Botanical Painting with Coloured Pencils

Botanical Painting with Coloured Pencils Ann Swan This beautifully illustrated ebook is the first practical step-by-step guide to using coloured pencils in botanical painting and is written by Ann Swan, one of the top exponents of the genre.Water-soluble and oil-based coloured pencils are becoming increasingly popular for botanical painting as they are easier to use than traditional watercolour and are more forgiving, yet they produce the same stunning effects. They are especially suitable for the accuracy needed to paint in the botanical style of illustration.In this book Ann Swan gives helpful advice on all aspects of working with coloured pencils, including the techniques you will have to master – underpainting, layering and burnishing. She also demontrates how to mix and build up colour, and how to add those finishing touches that will complete your painting successfully.Several full step-by-step demonstrations are included to show how these techniques are put into practice. The book concludes with a gallery of coloured pencil works by the author, students of botanical painting and other professional botanical painters, providing a wonderful source of reference and inspiration. ? PINK CAMELLIAS 50 x 36 cm (20 x 14 in) COPYRIGHT (#ulink_2b2fe969-b10f-5658-9def-d3093f15d284) First published in 2010 by Collins, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street London SE1 9GF www.harpercollins.co.uk (http://www.harpercollins.co.uk) Collins is a registered trademark of HarperCollins Publishers Limited. © Ann Swan, 2010 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Editor: Geraldine Christy Photographer: Richard Palmer Jacket painting: GINGER FLOWERS 54 x 36 cm (21 x 14 in) Ann Swan asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books. Source ISBN 9780007275526 Ebook Edition © SEPTEMBER 2018 ISBN: 9780008328252 Version: 2018-10-02 HarperCollinsPublishers has made every reasonable effort to ensure that any picture content and written content in this ebook has been included or removed in accordance with the contractual and technological constraints in operation at the time of publication. ? PURPLE ANEMONES 30 x 44 cm (12 x 17 in) CONTENTS Cover (#u46a149a9-6ff6-5bea-bba9-81b65e0645fa) Title Page (#ua45ff80c-529b-5c94-9854-05d5b1a7e226) Copyright (#ulink_49dc759d-2ab2-5b7d-811e-85ce14b3f3c6) Foreword (#ulink_e0d8ac76-e31b-5ff3-82d0-2e4370e50612) Introduction (#ulink_97178117-7ca3-567f-93da-0e9bf8ad776e) CHAPTER 1 (#ulink_3c1be20d-cc24-5dc3-b4ef-3a00ed5a4312) Materials (#ulink_3c1be20d-cc24-5dc3-b4ef-3a00ed5a4312) CHAPTER 2 (#ulink_adbd1723-8fa6-54e9-ba86-251f8c6b8dd9) Getting To Know Your Subject (#ulink_adbd1723-8fa6-54e9-ba86-251f8c6b8dd9) CHAPTER 3 (#litres_trial_promo) Composition & Style (#litres_trial_promo) CHAPTER 4 (#litres_trial_promo) Basic Pencil Techniques (#litres_trial_promo) CHAPTER 5 (#litres_trial_promo) Coloured Pencil Techniques (#litres_trial_promo) CHAPTER 6 (#litres_trial_promo) Colour (#litres_trial_promo) CHAPTER 7 (#litres_trial_promo) Small Details (#litres_trial_promo) CHAPTER 8 (#litres_trial_promo) Finishing Touches (#litres_trial_promo) CHAPTER 9 (#litres_trial_promo) Gallery (#litres_trial_promo) Checklist (#litres_trial_promo) Stockists & Societies (#litres_trial_promo) Bibliography (#litres_trial_promo) About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo) ? LINE OF BULBS 30 x 46 cm (12 x 18 in) Line of Bulbs are reproduced by kind permission of The Southern Bulb Company of Texas, USA. FOREWORD (#ulink_b0f310b1-9acb-5110-82a2-0db8ef8df895) THE ART OF drawing and painting plants has a long history: it ranges from decorative framed paintings to very detailed scientific illustrations, often in pen and ink. I have collected botanical illustrations for more years than I care to remember and I love to discover the work of new artists. Most botanical artists use watercolours. Time was when an illustration in coloured pencils was instantly obvious because of its grainy appearance. But coloured pencils have improved immensely, and there has been a huge increase in the number of artists who use coloured pencils to produce refined work. Ann Swan has extraordinary skill. Her illustrations range from conventional plant portraits (mainly flowers and fruits) to exquisite portrayals of dying autumnal plants and leaves, and exuberant studies of fruit and vegetables in which the available space on the paper is completely covered. She also likes to combine coloured-pencil work with graphite pencil, or draws in graphite pencil alone. All Ann’s work shows an infectious enthusiasm for, and understanding of, her chosen subject and demonstrates her meticulous observation and attention to detail. She is an outstanding exponent of coloured-pencil painting. This book will not only be of enormous help and encouragement to anyone who wants to learn how to produce coloured-pencil illustrations: it will be an inspiration. Victoria Matthews BSc (Hons), Dip.Tax., FLS Botanist ? FLY AGARIC TRIO Amanita muscaria 25 x 28 cm (10 x 11 in) INTRODUCTION (#ulink_2f163935-a05d-5acc-9ec1-c659c0fd0cfc) In Spring, when Flow’rs your garden grace, With Needle or Pencil you can trace Each curious Form, and various Dye So represent unto the Eye, Nobly proportion ev’ry part, That Nature blushes at your Art. John Rea, Flora, 1665 Coloured pencil is an ideal medium for botanical painting. It is immediate, portable, easily manipulated and very forgiving, making it useful for both the beginner and the more