This was an annual international award for excellence in scientific botanical illustration
by international scientific botanical illustrators.

An announcement was made in 2026 that there would be no more competitions. 
see The End of The Margaret Flockton Award

Prior to that, every year since 2004 there was an annual exhibition
which included scientific botanical illustrations from around the world.
Latterly the all the images were included in a a Flickr album for each year of the competition
​- but the latter have very unfortunately been removed

What remains is my record of the annual exhibition between 2016 and 2025....
PLUS a very partial record of the exhibition between 2004 and 2015

NOTE: If anybody has any more, I'm happy to add it in.....
​

The Margaret Flockton Award for Excellence in Scientific Botanical Illustration
(2004-2025)
​

​The Margaret Flockton Award commemorated the contribution that
Margaret Flockton ​made to Australian scientific botanical illustration.​

This page covers:
  • ​Past exhibitions of the Margaret Flockton Award
  • Previous winners and highly commended between 2026-2025 plus information about the annual exhibitions
  • an Archive of previous winners and highly commended between 2004-2015
  • an Archive of information about previous exhibition - including an overview of the Call for Entries​​
Past Exhibitions
Information includes the names of those winning prizes and highly commended - and the plants they portrayed - plus links to where you can see the images (where available).
In 23 years, over 990 entries were exhibited, with over $154,000 in prize money awarded for botanical illustrations of the highest scientific, technical and artistic merit.

The Margaret Flockton Award and Exhibition has incentivised illustrators to produce outstanding works of art, bringing international attention to plants and botanical science.
@rbg_illustration
Sponsors of The Margaret Flockton Award: The Maple Brown Family and the Foundation & Friends of the Botanic Gardens Sydney 
Hosted by the Botanic Gardens of Sydney
Picture
Margaret Flockton Awards 2016-2018 - tap to see larger versions on Flickr

The Margaret Flockton Award - Summary 2016 -2025

​

Margaret Flockton Award (MFA) Exhibition 2o25
​

Ceiba chodatii by Irene Behrens, ArgentinaPicture
FIRST PRIZE: Coelogyne spinifera by Yuanito Eliazar, Indonesia
This year’s winning ink illustration is one to linger over.
Rather unassuming at first, the story of this little orchid is gradually revealed. All microscopic details are simplified almost to line only, elements of tone very subtly enhancing the form only where needed. This allows the beautiful inflorescence to take centre stage.
Stepping down from the topmost nestled buds to immature flowers (in ventral and ¾ views), then to mature flowers (in profile and dorsal views), to erect maturing fruit, the life cycle of the plant is clearly and carefully delineated from every angle, with exquisite ink stipple and line technique. A masterclass in control and restraint.
SEE THE ARTWORK AND THE EXHIBITION
Exhibition open 8 – 29 August 2025 
The Garden Gallery, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney
10am – 4pm, free entry 
The Last Participants
​Atay, Canan (TUR)
Bhuchaisri, Wanwisa (THA)
Breedlove, Sophya (USA)
Chen, Annie (TWN)
Chuenchom, Wanchok (THA)
Çigdem, Melike (TUR)
Eliazar, Yuanito (IDN)
Ferreira de Souza, Susana (BRA)
Huber, Elke (AUT)
Jiménez, María Teresa (MEX)
Jimeno Sevilla, H. David (MEX)
Khananthong, Thepwalee (THA)
Kulasekara, Sandunmali (QAT)
Lazner, Jessica (AUS)
Loza Steinbach, Gabriela (CHE)
Lucena, David (BRA)
Luis Castillo, Juan (ESP)
Macedo, Thamiris (BRA)
Behrens, Irene (ARG)
Mariș, Ivona (ROM)  
Migoya, María Alejandra (ARG)
McDonald, Peta (AUS)
Millar, Sarah (AUS)
Mollman, Rachel (TUR)
Monteiro, Daniel Pereira (BRA)
Orye, Hilde (BEL)
Parameswara, Emeraldi (IDN)
Roodt, Daleen (ZAF)
Sanchez Quiroga, Manuela Alejandra (COL)
Sánchez Villegas, Manuel (ESP)
Tangerini, Alice R. (USA)
Timms, Elza (GBR)
Tiedeman, Hannah (GBR)
Tingkluab, Tiprada (THA)
Yeniceli, Hurmuz (TUR)
Prizes Highly Commended:
Detailed explanations are provided as to why these plates were awarded prizes and recognition on the website

