond my ability as a beginning watercolorist. It gives one something to strive for and instructions for accomplishing those detailed projects.

Wow! What a beautifully illustrated book. Along with some step by step samples in different media, there are instructions on how to achieve the effects using varied techniques and tools. For serious and some novice artists, this book can also be used as a coffee table book for rainy day admiration-fest escapism, although you may be tempted to start drawing or painting after perusing. Function and beauty, instruction and meditation are how I describe this book. It may be challenging for book discussions or Library Reads because of the nature and cost of the book. I do highly recommend this to botanical artists and libraries. The book would also make a nice present to artists and plant lovers. Thank you NetGalley and to the Publisher for beautifying my life for a moment in time with this ARC. And thank you Woodin and Jess for this most helpful and lovely book!

BOTANICAL ART TECHNIQUES was sent to me by Net Galley, free of charge, in exchange for my honest review. It was published by The American Society of Botanical Artists, and edited by Carol Woodin and Robin A Jess. It is a non-fiction teaching manual for botanical art.
This book is not for the faint hearted!! It starts with a history of botany. While this book is interesting – especially if you’re into botany, I believe it more advanced than the average artist. It does show step by step drawings if you have the time and interest to draw intricate plants and flowers. This botanical manual teaches:
Watercolors, graphite, colored pencil, vellum, pen & ink, egg tempera, oils, and print making. There are over fifty artists sharing their techniques…some basic, and some extremely advanced. And, if you have the time and interest, this book does show step by step how to draw intricate plants and flowers. It is a way to take your work to the next level.
This is a book with gorgeous pictures of loads of plants and flowers. If you are interested in botany, furthering your talent in botanical art, or just looking at beautiful pictures, I would recommend this book for you.

This is a comprehensive guide to the materials and the basics of botanical art with excellent examples and lovely pictures. It even tells you the right way in which to hold the pencil! It is really the kind of reference book that you need to keep in 'hard copy,' however. I love these books, but it can be difficult to use them in ebook form.

It also has sections by different artists, and provides illustrations of how to draw different flowers, and discusses the parts of flowers.

I received this free ebook from Net Galley in return for an honest review.

This is an attractive and helpful book for creating botanical art using various media. The techniques are shown well, and the topic is popular.

This book is wonderfully thorough. I am an absolute beginner in visual arts just looking for somewhere to start, and this book gave me all the detail I could ever want and more. An absolute feast of techniques, terminology, and inspiration.

Fantastic, Detailed, and Beautiful Book

If you want to improve your plant drawing and painting skills, this is the book for you. After an introductory section, the book is broadly divided into black-and-white drawing, color techniques, and specialized techniques and composition. The bulk of the book focuses on color techniques, which include working with colored pencils and watercolor on paper and vellum. The introductory section looks at details like preparing cut flowers before drawing/painting and broader topics like working in the wild. The black-and-white section focuses on graphite and pen-and-ink techniques. Each section has what the author calls applied and advanced tutorials. The book is visually stunning. The illustrations alone make the book worthwhile if you love detailed drawings of plants, but the level of detail the authors go into about all the techniques is amazing. They truly show you step-by-step how to break down a technique and help you get the different effects you may desire. There are sections, too, that tell you how to combine media for even better effect. If you like to draw or paint flowers, leaves, fruits, and vegetables, this book will certainly help you improve your skills.

Not only were the illustrations within this book beautiful but the designing and layout of each page was excellently done. The information provided on each page of instruction was divided and labeled in methods which clearly answered all the questions that I pondered along the way. The first sections provided insight into the studios of various botanical illustrators. For most established artists this may seem redundant or unnecessary, however I find that this is helpful in understanding how other creators organize their space. Utilizing the natural light provided in a studio can alter the way In which we perceive our work at various times of the day.

Many tools shown to be used by the illustrators were new to me and answered questions I had in regards to using mediums of which I am not familiar. As an illustrator, my go to medium has continued to be acrylic, and although much of the book focused on water color, graphite and color pencil illustration techniques, there were still methods and materials which I believe could be utilized across any practice. My first impression after learning that many sections would be based on how to draw various plants in detail was that I might not get much information that would be general enough to apply to a broad range of illustrated subjects. I was wrong in my assumptions as I quickly learned that in each chapter, though it was a walk through of the artists process, each artist presented a new skill set that was multifaceted for an array of artistic processes. In-between sections were mini chapters that provided ways of understanding color theory, caring for materials and ways in which to select proper materials. Though these were not new to me, they were helpful in giving me ideas on how I can provide this information concisely to my illustration students. I will be referencing this book in my own studio. Thank you for the advanced reader copy!