accomplished artist. This is a very exciting time to be working in coloured pencils. Since I came to the medium in the late 1980s, many new and extended ranges have been introduced that contain better quality and more lightfast pigments. There is also a great variety of blender pencils, blender pens and battery-operated erasers now available. All these new products make it so much easier to produce vibrant and finely detailed plant portraits. I started using coloured pencils as a way of introducing areas of colour into my detailed graphite pencil drawings. I tried watercolour, but I could not cope with using brushes – they seemed to have a will of their own – and all my colours turned to mud. At first I used colour only for part of the image, but as I have learned more about coloured pencils and the way they perform I have concentrated on enjoying colour. ? ‘JANUARY KING’ CABBAGE 30 x 32 cm (12 x 13 in) Coloured pencil and graphite pencil over underpainting. Through this book I hope to share with you the techniques, tips and ideas that I have tried and tested. With a clear overview of the materials that are currently available and how to use them, the book shows you how best to get to know your subject and explains how to create interesting and eye-catching compositions. It also looks at ways of finely tuning your work and presenting it well, both on the ‘page’ and in the frame. Finally, there is a gallery showing some beautiful work by other artists and students who use this versatile and increasingly popular medium. ? A watercolourist recently described coloured pencil as being of no use for depicting fine detail. Maybe this butterfly, which repeatedly tried to land on my drawing of beetroot at an exhibition, had not read those words! TRADITIONAL BOTANICAL ART Traditionally botanical painting has been the realm of the watercolourist, but more and more artists are discovering that coloured pencil can be a very effective alternative to watercolour. If you find painting difficult, then this is the ideal way to achieve colourful and detailed botanical studies. The quality of materials is improving all the time and, with several ranges of pencils being rated as lightfast, work created now in coloured pencil will last as long as paintings executed in watercolour. People are often dismissive of coloured pencils because they are associated with the poor quality crayons of childhood. Well yes, my pictures are effectively ‘done with crayons’, but with materials of very high specification and quality. Too often coloured-pencil work can appear grainy and too obviously pencil, but this may be because the paper used was not smooth enough, the pencil was not sharp, or the pencil was applied too lightly and not layered or blended. However, by using the techniques I will show you it is possible to achieve brilliant, lively colours and a painterly effect. The use of coloured pencil as a medium for botanical illustration is a relatively new phenomenon and there is still some resistance against it. I hope to dispel outdated ideas and show that coloured pencil as a medium for botanical painting is very much here to stay. Equally there is some debate in horticultural circles as to the subjects that should be covered by botanical art. My own remit is wide and includes fungi as well as plant material. I teach my methods around the UK and Europe, and also in the USA and New Zealand, and I am constantly surprised by the wealth of talent already emerging in this medium and the huge enthusiasm to learn this technique. WATERCOLOUR vs COLOURED PENCIL If you do not like using brushes, but love drawing, as I do, then coloured pencil could be the medium for you. Unlike watercolour, coloured pencil is a very forgiving medium. It can be lifted off and reapplied, mistakes can be rubbed out and colours can be layered and re-layered to achieve pure, vibrant tones. A major advantage of coloured pencil is that once you have some knowledge of the techniques and the way different colours behave when layered, you can be sure to reproduce exactly the same effect over and over again, whereas watercolour mixes can often be rather hit and miss. Another advantage is that coloured pencils are very portable, so with a selection of maybe 20 to 25 colours, some paper, an eraser and a sharpener you are ready to hit the road, and there is no washing of brushes and palettes afterwards. We are all used to handling writing implements, so using pencils comes much more naturally to us. Brushes can be frustratingly difficult to control and sometimes seem to have a life of their own; a stray hair can spring out and ruin a clean line whereas coloured pencil is much easier to control. I hope this book will introduce you to the wonderful world of coloured pencil for botanical painting and will encourage you to make your own explorations and discover new ways of working in this very versatile and exciting medium. Enjoy! ? BEETROOT TRIO 50 x 36 cm (20 x 14 in) Coloured pencil and graphite pencil. CHAPTER 1 (#ulink_1481fefb-0b49-5e94-b3fd-b0a50f5bab5d) MATERIALS (#ulink_1481fefb-0b49-5e94-b3fd-b0a50f5bab5d) THE WIDE ARRAY of coloured pencils available to the artist can be daunting and confusing, especially to the beginner. New colours are constantly coming onto the market, and the names of existing pencils change or colours are discontinued, sometimes returning in a different form. Additionally, good quality materials are not always easy to obtain and may need searching for, while poorer quality alternatives seem to be