Margaret Flockton Award (MFA) Exhibition 2o24
​

Prizes
Highly Commended:
  • Highly Commended - Chamaerops humilis by Juan Luis Castillo (Spain)
  • Highly Commended - Minthostachys verticillata by Fernando Aníbal Gallará (Argentina)
  • Highly Commended - Passiflora helleri by Maria Teresa Jimenez (Mexico)
​SEE THE ARTWORK AND THE EXHIBITION
  • ​​Garden Gallery at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Fri 2 Aug – Sun 25 Aug 2024
  • Work by 30 artists from 19 countries.
READ MY BLOG POSTS:
Black and white illustration of Nepenthes limiana, a newly described endemic species from northern Peninsular Malaysia. Monochrome illustration by François Sockhom Mey (France)Picture
Black and white illustration of Nepenthes limiana, a newly described endemic species from northern Peninsular Malaysia. Monochrome illustration by François Sockhom Mey (France)

Margaret Flockton Award (MFA) Exhibition 2023
​

Wedelia, a member of the daisy family by Gustavo Surlo
Wedelia, a member of the daisy family by Gustavo Surlo
Prizes
  • First prize - $5,000 - Wedelia species (member of the daisy family) by Gustavo Surlo
  • Second prize - $2,000 - Centrosema sericiflorum (butterfly pea) by Natanael Nascimento dos Santos ​
Highly Commended:
SEE THE ARTWORK AND THE EXHIBITION ​​​
READ MY BLOG POSTS:
Gustavo's pieces show the Wedelia sp. nov. species with strength while capturing the delicate surface of the plant's textures. He has skilfully composed the illustration. The subtle use of lines and bars gives a sense of scale. We can understand the plant's role in its habitat and see its minute hairs and glands on the leaf surface. ​
Lesley Elkan.
2023 EXHIBITION

The exhibition at three of the gardens comprising the Royal Botanic Garden in Australia results from juried entries by contemporary scientific botanical illustrators from all over the world.

MOUNT ANNAN 
  • Margaret Flockton Award Exhibition 2023
  • Venue:  National Herbarium of New South Wales Foyer, Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan
  • Dates: 21 August – 6 October 2023
  • Days/Hours: weekdays 10am - 4pm
  • Cost: Entry to the exhibition is free
  • ​Works for sale - selected works will be available for sale direct from the artist
Picture
Lesley Elkan and Catherine Wardrop, the curators and organisers of the Annual Margaret Flockton Award at the Botanic Gardens Sydney - pictured in 2023 with the Illustration by Gustavo Surlo which won First Prize

​Margaret Flockton Award (MFA) Exhibition 2022
​

This year 52 artists from 21 countries submitted 74 entries to the Margaret Flockton Award
Prizes
  • Klei Sousa from Brazil won 1st prize $AUD5000 for Hippeastrum sp. nov (ink) (image above)
  • Hans de Vries from Greece won 2nd prize - $AUD2000 for Ballota pseudodictamnus (ink)

Highly Commended
  • Gustavo Surlo Nascimento from Brazil won Highly Commended for Turnera sp. nov. 1 (ink)
  • Hyunjin Cho from the United States of America won Highly Commended for Agapanthus africanus 'Blue Triumphator' (ink)
  • Claudia Barrocas from Portugal won Highly Commended for Helichrysum stoechas (digital render)

​Judged by Lesley Elkan and Catherine Wardrop, MFA curators and Scientific Botanical Illustrators, and Dr Hannah McPherson, Manager Collections at the Australian Institute of Botanical Science, Mt Annan.

VIEW THE SELECTED ARTISTS' ILLUSTRATIONS
via the Internet Archive

READ MY BLOG POSTS
Margaret Flockton 2022 Klei Sousa from Brazil won 1st prize for Hippeastrum sp. nov (ink) Picture
Klei Sousa from Brazil won 1st prize for Hippeastrum sp. nov (ink)
An outstanding result for a long-time entrant in the MFA. Delicately rendered in ink on board with Klei’s trade-mark restraint, the perfect line and stipple had the judges straining to find a flaw (which they didn’t). The crucial white halos around foreground features help delineate form, avoiding confusion when layering. With every essential aspect comprehensively rendered in fine stipple, and with zero superfluous information, Klei brings together scientific accuracy and an experienced artistic sensibility in this beautiful plate. ​