Wow, just wow. Amazing illustration and step by step explanation. I loved how the book is made: illustration, step by step, finished work illustration.

Sadly, I don't have much talent but with such a book, I can start train to get better.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher.
This is an absolutely fantastic art instructional book, and one that will be useful whether or not you intend to be a botanical illustrator/artist. I will absolutely end up purchasing a copy for myself, as it is one of the rare books which thoroughly covers subject, technique/tutorial, materials, and which also gives salient advice for implementing these skills. The American Society for Botanical artists does not fail to deliver on its promise to cover watercolor, graphite, colored pencil, pen and ink, egg tempera, oils, printmaking and vellum arts.

As a book, the Botanical Art Techniques is structured: "Getting Started," introduces the basics of actually dealing with the subject matter - plants! It covers the ethics of working outdoors and in nature, how to care for cut flowers, set up your studio, and grasp the basics of botany (understanding structures of plants). Then Part 1 is black and white renderings of botanical subjects, Part 2 is subjects in color, and Part 3 is "Specialized Techniques and Composition." My only (somewhat minor) quibble with this layout is "Part 3" feels somewhat like a catch-all, as there is no logical reason why oil painting, gouache, casein, acrylics, and egg tempera isn't included in "Subjects in Color," but instead as a specialized technique. That designation makes sense for etching or metalpoint (for a non-paint or drawing based medium). I consider this a minor quibble because Part 2 could easily become just "Botanical Subjects in Color Drawing and Paints," and Part 3 could be "Specialized Techniques and Supports." I would've added sketch-journals and composition discussions to the beginning.
However, each section is broken up into "basics," then "applied tutorials," and finally "Advanced tutorials," covered by artists who specialize in the particular medium.

Again, I feel this is overall a relatively minor quibble. But aside from that, the book is fantastic in all other respects. It's direct, clear, and the photos are always relevant to illustrating the steps involved. Each section begins with the basics any beginner would need, like identifying light sources, keeping your pencils sharp, and so on. But I believe even more advanced artists will find plenty of meaty material here to improve upon their skills - whatever their normal subject may be. And this book certainly proves botanical art is a field with immense skill, creativity, and knowledge that all of us can benefit from. There's also a wealth of little techniques I had never thought of that will make any project easier - such as cleaning kneaded erasers with enamel board, or using a jewelry cleaner ultra-sonic bath for clogged pen nibs that need extra cleaning.

After reading this book, I'm definitely going to try illustrating in my own patio garden.

“Botanical Art Techniques” makes a lot of big promises in the back cover copy…and delivers on every one and then some! I have been fascinated by the botanical art being produced at the moment. Being an artist, I’ve wondered at the detail created and thought “how did they do that?!”…a whole lot of work is how! This book unpacks all of that work.

It begins where most art does, in observation of the subject, but, being botanically precise, it takes it to a new level including a section on the anatomy of plants as well as how to study in the field.

Once you have your subject lined up, the book unpacks the vast array of equipment needed to achieve the technical requirements of this kind of art. Historically, botanical art worked as we use photography now, to accurately capture a specimen, and so the tools include magnifying glasses, gloves, and speciality paper. I’ll admit, I found the extent of tools overwhelming!

The book then breaks down into media segments: pencil, pen and ink, watercolours and so on. With incredible detail, beautiful photos and a lot of expert guidance, the reader is walked through how to create these masterpiece. One such explanation is a lesson in itself and I picked up hundreds of tips!

I have, now, no intention of creating artwork with this level of exquisite and time-consuming detail. However, I loved reading this book, it created in me a new appreciation for the art form whilst sharing principles I will enjoy applying to my future, more impressionistic artworks. I read it as an e-book but would recommend purchasing a hard copy, it is an excellent reference and would be great to have alongside you as you work. It’s a five out of five on the enJOYment scale.