in every shop. In this chapter I will endeavour to guide you safely through the materials’ minefield and introduce you to the full range of equipment that you will find useful. In order to ensure good results, as with any form of artistic work, try to use the best quality coloured pencils you can afford. Sometimes bargains can be had, but most good quality art materials are a bit more expensive. You generally get what you pay for, but do not be put off by the huge choice of materials as you can get up and running for a relatively small outlay in terms of cost. Do not rush out and buy full sets of coloured pencils. You will find that many colours in these sets are not needed in botanical work, in particular many of the more lurid greens, turquoises and blues. It is better to buy single pencils and build up a collection of colours that you know you will use. Especially avoid the small tins of 12 or 24 colours as at least half of them will be no use for botanical work. ? SPANISH POMEGRANATES Punica granatum 45 x 30 cm (18 x 12 in) ? Artist Ann Swan at work in her studio. BASIC START-UP KIT You can add more pencils and other equipment as you progress, but these items will start you off. • 2 graphite pencils – HB and H • 20 to 25 good quality coloured pencils • Sharpener with spiral blade • Hot-pressed paper – at least 300 gsm (140 lb) • Plastic eraser • Sketch paper • Magnifying glass COLOURED PENCILS The coloured strip, or core, of a coloured pencil consists of pigment held together with either a wax or an oil-based binder. The binder can either be watersoluble, to make a pencil that can be used with water, or non-soluble and this type is mainly used dry. Generally speaking, you will find that more expensive pencils have better quality pigments and tend to be more lightfast. Coloured pencils vary enormously not only in quality and feel, but in the range of colours available. Before you buy any, try them out. We all have a different way of drawing, so what suits one person may not work at all for another. LIGHTFAST OR FUGITIVE? What do we mean by lightfast colours? When colours exposed to light over many years do not change much, if at all, then they are considered ‘lightfast’. However, exposure to light can alter some pigments over time and these colours are termed ‘fugitive’ because they fade, change colour or, occasionally, darken or become dull. How quickly colours deteriorate from their original, and over what period of time, determines the lightfast rating of a colour; that is, just how lightfast or fugitive the colour is. Although the pigments used in coloured pencils are often identical to those used in watercolour they can behave differently because of the oil or wax-based binder. Oil-based binders can make some pigments more lightfast than they are when used with water. Over the last few years a lot of work has been done to achieve an acceptable standard for measuring lightfastness in coloured pencils. Most of this work has been done in the USA, and the American Society for Testing Materials or ASTM accepted test for coloured pencils is ASTM C-6901. Coloured pencils complying with this standard are considered to be lightfast. TEST SWATCHES If you have a mixed range of pencils accumulated over many years, as many botanical artists have, it is a good idea to do your own lightfast testing. Make two identical colour swatches. Place one swatch under glass in full sun (the dashboard of a car is a good place or a greenhouse or south-facing window), and cover the remaining one and place it in a drawer away from any light. You can then compare the effects of light on the two after a few weeks, and sometimes, in strong, bright sunlight, a difference will show up in a matter of days. FABER-CASTELL POLYCHROMOS COLOURED PENCILS These are good quality, oil-based artists’ pencils with 3.8mm leads that hold a point well, an essential requirement for fine detailed work. They come in a range of 120 colours. Colour laydown is smooth and colour is easily blended without smudging. The colour on the casing quite closely resembles the actual colour, which is useful, and the pencils are clearly marked with individual lightfast ratings, from three asterisks (***) for lightfast down to one asterisk (*) for fugitive. Coloured pencils generally are poor in the green range, which is not helpful for the botanical artist, but Faber-Castell have at least seven good greens. What I mean by a ‘good’ green is one that looks natural, mixes well and stays true in combination with other colours and when blended. Some greens that sound well suited to the work of the botanical artist, such as Sap Green, Leaf Green, Grass Green and Pine Green, can be a bit garish and unnatural looking. They do not always produce successful or consistent results when mixed with other greens, so use these with caution. Polychromos have a good range of greys too – six warm (redder) greys and six cold (bluer) greys. Greys are the main method used for deepening the tones of colours without changing their hue. From left to right FC270 Warm Grey I FC271 Warm Grey II FC272 Warm Grey III FC273 Warm Grey IV FC274 Warm Grey V FC275 Warm Grey VI FC230 Cold Grey I FC231 Cold Grey II FC232 Cold Grey III FC233 Cold Grey IV FC234 Cold Grey V FC235 Cold Grey VI FC181 Paynes Grey ? These warm and cold greys are useful for a starter palette. From left to right: FC101 White FC103 Ivory FC102 Cream FC184 Dark Naples Ochre (Ochre) FC118 Scarlet Red (Scarlet Lake) FC142 Madder FC133 Magenta (Bordeaux Wine Red) FC193 Burnt Carmine