Margaret Flockton Award (MFA) Exhibition 2021
​

Prizes
  • First Prize ($5,000 AUD) Esmee Winkel, The Netherlands - for Notoleptopus decaisnei (ink)
  • Second Prize Rogerio Lupo, Brazil for Vellozia inselbergae (ink) 
Highly Commended
  • Cycas siamensis by Sansanee Deekrajang, Thailand (graphite)
  • Dionaea muscipula by Francois Sockhom Mey, France (ink and graphite)
  • Acacia terminalis subsp. Eastern Sydney (G.P.Phillips 126)
    by Anna Voytsekhovich, Australia

EXHIBITION
The Calyx, at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney from 7-20th June, 2021. ​
READ MY BLOG POSTS
Picture
First Prize: Notoleptopus decaisnei, Esmee Winkel, The Netherlands

​Margaret Flockton Award (MFA) Exhibition 2020
​

In 2020, the Margaret Flockton Award had the most entries ever for this prestigious award for contemporary scientific botanical illustration.
46 artists from 21 countries submitted works in a time before the world paused.

Astoundingly, the total number of entries in 2020 reflected as a 50% increase on previous averages, with countries Bulgaria, Switzerland and Norway represented for the first time. Ink was far and away the most favoured medium for illustrating, with pencil a distant second of the traditional forms, while digital and mixed media continue their slow rise in the ranks.
Round Up of the entries received for the 2020 Award
and then they got some more.....
​63 entries from 46 artists from 21 different countries in total
Picture
Margaret Flockton 2020 entries - despite Covid!
Picture
ome of the illustrations from the Margaret Flockton Award 2020 - Flickr Gallery - as recorded by my blog post re 2021 Call for Entries
Prizes 2020
  • 1st Prize ($5,000 AUS): Deborah Lambkin for a pen and ink illustration of a new species of orchid Gastrodia sp. nov. 
  • 2nd Prize ($2.000 AUS): Sansanee Deekrajang (Thailand / Scotland) with her pencil illustration of Pinus sylvestris (Scots Pine).
FIRST PRIZE 2020: Gastrodia sp. nov. by Deborah Lambkin
FIRST PRIZE 2020: A new species of Gastrodia orchid from Madagasca by Deborah Lambkin
SECOND PRIZE 2020: Pinus sylvestris (Pencil) by Sansanee Deekrajang
SECOND PRIZE 2020: Pinus sylvestris (Pencil) by Sansanee Deekrajang
Picture
JUDGES COMMENTS: First Prize
Picture
JUDGES COMMENTS: Second Prize
Highly Commended​
Four botanical illustrators were highly commended in 2020
  • Luffa aegyptiaca by Claudia Carceles Roman, Spain
  • Begonia langenbergiana, by Joelcio Frietas, Brazil
  • Zea mays var. Indentata, Lucia Garces, Grenada
  • ​Nepenthes sp. nov., Francois Mey, France
You can see images of all of these in my blog post below - pplus view more images in the YouTube video below

READ MY BLOG POSTS 
JUDGES
The Judges for the 2020 Award were all from the Royal Botanic Garden in Sydney.
  • Catherine Wardrop - RBG&CP Botanical Illustrator and Margaret Flockton Award Curator
  • Lesley Elkan - Botanical Illustrator
  • Karen Wilson, Honorary Research Associate
2020 EXHIBITION
The exhibition at three of the gardens comprising the Royal Botanic Garden in Australia results from juried entries by contemporary scientific botanical illustrators from all over the world.

These were the plans for the exhibition - but sadly COVID had other ideas and the exhibition went online.
​SYDNEY
  • Venue: Joseph Maiden Theatre, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney - enter via Woolloomooloo Gate on Mrs Macquaries Road. This is the original National Herbarium on the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney site where Margaret Flockton worked closely with J.H. Maiden to illustrate thousands of species of plants.
  • Dates:  Saturday 9 May - Sunday 24 May 2020, daily 10am - 4pm
  • Cost: Entry to the exhibition is free
  • ​Works for sale - selected works will be available for sale direct from the artist
MOUNT ANNAN  MOUNT TOMAH 

