Customer Reviews

Inspiration and the know-hoe to achieve - By: K. Platt, 17 Nov 2008
This is a real treasure of a book for botanical illustrators. Rosie Martin went to the top of my list of favourite artists as I learned to draw from her 'Botanical Illustration Course'. This book is subtitled Challenging Colour & Texture. Here Rosie teaches how to build up tone using pencil, painting techniques & composition. Advanced techniques include using a limited palette. Right up my street as the woman who introduced 'black plants' into commercial horticulture is the section on painting black flowers. Rosie has chosen some of my favourites such as the black Strelitzia nicolai (featured on the book cover), a dishy dark black iris & a very sumptuous black tulip. However, it must be said that there are no step by step instructions for painting black flowers, a sad omission. The palette is explored for painting dark colours with tonal exercises & the artist is encouraged to try out the colours before committing to the painting. An innovative black colour circle is illustrated. The lavish illustrations really make you want to paint.
To enable you to do just that Rosie gives tips on selecting materials & building a palette. Sketchbook practice forms a core of the book with helpful exercises that make you a better painter, taking you through the techniques step by step. There is also advice on workingin situ, layout, collecting specimens & recording information for later usein paintings. Learn how to tackle the demanding areas of rendering life-like paintings of plants from the fuzzy skin of a peach or the papery bark of a silver birch to the deep crimson colouring of dulse seaweed.
The projects from vegetables to stunning flowers such as orchids are all excellently reproduced & will have you reaching for your paints. The practical information should ensure your success. This is an excellent book for the budding or experienced botanical illustrator alike & one that I shall use frequently to enhance my own limited skills. This 144 page book includes a resources list to obtain materials. I highly recommend this beautiful volume that is well worth the money. More of the same please publisher.