FC225 Dark Red FC123 Fuchsia FC134 Crimson (Magenta) FC139 Light Violet (limited availability) FC138 Violet FC170 May Green (Apple Green) FC168 Earth Green Yellowish (Moss Green) FC172 Earth Green (Grey Green) FC173 Olive Green Yellowish (Olive Green) FC174 Chrome Green Opaque (Cedar Green) FC278 Chrome Green Oxide FC179 Bistre FC178 Nougat FC175 Dark Sepia ? Here is a useful basic starter range of 22 Faber-Castell Polychromos coloured pencils. (The names in brackets appear on older stock and are no longer used, but the pencil numbers remain unchanged.) PRISMACOLOR PREMIER COLOURED PENCILS These artists’ quality pencils are made by Sanford in a range of 132 colours with good quality pigments that provide rich colour saturation. They are wax-based pencils, but I find the range mixes well with the Faber-Castell Polychromos pencils as they are smooth and creamy in texture. Prismacolor has an excellent range of the colours found in fruits such as autumn berries, blackcurrants, aubergines and cherries – the darker violets, purples and reds – with colours such as Black Grape, Black Cherry, Dark Purple and Black Raspberry, and some more unusual greens such as Pale Sage, Limepeel, Green Ochre and Artichoke. You can buy these pencils online mainly from suppliers in the USA although a few UK sites are now offering them. It is worth the effort to try and obtain them; even with shipping and import tax, they are still no more expensive than other makes. The disadvantage of using these pencils as your main range for botanical work is that the point invariably snaps off in use, making fine detailed work quite difficult. Additionally their softness can create rather too grainy a texture if they are used alone. However, because the colours are so rich and blend so well, they make excellent companions to the Faber-Castell range. ART MARKERS AND BRUSH PENS Both Faber-Castell and Prismacolor produce a range of matching brush pens and markers that can be useful for underpainting if care is taken to match the pen to the coloured pencil you have used for the main drawing. Faber-Castell produce the Pitt Artist Brush Pen in a range of 48 colours, with plans to extend the choice, and the Pitt Artist Pen Big Brush, a much chunkier version, with a range of 48 similar colours. Prismacolor produce a huge range of 156 double-ended Art Markers. From left to right (left-hand pot): PC938 White PC1084 Ginger Root PC1032 Pumpkin Orange PC 922 Poppy Red PC923 Scarlet Lake PC924 Crimson Red PC925 Crimson Lake PC994 Process Red From left to right (right-hand pot): PC1095 Black Raspberry PC1078 Black Cherry PC996 Black Grape PC931 Dark Purple PC1009 Dahlia Purple PC1005 Limepeel PC1089 Pale Sage ? Prismacolor offer several colours useful for botanical work that are not available in any other range. OTHER GOOD RANGES There are many makes of coloured pencil available now, too numerous to list here, but the following ranges are good quality and worth consideration. Try out each make before you buy to see which you prefer because we all have different styles and draw with differing pressures. Most art shops will let you try pencils, but if not just buy one before you commit yourself to any additional expense. DERWENT STUDIO This is a useful range of 72 slim artists’ quality pencils. They share the same colour core as Derwent Artists coloured pencils, but have a slim, hexagonal barrel. The 3.4mm core sharpens to a fine point, producing a narrow colour strip that is useful for detailed work. CARAN D’ACHE LUMINANCE 6901 Relatively new to the market, this range of 76 pencils comes with full lightfast guarantee on 61 of the colours. They have a lovely soft, creamy laydown similar to Prismacolor but without the tip breaking off. However, there is only one good green and the range is limited. The grey, light brown and beige colour ranges are strong, with some lovely violets and purples, but they are weak in the yellows, oranges, reds and greens. They can be confusing to use as the barrel is wooden with a colour reference just on the tip and the number is written around the barrel, so is difficult to read. I recommend that at first you buy just a few of the more unusual colours. LYRA REMBRANDT POLYCOLOR A range of 72 oil-based colours, these pencils are similar to the Faber-Castell Polychromos range with similar colour names and numbers. PRISMACOLOR VERITHIN A limited range of 36 colours with narrow, hard colour strips, Prismacolor Verithin are useful for fine details and edges. ? CONCENTRATED PLUMS 13 x 11 cm (5 x 4 in) EXTRA COLOURS You will come across many other makes, mostly with limited colour ranges, but keep a look out for the occasional colour that is not in any of the other ranges and collect any you think might be useful. Ask if you can try different makes out before you buy to check their consistency and ease of use. Some distributors are now manufacturing their own brands, such as Dick Blick in the USA, who have produced a range of 72 Blick Studio Artists’ Colored Pencils with what they call ‘fade-resistant’ leads, which they state are formulated utilizing feedback from the Colored Pencil Society of America (CPSA) artist members and teachers. ? SUNFLOWER SEEDHEAD Helianthus annuus 49 x 66 cm (19 x 26 in) Pencil PAPERS GRAPHITE PENCILS Graphite pencils range from the very hard 9H through to the extremely soft 9B, with an F for fine in the middle of the range. For botanical work you will mainly need pencils from 2H to 2B. There are many brands to choose from, but try to select a make that is