Margaret Flockton Award (MFA) Exhibition 2019
​

ALL entries are digital. The images selected for exhibition were printed on high quality paper and framed in standard exhibition frames - arranged by the organisers. Selected works were for sale direct from the artist
Picture
Images of the first and second prizewinners 2019
Prizes ​
Highly Commended:
SEE THE ARTWORK AND THE EXHIBITIONREAD MY BLOG POSTS:

Margaret Flockton Award (MFA) Exhibition 2018
​

ALL entries are digital. The images selected for exhibition were printed on high quality paper and framed in standard exhibition frames - arranged by the organisers. Selected works were for sale direct from the artist

Prizewinners 2018

Picture
WINNER OF THE MARGARET FLOCKTON AWARD 2018 Lapidia apicifolia by Natanael Nascimento (Digital illustration)
​
Highly Commended:
READ MY BLOG POST

Margaret Flockton Award (MFA) Exhibition 2017
​

AS entries in 2017 were digital. Images selected for exhibition were printed on high quality paper and framed in standard exhibition frames - arranged by the organisers.

Prizewinners 2017

  • First prize - $5,000 - Calamus sp. nov. “pintaudi” by Lucy T Smith, Kew, United Kingdom
  • Second prize - $1,000 - Monanthotaxis pynaertii by Esmee Winkel, Leiden, The Netherlands
​
Highly Commended:
  • Highly Commended - Drosera magnifica sp. nov. by Rogerio Lupo, Brazil
  • Highly Commended - Dracaena draco subsp. draco by Juan Luis Castillo, Spain
  • Highly Commended -  Echium wildpretii subsp. wildpretii by Juan Luis Castillo, Spain
The exhibition is curated by curated by current illustrators working at the RBG Sydney.

Sponsors of The Margaret Flockton Award: The Maple Brown Family and the Foundation & Friends of the Botanic Gardens 
See my blog posts
Picture
WINNER OF THE MARGARET FLOCKTON AWARD 2017 Calamus sp. nov. “pintaudi” by Lucy Smith

Margaret Flockton Award (MFA) 2016
​

‘This year there was a large section of really beautiful work, but at the top end the final images were so tight that the judges had to reconvene three times, finally agreeing to award a shared second-prize, reflecting the hair-splitting argument for each piece. They believe that both artists deserved their share of the winnings. Considerations of minute scientific accuracy balanced against those of technical and artistic merit. 
Judges' Commentary on 2015 prizewinners

Prizewinners 2016

​
Highly Commended:
The Margaret Flockton Award (2016) Exhibition
Venue: Joseph Maiden Theatre, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney 
Dates: Saturday 9 April - Sunday 1 May 2016, daily 10 am-4 pm
Picture
WINNER OF THE MARGARET FLOCKTON AWARD 2016 Pellaea falcata P. nana by Pauline Dewar

Archive : Margaret Flockton Award Archive 
​

This is an archive record of the names of previous prizewinners and the plants they illustrated.
​Many thanks to the diligence of Mervi Hjelmroos-Koski in making a record on the blog of the Denver Botanic Garden School of Botanical Illustration as otherwise some of these names and awards would be lost to the internet!

Completing the listing of past prizewinners and those highly commended is not easy hence this is a work in progress.
There's a dearth of proper records available online - hence this attempt to create one.  If you can fill any of the gaps please let me know.

Previous prizewinners 2015

​In 2015 entries included submissions from artists living in: Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany and Poland

Prizewinners:
  • First prize ($5000)  - Syngonium podophyllum By Edmundo Saavedra Vidal from Mexico (who also won the competition in 2011 and came second in 2014)
  • Joint Second prize ($1000) - Adiantum hispidulum By Pauline Dewar
  • Joint Second prize ($1000) - Doryopteris concolor  By Klei Sousa
​
Highly Commended:
  • Genus Thompsonella By Edmundo Saavedra Vidal
  • Vriesea carinata By Klei Sousa

Previous prizewinners 2014

In 2014, 33 entries were submitted from Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium and Canada. 