I love botanical art. I’d love to have a house filled with this artwork. If you want to attempt a drawing/painting, this book is one to emulate. There are details that I have not found in other books. Enjoy the book for the lessons provided or just for the lively art work.

Outstanding book, the art techniques explained in this book are just fabulous. Whilst drawing botanical art seems very regimented and technical, this book show the other side of drawing/painting realistic plants, leaves, flowers and seeds.
anyone that wants to beginning with botanical art should read this book, for those that are more free with their details - this book really show the bases 0f botanical art which can be built one and expanded to create beautiful art.

I’ve seen some beautiful botanical tattoos that inspired me to pick this one up and I have a daughter who’s finding her artistic talents and wanting some inspiration.

This is a perfect step-by-step guide on how to create gorgeous watercolors, especially if love nature and anything floral!

*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. As an art teacher and professional artist, I would definitely recommend this book to students and fellow artists interested in botanicals. It is extremely thorough with tutorials in several media and chock full of information and beautiful illustrations. I read the e version but this is a book I will look into purchasing in print, I would love to have it on my bookcase.

I really enjoyed this and highly recommend it. There were tutorials by more than 50 artists. The book is full of beautiful illustrations with many examples. Step by step it helped me along.
I thought this was just going to be a “how-to”with lots of beautiful pictures but this was quite in-depth.
I’ve been painting at home for about two years and now I’m learning hand lettering. I learned a lot from this book and can’t wait to start some of my projects. This book was so much more than I thought it would be.


Thank you NETGALLEY and the publisher for this ARC, in exchange for my honest review. ♥️

This book is beautiful and covers an incredible range of material for everything you need to know to start drawing or painting botanical illustrations. I have an art degree and am certified in art education and I would recommend this book be used in certain college art courses, but it could also be used by an ambitious art student in high school or even middle school. It covers everything from picking and preserving plants, basic botany, foundational drawing and painting, drawing in graphite or ink, to painting with watercolor, colored pencils, and more! Also includes step by step tutorials. This is a very well thought out guide to botanical art!

Botanical Art Techniques is a very informative guide of how to capture a variety of botanical subjects through various art mediums. Some of the tutorials provided are definitely for a more advanced artist than myself but I did like taking various lessons to practice and try new methods. This book is available now!

Wow! I think this should be renamed “The Complete Book of Botanical Art Techniques” or perhaps “The Botanical Art Bible”. It has everything you could possibly want or need to know about botanical illustration. Usually these types of books only show the techniques in one or, at the most, two mediums. But here the author shows how to complete projects in a variety of mediums. And they are beautiful let me tell you!
This is definitely a complete guidebook on the subject and needs to be in every artists’ library.

This book is beautiful. I will definitely keep it around to continue practicing. If my no talent art self can get something out of this book, so can you, especially if you are even a little bit artsy. The instructions are easy, even for a beginner. The book is well designed and just stunning.

This book was received as an ARC from Timber Press in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was so mesmerized by this book that I think I spent more time looking at the beautiful photos than actually reading the book. I was so blown away of the techniques displayed in this book and we definitely appreciated the detailed explanations of how to perform each technique properly. The art lovers in our community will definitely appreciate this book with the different forms, materials and techniques used in this book. Also our gardeners and florists will appreciate the display of the variety of flowers featured in this book as well. Our art collection is one of the areas of expansion in our library collection and this book will be a great addition to it.

We will consider adding this title to our Art collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

I adore botanical art and this book is a must have for everyone who enjoys pretty illustrations.

It is a practical guide to botanical art techniques and the book is filled with a lot of comprehensive information and beautiful illustrations. The book covers tutorials using pen and ink, colored pencils, watercolor (on paper and on vellum) and specialized techniques using gouache, acrylics, oils and graphite.

an excellent art book, that is not only very detail in the different type of medias in which you can create botanical art, BUT, it also spends a great deal talking about the plants, how to take care of them, some things about their composition, very interesting information. It is a great guide, very clear when explaining and with a generous amount of images to use as examples.
My only critique is the quality of the photos, I assume that the low resolution of most of the images is because i was lent an arc, and that in the final rendition these are going to be of a better quality, but that slight difference made it at times difficult so see the line work in the illustrations.