consistent and non-gritty and that gives a good depth of blackness at the HB grade. Look for leads that are well centred in the wooden shaft and check the wood for any signs of splitting. The pencils I prefer are the Derwent Graphic range as they produce a good dense black tone at the HB and F grades. Some makes are quite pale and grey at this level, so you would have to use a much softer pencil to achieve depth of tone, resulting in a loss of precision. Graphite can also be used in the form of a propelling pencil. Again the range is wide, with the added variation of width of lead. Generally, good makes come in a range of 0.3mm, 0.5mm and 0.7mm diameter leads and a range of grades. I find the most useful is a 0.3mm with HB and H leads to handle fine detail and clean outlines. SHARPENING GRAPHITE PENCILS A sharp point is essential when drawing. Rather than using a pencil sharpener, which can produce a short conical point that soon blunts, sharpen graphite pencils with a scalpel for a long-lasting point. PAPERS For coloured-pencil drawings it is important to have a good quality paper on which to work. It needs to be at least 300 gsm (140 lb) in weight, to withstand the constant pressure to the surface with a sharp point; also the use of erasers and solvents will quickly wear out a lighter weight paper. The paper surface needs to be fairly smooth, otherwise work can look too grainy, but it does need to have some texture in order to hold the pigment on the surface. The type of paper I use is ‘hot-pressed’ (HP), which has a slight texture. Other paper types, called variously ‘rough’, ‘cold-pressed’ or ‘Not’ (meaning not hot-pressed) are generally too textured. Very smooth papers such as Bristol board will only take a few layers of colour before the pencil starts to slip and slide over the surface without depositing any further pigment. Whatever make or type of paper you prefer it needs to be acid free (that is, have a pH balance of 7), so that your work can be kept for many years without the paper discolouring. Non-acid free paper can discolour alarmingly in just a few months, spoiling your finished work. There are many quality makes of watercolour paper available, such as Arches, Saunders, Hahnem?hle and Schoellershammer, all of which take coloured pencil well. Rising Stonehenge is a popular paper from the USA and a lot of artists working in coloured pencil prefer its softer texture. The make I use for preference is the Italian-made Fabriano Classico 5 hot-pressed paper. This white paper is available in sheets and in pads, called ‘Fat Pads’. Fabriano also make another, better quality 100 per cent cotton paper called Artistico, which is also good to work on with coloured pencil, but is creamy in colour. It comes in ‘white’, which is very creamy, and ‘extra white’, which is still cream coloured. White or cream paper is a matter of personal preference; however, as I shall be showing you later, white flowers are much easier to depict on white paper. ? A basic start-up kit should include graphite and propelling pencils. It is worth buying a good quality pencil sharpener with a spiral core and you will find a range of erasers is helpful, including a battery-operated one as well as plastic and kneadable erasers. A scalpel and eraser shield are also essential. WHICH SIDE TO WORK ON? Hot-pressed paper is made in a mould and in the manufacturing process it is pressed by rollers against a soft wire mesh, which can leave the often quite clear impression of the mesh on one side of the paper. This is not a sympathetic surface for coloured-pencil work, so always use the other, more uneven, side to work on. The manufacturer’s watermark will usually read on the right side, with the exception of Fabriano. Paper presented in blocks or pads needs to be checked with a magnifying glass as it varies depending on the manufacturer as to which way up the paper is presented. ERASERS For correcting graphite pencil work use a plastic eraser that is quite firm and so tends not to damage the paper surface or leave any unwanted residue on the paper surface. Cut off a small triangle from your plastic eraser and put the rest safely away in a polythene bag to keep it clean. This way you always have a clean piece, with sharp edges, to work with. When this small piece is dirty throw it away and cut a new piece. For lifting off areas of tone or highlights and generally cleaning the paper, use one of the soft, malleable types of eraser such as Maped’s dark grey kneadable eraser, Blu or White Tac or a piece of kneaded putty rubber. PENCIL SHARPENERS Invest in a good quality pencil sharpener for your coloured pencils. Whether it is electric, battery operated or hand cranked, choose one with a spiral metal sharpening core and not the type that just has a revolving pencil sharpener. This latter type quickly becomes blunt and only sharpens to a small conical point. Pencil sharpeners can become clogged with waxy residues, but regularly sharpening a graphite pencil in them helps to keep them clean. Always sharpen your pencils from the un-named end so that you do not lose the name and reference number of the colour. STORAGE There are many ways to store pencils, but it is a good idea to have a safe and convenient way to carry your pencils should you wish to work away from home. I use strong zip-up cases that hold the pencils firmly in slots and travel well. Pencil rolls and wooden boxes also provide good protection. The cheapest and simplest container for your pencils at home or in the studio is a cardboard