Prizewinners Highly Commended: 
REFERENCE:
Picture
WINNER OF THE MARGARET FLOCKTON AWARD 2014 Lucy T Smith NFS Kew, United Kingdom Nepenthes petiolata Pitcher plant pen and ink on bristol board

Previous prizewinners 2013

Prizewinners
  • First winner Vellozia perdicipes  sp.nov. by Rogerio Lupo, Brazil  
  • 2nd prize Lecomtella madagascariensis by Lucy T Smith from Kew, UK
Highly Commended:  
​See Winners for Margaret Flockton Award 2013

Previous prizewinners 2012

Prizewinners
  • First winner Mimosa acustistipula by Klei Rodrigo Sousa from Brazil
  • 2nd prize  Lepisanthes senegalensis by Anita Walsmit Sachs from the Netherlands 
Highly Commended:   See Congratulations to Klei Sousa
Picture
WINNER OF THE MARGARET FLOCKTON AWARD 2012 Mimosa acustistipula by Klei Rodrigo Sousa

Previous prizewinners 2011

31 entries from 

​Prizewinners Highly Commended:   ​See Margaret Flockton Award 2011

Previous prizewinners 2010

Prizewinners Highly Commended:  ​

Previous prizewinners 2009

Prizewinners Highly Commended:  ​

Previous prizewinners 2008

Prizewinners Highly Commended:  ​

Previous prizewinners 2007

Prizewinners
  • First winner Aristolochia gigantea, Giant Pipevine, Pen and ink, Lesley Randall (USA) - subsequently exhibited at the Hunt
  • 2nd prize  
Highly Commended:

Previous prizewinners 2006

Prizewinners
  • First winner 
  • 2nd prize 
Highly Commended

Previous prizewinners 2005

Prizewinners
  • First winner 
  • 2nd prize 
Highly Commended

Previous prizewinners 2004

Prizewinners Highly Commended
  • ​

Call for Entries - Margaret Flockton Award
​

This annual, unique, international award is for
excellence in contemporary scientific botanical illustration,
(NOT botanical art).

The Margaret Flockton Award is unique in art awards in that it recognises and promotes scientific botanical illustration as opposed to botanical art.

With the above in mind, the evaluation of entries is based on the following criteria:
- Accurate interpretation and portrayal of plant characters and diagnostic features noted in the botanical description
- Technical merit
- Reproducibility
- Composition
- Artistic merit
The competition invited entries from contemporary botanical illustrators - working in a scientific manner - from around the world. ​It commemorated the contribution Margaret Flockton made to Australian scientific botanical illustration. 

They were asked to submit
  • scientifically accurate drawings clearly highlighting all of the distinctive features of the species
  • to accompany the published taxonomic description of the plant.
Prizes:
  • First prize: AU$5000;
  • second prize: AU$2000;
  • 3 x Highly Commended.
The format for the images were original taxonomic illustrations. These were typically highly detailed black and white drawings primarily undertaken in pen and ink, pencil or rendered using digital illustration software.
Points of interest
  • all submissions must be digital
  • original artworks will no longer be exhibited or sold at the Margaret Flockton Award Exhibition.
  • ​All sales will be via reference to the artist's website or email address - to be supplied with submission.
Below is my summary of the terms and conditions and method of entry in 2020.  I've organised the information differently from the way it is laid out on the website

You MUST check all details with the website if you wish to enter.

This also includes the contact details (at the bottom) for the two botanical illustrators who administer the award.
WHO can enter:
  • All previous winners of the Margaret Flockton Award are eligible to enter, excluding the first prize winning artists FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.
  • ​Entries typically come from professional botanical artists from around the world. Very often these are botanical illustrators who
    • work with/for botanists based at botanical gardens and
    • produce scientific botanical illustrations on a regular basis.
  • Those who are not need to be aware they must reach the same standards as those who are!
Nature of the entry - SUBJECT
  • Works must have been produced after February 2018.
  • ​Highly detailed, scientifically accurate and original taxonomic illustrations clearly highlighting all of the distinctive features of the species. 
  • Inclusion of scale bars highly recommended.
  • Fully digitally rendered, printable illustrations (excepting animated or 3D works) are now eligible for entry
  • Full plate illustrations ONLY. (inclusive of habit study and diagnostic features of the species).​
  • SEE A Guide to Botanical Illustration on the MFA page on the ​RBGS website
The science of botany requires plant taxonomists to describe plant species in both words and drawings, with botanists preparing a detailed description of the plant and the artist producing an accompanying illustration.

