The rather curious spiny leaves of the sea-holly, which attract no less by their glaucous colour than their challenge of war. They are positively dangerous and remind me of our ‘marshmellow bushes’ that grow wild on our mountains back home. We nicknamed them such when having to walk through a knee high forest of them. …
Mushrooms
I quite enjoy drawing mushrooms, but it’s not always easy to capture the feathered, crumbly paper feel they have. I tried with some of the smoother varieties first. Next I want to try some of the more exciting toadstool varieties. Mushrooms A4 artists sketch paper Pencil crayons and B pencil Mushrooms close-up #1 Mushrooms close-up…
Spotted Aloe – (Aloe zerbina)
Some plants you just grow up with. I always find it easy to draw things I have a connection with and know and the Aloe is one of those. Ever since I can remember there has been one growing somewhere in our garden. My mother would always pluck and smear on the slime from the…
Bearded Iris
The Bearded Iris I think is one of the most beautiful flowers. I am always amazed at the intricate details and colors that I see in their blooms. I think I first fell in love with these flowers when I saw van Gogh’ s painting of Irises in a museum while traveling through Europe at…
Bird of Paradise – Strelitzia
Strelitzia reginae is a flowering plant indigenous to South Africa. It’s common names include Strelitzia, Crane Flower or Bird of Paradise. The flowers stand above the foliage at the tips of long stalks. The hard, beak-like sheath from which the flower emerges gives it the appearance of a bird’s head and beak; this makes a…
Irises and memories……
I had an Aunt, my Mothers older sister who was very special to me. She was also a an incredible and gifted gardener. We used to visit her often when she lived in Johannesburg because Phil was there regularly on business. She used to take me on her jaunts to the various local nurseries shopping…
More BeetROOTS……
The other day I ate fresh beetroot for the first time in years and while preparing them I thought what fun they would be to draw. I did a little reading up on this veg and it is a very versatile source of food and will be making a much bigger appearance in my kitchen…
Senor Onion
After a sketching roots of irises and orchids I found I rather enjoyed drawing the higgeldy piggledy tangle the roots seem to get themselves into. Rather than concentrating on colour I wanted to focus on a more monochromatic drawing and make the roots the central part of the sketch. I decided an onion was good…
Iris foetidissima
Iris foetidissima or otherwise known as Stinking gladwyn is so called because of its foul smelling leaves. This species of Iris is usually found in open woodland, hedgebanks and sea-cliffs. Its natural range is Western Europe, including England south of Durham and also Ireland, and from France south and east to N. Africa, Italy and…
Mallee Eucalyptus
This Eucalyptus is native to the south west of Western Australia. It grows to between 0.8 and 5 metres in height. It has silver grey leaves and the red, pink or cream flowers are up to 100 mm in diameter. This Eucalyptus flowers in early spring to summer and from late autumn to early winter….
Toadstools
Amanita Muscaria with Betula leaves….. Sounds very fancy, but all it is is Latin for toadstools with birch leaves. My 4th attempt at Botanical illustrations. Also done on artists sketch paper with a combination of pencil and pencil crayon. The two mushrooms look like they have been drawn in pencil, but in reality they are…
An attempt at botanical illustrations
I have always been interested in trying my hand at botanical illustrations. My father was a forester and a horticulturist, my mother a florist and I come from a long line of fanatical gardeners so I guess it makes sense that this line of illustration would interest me. Initially I wanted to do the botanical…
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