wine-bottle carrier with six compartments, easily available from the supermarket or off-licence, with a large plastic pot placed in each compartment to contain a separate range of colours: one pot for greens, one for reds, and so on. Easy and organized! BLENDERS AND SOLVENTS Blender pencils are used for mixing the colours together on the page and for burnishing: that is, pushing the colours together and smoothing them into the grain of the paper to give a paintlike effect. These specialized pencils can also be used for resist work (see here (#litres_trial_promo)). ? Useful extra materials include blender pencils, solvents and embossing tools. A handheld magnifier is invaluable, as are a lightbox and a clamp. Solvent melts the binder that holds the pigment in all forms of dry media and because it is not affected by any size or sealant in the paper it takes the pigment straight into the paper, in effect staining it. This then provides a good base for drawing as the solvent does not change the texture of the paper as water can. There are various types of solvent on the market that can be used with coloured pencil. You can use any substance that will dissolve oil or wax, such as white spirit, but this is not ideal for studio use. There are alcohol-based solvents available that come in felt-tip pen form or in a container. There is also a turpentine substitute called ‘Zest-it’; this is lemon based and less toxic, but bear in mind that it can dissolve masking fluid. You can also buy empty felt-tip pens, which can be filled with a solvent of your choice. Always use solvents in a well-ventilated space. ADDITIONAL MATERIALS You will need a drawing board, preferably A2 or larger, to work on, propped up at a slight angle. A magnifier is essential for use both on the plant material and on the drawing to help with the smooth laydown of colour, fine detail and crisp edges. Use either a handheld one or, preferably, a clamp type with a flexible arm that can be attached to the drawing board, leaving both of your hands free. Other useful extras include Frisk film or sticky-backed plastic, fixative, masking fluid, a scalpel, a sanding block and embossers. Small hobby clamps with jointed arms are a good way of holding specimens. A cheap icing turntable or ‘lazy susan’ will allow you to revolve your plant material and view it from every angle. Feathers are useful for cleaning debris such as broken pencil tips and eraser dust from your work. Use a feather or large soft paintbrush regularly to prevent accidental smudges and marks on the paper. A lightbox will enable you to trace your layouts more easily onto decent drawing paper or to place additional elements in your composition. ? AMARYLLIS TRIO 29 x 50 cm (11 x 20 in) WORKING ENVIRONMENT The best place to work is near a north-facing window, with the light coming from the opposite side to the hand that you draw with, so that you are not working in your own shadow. The north light means that you will get a more even light distribution and avoid the constantly changing shadows that strong sunlight can produce. It is always best to work in natural light. Tungsten light bulbs give a yellow caste, fluorescent lighting flickers and can result in a strobe effect when you are colouring in rapidly, and daylight bulbs give a very cold blue light, all of which make colour matching tricky and frustrating. You will need a stable surface to work on as you will be applying strong pressure at times. Sit on a comfortable chair with good back support and use a board to rest your paper on, which you can prop up at an angle so that you do not overstretch your neck muscles. Do not sit for long periods without getting up and stretching your legs. Place your plant material in front of you at eye level, so that you only have to move your eyes back and forward, thus avoiding too much head movement. Your eye muscles also need stretching, so look up from your work regularly and stare out of the window at the horizon. Most importantly, make a space that works for you, and preferably one that is not cramped, where you can keep your work and materials out all the time so there is nothing to deter you from working. PROTECTING WORK Use a piece of similar paper to rest your hand on while working to avoid smudging and to try out colour mixes on. Always cover your drawing completely when not working to protect it from dust and insects. When completed, cover it with acid-free tissue paper or another sheet of paper and store it out of the light in a folder or drawer. If you are framing your work, the extra expense of UV glass to screen out UV light that fades colours is well worth it to ensure the long life of your work. Additionally take care not to hang your work in direct sunlight or strong reflected light. After all, your drawing has taken a lot of time and effort to complete. CHAPTER 2 (#ulink_523157b9-32b6-5a69-b6b6-baac1eb64b89) GETTING TO KNOW YOUR SUBJECT (#ulink_523157b9-32b6-5a69-b6b6-baac1eb64b89) AS BOTANICAL ARTISTS we accurately record the growing habit, structure and colour of the particular plant we are drawing. Even if your work is not for a scientific purpose, if it falls into the botanical category then it should be botanically correct. A looser interpretation, even though still fairly accurate, would qualify as a flower painting. Most of us are drawn to botanical art because we want to capture the beauty of the plant kingdom rather than study it scientifically. We do, however, need to be keen observers of detail, for plants are not random collections