Taxonomic illustrations are normally published in scientific journals as highly detailed black and white drawings (primarily pen and ink, more rarely pencil) or digitally rendered illustrations (excluding photos and photo-montage), representing aspects of plant morphology essential for identification.
Guide to Judging
Nature of entry - TECHNICAL
  • Illustrations MUST be "ready for publication" and capable of being reduced to 67% of the original size without loss of detail.
  • Monochrome illustrations ONLY - primarily undertaken in pen and ink, graphite or digitally rendered.
  • HIGH resolution Digital image for judging/exhibiting Submit one digital file for each illustration submitted. 
    • ​The file size should not exceed 200MB. 
    • No photos of artworks will be accepted - scanned original works or digitally created images only.
    • (Note: the images available on Flickr are the LOW resolution versions of entries accepted for exhibition) 
  • Resolution and file format:
    • Ink line and stipple - Bitmap tiff @ 1200dpi
    • Pencil or Continuous tone - Greyscale (NOT colour) tiff or psd (NOT jpg) @ 600dpi (minimum).
  • Entries are to be digitally submitted at 100% of original artwork size . ​Image area MUST be:
    • no larger than A3 (295 mm x 420 mm) and
    • no smaller than (180 x 250 mm) - EXCLUDING legend. 
    • Illustrations outside of these parameters will not be accepted.
  • A typed taxonomic description (either published or unpublished) must be provided with each illustration. It must be submitted electronically with the completed form and image
Entry FORMS
  • Four forms (1-4) to be completed and uploaded with image(s) to your Dropbox account
  • Read all conditions carefully before submitting.
  • Entry Form (one for each illustration) - incomplete entry forms render entries ineligible. 
  • Label template (one for each illustration) - fully completed label template with the scientific name of the plant, medium, artist's name and the legend of the drawing - to be printed and displayed with each work.
  • Typed taxonomic description (either published or unpublished) - MUST be submitted electronically  with each illustration. (see website for details of what these look like)
  • Biography (less than two A4 pages) and contact details (optional) - See example biography. Referrals for sales will only be made if professional contact details have been provided on this form and consent provided for these to be recorded/provided.
Submission / Deadline
  • See the page providing information about entry to the 2020 Margaret Flockton Award
  • READ Terms and Conditions
  • ​​Each artist may submit up to two illustrations.​
  • ALL submissions MUST be digital.
  • Complete all the forms
  • Submit all digital files of illustrations and forms/paperwork via Dropbox www.dropbox.com.
  • Once you have created your account/ uploaded images and forms you need to invite the administrators to View AND Edit files in the shared folder where you have uploaded your image files. (email address on website)
  • ​See my blog post The Margaret Flockton Award 2020 - call for entries
Timeline / Deadlines
  • Works must have been produced after February 2018
  • Entries to be submitted between 17 February - 2 March 2020 (EST)
Sales
  • No artworks will be offered for sale (direct email or website details will be made available, with the consent of the artist).​

ENQUIRIES
Please address all queries to Lesley Elkan and Catherine Wardrop, who administer this competition AFTER you have read EVERYTHING on the RBGS website relating to this award. Contact details are on the page.
ASSESSMENT
Entries will be assessed in accordance with the following criteria:
  • accurate interpretation and portrayal of plant characters and diagnostic features;
  • technical merit;
  • reproducibility; ​
A major criterion of scientific illustration is that images should be clearly and simply reproduced through the printing process.
  • composition;
  • artistic merit.

SEE A Guide to Botanical Illustration on the MFA page on the ​RBGS website​
When considering these broad criteria, the following are also taken into account:

Precision and accuracy 
Correct botanical detail, all plant characters and diagnostic features must be accurately displayed.

Reproducibility
The image must be capable of being successfully scanned and reproduced (often reduced) without loss of detail. Very dense (black) or light detail may not reproduce well. A major criterion of scientific illustration is that images should be clearly and simply reproduced through the printing process. Illustrations must be capable of being reduced to 67% of the original size without loss of detail.

Good composition 
The plate should be laid out to give a balanced presentation allowing the overall effect to be aesthetically pleasing. This balance is best demonstrated by the careful placement of the primary subject. In other cases, balance may be the result of careful placement of the dissected details of the plant.

Use of scale bars, whilst not mandatory, is preferred
Great care should be taken in giving the correct scale of each feature. If possible, avoid using multipliers eg. 'x3' or 'x0.5' to indicate the size of features, as this becomes meaningless if the drawing is used in a publication and printed at a different size; the use of a scale bar is accurate regardless of changes to the size of the image.

Signature 
The signature should be neat, small and consistent, with the year noted.