This was a treasure trove of a book inspiring and educational on both botany and art. I read a digital version, but I think it's definitely one to get in print and flip open for decades to come. Would be a beautiful gift for an art lover.

Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC, all opinions are my own.

"Botanical Art Techniques" provides abundant inspiration for artists who wish to create botanical drawings. Basic as well as advanced techniques are provided in detailed steps, with color photos for every step. Applied Tutorials are found throughout the book. The most outstanding feature of the book is the many instructional color photos, and the reproductions of botanical art works. Many different botanical artists contributed their expertise to the creation of this book.

Part I includes rationale, ideas for setting up a studio and for working in the field, and selecting tools and materials, beginning with basics of botany and basic art techniques. The focus in this part of the book is drawing with graphite and pen and ink.

Part 2 of the book focuses on botanical subjects rendered in color, beginning with colored pencils and continuing to multiple media, watercolors, oils, acrylics, embossing, etching, and other media and methods.

The final section includes specialized techniques, making a field sketchbook and journal, principles and approaches, a reading list for additional reference, contributor biographies, and an index.

From the back cover: "This definitive guide is the most thorough how-to on every major technique of botanical artistry."

I would highly recommend this book as a source for artists desiring to become skilled at creating art work featuring botanical subjects.

What an easy, charming book! As things get rough or I need to clear my head, I've found myself reaching for this book and itching to draw. The beautiful illustrations, clear explanations, and lovely colors are absolutely enchanting. Somehow this book is exactly what I needed right now. I can't sing its praises enough.

A truly beautiful book, full of techniques and tips I am extremely excited to put into practice.

The colors and imagery are so pretty and I'd likely go out and pick this up for a gift.

A stunning book that carefully goes over different techniques for making art with MANY different mediums. I've worked with the watercolor, colored pencils, and pen, and can't wait to work on some printmaking!

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was a good book to have during quarantine - I found using the techniques very meditative. It was detailed, had varying levels of experience to work up to, and extremely beautiful to look at. Even just looking through it without following the instructions was soothing and fun. The instructions are clear and concise. Definitively recommend to anyone stuck inside with endless days of nothing to do,.

I have always loved botanical art, but not being an artist, had never given them a go.
This book has step-by-step guides, and makes it very understandable to learn.
Really loved it, and managed to complete some drawings myself.
There are different sections, playing with different materials and means, so I think it would also be a great book for those who already know how to draw.
Definitely recommend!

I received an ebook copy via @netgalley for an honest review. I am not an artist but I do enjoy creating art-doodles as a hobby. I wanted to learn more about drawing and watercoloring and this book seemed like the perfect tutorial for it.

I really enjoyed the division of this book with an introduction to each technique in the chapters. It was well thought out to have introductory/basic tutorials followed by more advanced ones for each medium mentioned in the book. The stunning and detailed graphics helped with understanding each step in the creation proccess. It was also a huge plus that for each segment there was a comprehensive list of all the materials needed for that specific artwork.

We also receive some tips on how to look after our real plant babies, which i think was a very cute bonus.

My only negative comment about this stunning book is that it is not for complete beginners. Even with all the extensive detail that was put into this large edition there is a certain extent of basic knowledge required for you to be able to understand and follow the guides.

I am definitely thinking about purchasing the physical copy of this book since it was so helpful and stunning :)

I was provided an advanced copy of this book by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This art book does not mess around. It is for serious artists and to illustrate my point (no pun intended) - it starts out with a history of botany. However, the lessons in the book range from beginning to advanced, and also range in supplies, so you can go through this book with just a pencil, or a basic set of colored pencils if you'd like.

There are step-by-step instructions for different ways to make plants and flowers in watercolor, granite/pencil, colored pencil, vellum, ink, egg tempura, oils, printmaking, and more (from the cover)! There are over 1000 pictures in this tome (this is a compendium from the American Society of Botanical Artists, THE EXPERTS on drawing plants!), so you won't be left behind a step wondering where that leaf went.

If you're looking for a good resource for drawing flowers, plants, or even just a book about botanical art, this is the definitive guide.

This book is informative, inspiring, and easy to understand. The botanical illustrations cover a multitude of techniques and media that all skills levels can take something away from.

A stunningly beautiful, vibrant and comprehensive guide and resource for artists interested in botanicals!