of leaves, flowers and buds, but often grow to a quite rigid pattern. We also need to be able to source photographic and scientific descriptions to check that the specimens we are depicting are representative of their species and that our interpretation is correct. If your painting is for a strictly scientific purpose you may need to include many phases of the plant’s life cycle. This may necessitate taking over a year to complete a piece of work so as to observe it throughout its growing season, or you may need to take some photos for reference. For decorative purposes a more personal interpretation may be appropriate, or you may choose to depict one particular characteristic of the plant. This chapter looks at key points for examining plant structure, recording plant information and preserving plant material. ? AUBERGINES 50 x 30 cm (20 x 12 in) OBSERVING PLANT STRUCTURE Observation is the key – use your eyes. The most important part of getting to know your subject is looking, so spend as much time as you can just doing that. If you can bring your subject into the studio and place it on a turntable or lazy susan you can study it from every angle. Explore the way the plant grows and is structured, but also try to get a feel for the character of the plant. Is it strong and thrusting, or delicate and floppy, sophisticated, cheeky, aggressive or even sexy? What is the plant saying to you and what aspect of the plant do you want to depict? Decide what story about your plant you want to tell in your painting. Once you have a feel for the plant’s character, overall shape and growing habit, start to look closely at how it is constructed. Look at the arrangement of the leaves on the stems: are they paired, alternate or do they spiral round the stem? Study the leaf shapes, their margins, structure and markings. Note the pattern of the veins and how they divide from the midrib. Do they go straight to the margin of the leaf or do they divide and join up with another vein before reaching the edge? Once you have observed this on one leaf do not blindly repeat that exact pattern on every other leaf; even on the most rigidly structured plant every individual leaf is different. Remember, too, to look at the backs of the leaves as the structure of the veins is often easier to observe from this side. ? A good way to study leaf structure is to make a pencil rubbing. Place a thin piece of layout paper over the back of a leaf and rub with a soft pencil to see the pattern of the vein structure emerge. If you have more than one sample of the plant you can deconstruct the flowers to examine the sexual parts of the plant, count the stamens and really see how the plant works. Look closely at all parts of the plant with a magnifying glass to see if there are any small hairs or markings not so easily visible to the naked eye. SIMPLIFYING THE SHAPES Often plant structures seem quite complicated and you may find it easier to simplify this by defining the plant through simple geometric shapes and lines in quick sketches before becoming concerned with detail. Stems can be represented by single lines, and flowers become circles, ellipses, cones or cylinders. ? Diagram of Orchid flower simplified into triangle and circle shapes. SETTING UP THE SUBJECT Wherever possible try to obtain plants growing in pots as they will last longer than cut flowers. Plants will change and move quite rapidly when brought into a warm room, so quickly assess which parts will fade the fastest and draw these first. Usually the leaves and stems will keep fresher for much longer than the buds and flowers. Keep plants and cut flowers away from excessive heat, direct sunlight or draughts to avoid increased transpiration and wilting. If possible collect two specimens, unless they are rare species, and keep one in the fridge or a cool place in case the first one fades. Pick flowers and fruit at the last possible moment. Flowers should preferably be just opening and are best cut in the morning when their moisture content is at its highest. Place cut flowers immediately in water. When deprived of water for even 30 seconds stems can start to dry out and lose their capacity to draw up water. Cut the stems diagonally to stop them resting flat on the bottom of the container and cut hardwood stems upwards about 2.5 cm (1 in) to expose the soft inner tissue and assist water uptake. Make sure that no leaves are left on the stems below the waterline as they will quickly decompose. To stop some plants, such as poppies and poinsettias, leaking a milky latex from their stems when cut, either plunge the stems into iced or boiling water for 30 seconds or sear the cut edge with a flame. Cut flowers keep longer if aspirin, sugar, lemonade, tonic water or flower preservative is added to the water. Renew the water each day and recut the stems about 2.5 cm (1 in) shorter, preferably under water. Misting some flowers can also help to prolong their life. Overnight keep flowers in the fridge or a cool safe place in the garden, either in water, in a plastic box on top of damp tissue or in a polythene bag. ‘Stay fresh’ food bags are excellent for keeping fruit and vegetables. Position your plant material carefully in a stable glass vase that is weighted at the bottom to prevent it toppling over. Use tissue or Blu Tac in the neck of the vase, or place oasis or pebbles in the water to secure the plant in the position you require. If stems are particularly floppy, such as tulips, you can stabilize them by using florists’ wire. Model clamps