The Importance of Keeping Sketchbooks

Botanical Illustration Workshop

A fantastic day was had by all at the Truro Arts Company last week in Cornwall at my Botanical Illustration workshop. What a luxury it was to have 6 hours to get really get absorbed into greater depths of this much admired form of art.

Spring Flowers

A recent collaboration with Rebecca from The Garden Gate Flower Company http://www.thegardengateflowercompany.co.uk based in Fowey, led to a lovely selection of beautiful spring flowers for the class to study. The Snakes Head Fritillary and Anemone’s naturally were a popular choice. Although I must say I was very impressed with a good number who chose to draw some particularly complicated unusual double daffodils.

Drawing with confidence

Not deterred by the challenging subjects, the whole class had guidance through each step of the process.Its always lovely to teach the group as a whole, and I particularly enjoy the one to one aspects of the workshop. It’s a chance to really tackle any areas of drawing these fabulously complicated little studies, without the despair the artist often finds when drawing by themselves.

There are a number of elements to any of my workshops that I like all of my class to take away with them to improve their practice. I will be covering these in my blog posts for anyone who can’t attend my classes and would like to learn more about Botanical illustration. That said, I truly believe you can apply these to many other genres of art forms.

Sketchbooks

Something has to be said for the repetition of drawing practice, and I can’t stress enough how valuable it is for any artist to get into the regular habit of using a sketchbook. For those a little out of touch with this, I remember clearly how daunting it can be with blank sketchbook, and the worry of not making perfect marks.

My tip is to not start on the first page, but to begin your first sketch several pages in! Trust me it takes the pressure off, and not to be too concerned with making mistakes at this stage. The importance is for it to be an enjoyable study, and over time a record of your progress.

A visual Diary

I always carry a small sketchbook with me. Having one to hand really does make you use it more, and the snatched moments of time becomes a wonderful visual diary. Being more focused on Botanical and naturally derived subjects, my drawings very often tend to veer towards plants and seascapes. Equally some artists may favour the studies of people or more architectural scenes. It really doesn’t matter what you choose to sketch, other than making consistent drawings and observations. In little time you will notice a renewed confidence in your work, which will really transform the speed and skill in which you deliver your artworks.

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