In the last step by step, I showed a quick approach with ink. There’s also a more detailed way for approaching botanical sketches. For this demonstration, I’ll show how I use pencil and watercolor to create a balanced combination of precise linework, flowing watercolor washes and a few defining textures. I call this method “loose but precise” in my course, and it’s a great way to render detailed botanical sketches without having to spend hours on layering washes, but still get a recognizable result. As much as I love really tight, photo-realistic botanical illustrations, in the sketchbook I very often want to follow a more playful, quick approach, and watercolor works great for this (actually for both techniques).
Loose but precise botanical sketching, step by step
The first few steps are similar to the process I’ve shown in my recent step by step for botanical sketching – building up the drawing by drawing in basic shapes and volumes, and measuring angles and distances.
For the lady’s slipper orchid here, the leaves follow a fairly long and broad shape with a few bends, and the flower itself has a big round yellow lip (indeed slightly reminiscent of an old-fashioned slipper), with several petals twisting like long bands around it. The stalk is bent like a walking stick.
With the drawing in place, I can immediately jump to color. I add a layer of bright fresh green, leaving a few highlights (right leaf) and pushing the pigment into the darker areas, while carefully removing a bit of pigment with the brush again (lower left leaf).
While the green is drying, I mix a bright yellow and paint the lip – the inner walls have a slightly green tinge, and there’s a highlight at the front. I also add a bit of yellow ochre and light green on the base and tips of the petals. As the first layer of green is dry, I go over it with a slightly darker mix (a bit of cobalt blue mixed into my sap green) and restate the darker areas. It’s important not to fiddle around with the brush too much here, apply the layer preferably in one stroke, and then leave the pigment alone. This takes a bit of practice, and I often spend more time observing my subject and making the decision where to add paint (squinting helps), than the process of painting itself.
I now add perylene violet to the petals, in a fairly strong mix in the darker areas, and a bit lighter at the base and tips where the color fades to yellow. I also add a second yellow layer to the lip, intensifying the color in the shadow areas. For botanical sketches, it’s best to use the same base color for shadows, and not resorting to blue or violet shadows. In the same way, I add another layer of green to the side of the stalk, giving it a bit more roundness that way.
The last step are slight adjustments, I add a few textures around the lip with pencil to show the indentations in the form, and just a few strokes with white colored pencil to add back highlights on a folded leaf (lower right) and on the petal’s tips. It’s important to keep these accents subtle, as much fun as they are to sketch.
All in all, what takes away the most time is actually not immediately visible in the sketch – the observation and the decisions that happen before pencil or brush are placed on paper. Taking time to explore a plant thoroughly will result in a better drawing, and this will make it easier to get a loose, but precise botanical sketch in the end.
This example was a flower with lots of big shapes that are easy to put into a simple statement. For flowers with lots of small elements (like dense clusters of tiny flowers) I create a much looser drawing, and only draw a few more detailed shapes in the front (or I add a separate enlarged flower as reference).
I hope this insight into my method for loose and precise sketches was interesting.
Julia, this is a great presentation, thank you. It was pleasure to read and observe the development of your drawing.
You’re very welcome Linda, I’m glad you liked it! :-)
Interesting AND helpful. Your talent AND generosity are appreciated!
Thank you!
Thank you so much Sandy! :-)
Hai Julia,
I’m so happy you are back again. Specially for you, that you’re recovered.
I’m always looking forwards to your newsletters and tutorials.
It make me happy and inspired to try not to perfect, just keeping loose and mindful!
I like the mix from step by step and instruction. It helps me to start, and not focusing to the end results.
it is also helpful to see your ” struggles and repairing wrong lines and colours. that is what happened to me al the time, you teach a good way to manage it.
Thanks a lot and know you give from a distancea lot of lot of pleasure and worthwhile life and creative lessons.
Greetings from the Netherlands
Tineke
Thank you Tineke (what a beautiful name!) – I really appreciate this a lot!
Hi Julia,
I really appreciate your blog posts and although I am a reluctant comment writer I always read them when they arrive in my mailbox.
As to your question about video tutorial vs a step-by-step blog post, I’d definitely prefer the latter. This means I can read and revisit the pictures at my own pace and study the drawing closely where I find it necessary. With a video I would need to pause it exactly in the right place and/or rewind it if I wanted to see some earlier stage of the drawing, which I do not find very convenient.
Thank you for your feedback Linda! That’s good to know.
Step by step with text and image! It’s more difficult to stop and start a video.
THank you Colleen, that’s very helpful!
I am also a “reluctant commenter!
Much as I enjoy the videos, I like the written posts best. I find them easier to take my time to read and easier to return to and study in more detail.
I would also like to say how much I appreciate your generosity in sharing both samples of your work and so much helpful and inspiring information. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing this Helen! And I’m always happy to hear that what I share is interesting and inspiring for others. :-)
Good morning, Julia,
Thank you for this beautiful tutorial. I too, appreciate the step-by-step instructions and the details spelled out for me to follow along. A video, (for me) can become difficult to follow along with while working on the painting.
What brand of perylene violet are you using in this gorgeous Lady’s Slipper Orchid?
Every time I receive one of your newsletters, I get excited and think to myself…..maybe, just maybe I can do this. I would love to learn loose-styled botanicals with you. I subscribe to Skillshare, I just need to get to work. :-) Thank you so much Julia, for all of your inspiration!
Thank you Sheila! I understand that a video can take you out of the painting process. I think this is Winsor perylene violet. It’s usually the same pigment across brands, so they should all work when they’re PV29.
Step by step for me. Linda stated my feelings nicely. Thank you for your wonderful blog postings and tips.
Thank you Jaci – I’m taking notes here, it’s really interesting that many of you prefer text and image.
Hi Julia, I prefer text with images to videos, because texts are silent and can be consumed at my own speed. thank you for this tutorial, comes in handy, want to go out and sketch plants this weekend ❤️
That’s a good hint, I haven’t even thought about this aspect yet. Thank you Brigitte and enjoy your outdoor sketching session!
Julia, I am literally moved beyond words each & every time your newest offering appears for me to open. Your creative ministry has provided an inspiration and tangible process that walks me through the inner world of my own shy, but unstoppable, need to express our glorious natural world artistically. Although I fully value the step-by-step written blog, my ultimate preference is for your videos which release my right brain to soar into new places. Your voice, your rhythm of sharing, your laugh, your walks on a forest path or meadow to find seedpods, grasses & flowers, your earthy gestures translating exquisite visions before my eyes….. I am captured & lifted by it all and yes!! I view each video many times, and pause to feel the shifts in me, to personalize your sharing. I cannot thank you enough for who you are and what you do.