with universal joints can be purchased quite cheaply from hobby shops and are invaluable. They are capable of holding quite strong branches. You can use small florists’ orchid tubes to keep the stems moist. ? PUSSY WILLOW Salix caprea 26 x 10 cm (10 x 4 in) ? Prevent vigorous buds, such as tulips, from opening too quickly in a warm atmosphere by tying cotton around them. TIP Do not hold your plant material in your other hand while you draw – it is impossible to keep still and you could be there for hours and your arm will drop off! Find another way; be inventive. ? To capture the character of your subject draw a quick, free sketch keeping to simple geometric shapes and single lines and avoiding too much detail at this stage. Always work within a frame. ? Draw the outline of your plant material as a continuous line or contour line. Do not get sidetracked with details; just draw the outline. RECORDING INFORMATION Once you have studied your plant and are sure of its structure make a series of small thumbnail sketches to capture the character of the plant. Keep the sketches small and free and work from your own instinctive response to the plant to capture its character, movement and rhythm. Always work within a frame even when sketching as this will help you to design the whole picture space and create a more unified and dynamic composition. We will be looking at this aspect in more detail in the chapter on Composition and Style here (#litres_trial_promo). Do not be afraid to move the plant around; make the plant work for you rather than always just drawing what is in front of you. Try to maintain the botanical truth of the plant. It is a good idea to keep a small sketchbook to record all your information about each piece of work. Keep together your initial sketches and layouts, measurements of the various parts of the plant such as the diameter of flowers and stems, length of leaves, stems and buds, and any special idiosyncrasies of the plant. Also make notes about the plant’s growing habit and surroundings, plus close-up sketches of any small details such as the stamens, buds, petal markings and root structure, along with some basic colour notes. This sketchbook information, with any photographs you can take of parts of the plant, will give you good references for your current drawing and for any time in the future when you want to draw the same type of plant again. TONAL STUDIES Now look at the plant as a series of solid shapes and make some tonal studies. Work out which are the darkest areas of the plant and give them a value on a greyscale between black (darkest) value and white (lightest) value. Then try to establish the areas of highlight and whether these are to be left as white paper if they are very shiny or to be given a slight tonal value if they are softer, hazy highlights. Seeing tonal values is so important, but can be difficult as our eyes are usually overwhelmed by colour. Looking at your plant material through half-closed eyes can sometimes make it easier to see the subtle changes in tonal values. Another way that helps is to shield your plant from light and then re-introduce the light, watching exactly where it falls and where shadows are formed. A black and white photograph of your plant material with the correct directional lighting can be very helpful for recording and gauging tonal values too. Establishing this range of tonal values helps create contrast in your work and gives depth and form to the subject matter. Once you have evaluated this range then just quickly sketch in the various areas of tone to produce a tonal study of your plant. COLOUR MATCHING Having observed the structure, shape, size and character of the plant you now need to study the colour of the various parts of the plant. Colour swatches are by far the easiest way of matching all these colours accurately and are invaluable when working in the field. To make some colour swatches take a strip of the paper you usually work on and fill in small blocks of each colour you possess in the various ranges and makes. Grade each block of colour from the darkest value, or full saturation, to the lightest value and label each one with the colour name and number. Once you have matched your colours make a note of the name and number of the colours used for future reference. Photographs are no good for colour reference as they rarely reproduce colour accurately, and you will find that computer and printer outputs differ widely too. ? Various colour swatches on Fabriano Classico 5 paper, each colour graded from full saturation to the lightest value. ? Make a tonal study of your plant using simple hatching strokes of varying pressure to depict the range of tonal values from dark to light. TIP A useful exercise is to make a tonal study of a plant using a colour not associated with that plant. For instance, draw the whole plant in values of blue, just varying the pressure of the pencil to increase the tonal value. MEASURING As botanical artists we combine scientific observation with artistic representation and however we choose to interpret our plant material we must be accurate. Botanical paintings are always life size unless otherwise indicated and for strict scientific purposes if you enlarge a part of the plant, for example the stamens, you must note on the painting what the magnification of that part is, such as ‘x 2’ or ‘x 4’ for instance. Конец ознакомительного фрагмента. Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес». 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