Find out about the new books providing instruction and tuition 
in Botanical Art and Illustration in 2018
​
Below is a listing of NEW books for those wanting to study topics related to botanical art and illustration. ​

I'm also including new editions of contemporary flora and herbals with significant botanical illustration content by contemporary botanical artists and illustrators
Not every book will make it into my listing of The Best Botanical Art and Illustration Instruction Books.
It all depends on:
  • how well received they are by those buying the book and rating it
  • when I get to see a copy!
The books listed below include
2018 - Botanical Art Instruction
  • Botanical Illustration - The Complete Guide by Leigh Ann Gale
  • Botanical Art with Scientific Illustration by Sarah Jane Humphrey
  • Botanical Painting by Margaret Stevens 
2018 - Flora & Herbals
  • Scottish Plant Lore - an Illustrated Flora​
  • The Greenwood Trees: History, Folklore and Virtues of Britain’s Trees ​by Christina Hart-Davies 

NEW in 2018 Instruction books about botanical art and illustration 
​

NEW Botanical Illustration - The Complete Guide
by Leigh Ann Gale
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
This book is a very thorough and well-structured and methodical manual of information about the process for producing botanical illustrations of a high quality. It includes a lot of visual information / images covering different aspects of the process.

It's also rated 5* on Amazon.
The botanical illustrations in this book are of the type found in a Florilegia rather than in the pages of scientific publications.

The illustration on the cover is used as an example for the different processes covered by the book.

A large part of the book focuses on painting - preparing, developing and completing a painting but also includes sections on basic botany and what follows on after a painting is completed.

The illustrations are of a very high standard and also include those by her students.

READ REVIEW: Botanical Illustration - The Complete Guide by Leigh Ann Gale for more details
About the author
Leigh Ann Gale has an honours degree in Graphic Design. She completed the diploma in botanical illustration at the English Gardening School, (now the Chelsea School of Botanical Art). She is a member of the Florilegium Societies for Hampton Court Palace, the Royal Botanic Garden in Sydney and Nymans. Her work is held in the Hunt Institute of Botanical Documentation. She mentors students on botanical illustration diploma and certificate courses.
Publication date: 26th June 2018
Publisher: The Crowood Press Ltd; Illustrated edition 
Format: Paperback: 208 pages | 391 colour images
Size: 280 x 220 mm (the largest of the three books)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1785004190
Retail Price: £18.99
Retail Price: £25
E-Book Edition: £20.00 (incl. VAT)
Note: I was sent a copy to review by the publishers

Average Customer Rating out of 5 stars:
  • in UK: 5.0 (based on 4 customer reviews)

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NEW Botanical Art with Scientific Illustration
by Sarah Jane Humphrey

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
This book is PACKED full of content relevant to the aspiring botanical artist and illustrator - a lot of which is NOT covered in other books.

I will be doing an in-depth review of this book.
Overall, I'm impressed with this book. It very much comes across as the work of a professional full time professional botanical artist/illustrator/tutor who earns her keep from her work. 

I'd recommend botanical artists wanting to make a career from their art to buy this book on the strength of Chapter 12 alone - about professional practice.

Note this is emphatically NOT  a "how to paint" step by step book. 
​This is a book which is more suitable for all those who have acquired skills and competence in drawing and painting - and now need to move up a gear.

READ REVIEW: Botanical Art with Scientific Illustration by Sarah Jane Humphrey for more details
About the author
Sarah Jane Humphrey is a botanical artist, a natural science illustrator, an author and a tutor. Graduated from Falmouth University with an Honours Degree in Illustration. In 2018 she was awarded a Gold Medal by the RHS for Medicinal Fruits and their symbiosis with Pollinators. ​She delivers workshops on Botanical Illustration in Cornwall . She is represented by the Wildlife Art Company for illustration work. She has had a wide variety of clients for her illustration work.

BELOW is a video of Sarah Jane talking about her work.
Publication date: 11 July 2018
Publisher: The Crowood Press Ltd;  Illustrated edition 
Format: Paperback: 176 pages
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1785004190
Retail Price: £18.99
Note: I was sent a copy to review by the publishers


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NEW Botanical Painting
by Margaret Stevens with the Society of Botanical Artists
This book does NOT replace 'The Art of Botanical Painting' which, in my opinion, remains the better book for instruction
Use of media has changed since the publication of the Art of Botanical Painting in 2004 - and the Distance Learning Diploma Course has changed too. ​ 
The intention of the book is to update and provide a guide to botanical painting now. ​ However, it's largely a portfolio of paintings with comments and tips.

​Buy this book for the additional information about
  • drawing in monochrome
  • drawing using a metalpoint
  • painting on vellum
  • painting using egg tempera

READ REVIEW: Botanical Painting by Margaret Stevens & the SBA for more details
About the Author:
Margaret Stevens is a Founder Member, the Past Director of the Distance Learning Diploma Course and a Past President of the Society of Botanical Artists (2005-2010). She is the author of several previous botanical art instruction books produced in liaison with the Society of Botanical Artists.  Read my 2009 interview with Margaret Stevens​

Publication date: 2 August 2018
Format: Hardback
​Pages: 160 (no details about number of illustrations)
ISBN: 9781849944526

​Price: £25.00
Price on Amazon: various - mine was £16.20 (pre-ordered); and there are various prices currently quoted above and below the listed retail price
​
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Botanical Painting from Amazon UK
Botanical Painting from Amazon.com

Flora, Florilegia & Herbals: Other botanical art books published in 2018
​

In 2018, there has been more of an emphasis on the development of books which document native flora, or heritage plants and trees, or plants found in a garden. This trend very much follows on from historical publications associated with botanical illustration
Scottish Plant Lore - An Illustrated Flora
by Gregory J Kenicer
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED This is a very impressive and comprehensive reference book which celebrates the native flora of Scotland.

The diverse and very impressive botanical illustrations are those produced for the Botanical Art Worldwide exhibition in Scotland in 2018 organised by the Scottish Botanical Art Collective. It also includes images from the RBG Edinburgh's historical collection and its Herbarium.
I particularly like:
  • the organisation of plants by natural habitat i.e. seashores, wetlands, grasslands, woodlands, moorland and mountains and human habitats
  • each species is annotated with its various names and habitat and a commentary noting its growth habit and various uses in terms of food and practical uses over time plus plant lore in terms of beliefs.
  • appendices at the end detail the various names of the plants (Scientific, English and Gaelic)
  • the explanation of how native flora changed over time from the Ice Age, through the Mesolithic and Neolithic Periods, the Metal and Middle Ages up to the present day
​[Detailed review to follow]


Format: Hardcover: 
Pages: 184 pages
Product Dimensions: 22.2 x 2.8 x 24.9 cm
Publisher: Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Publication date: 18 Oct. 2018
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1910877263
ISBN-13: 978-1910877265
Price: £25
(I was sent a copy to review)

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The Measure of the Year - Seasons in an Artist's Garden
by Gael Sellwood
The Measure of The Year' - Seasons in an Artist's Garden is a collection of botanical paintings by Gael Sellwood, Vice President of the Society of Botanical Artists

The book is organised by season - and laid out month by month hence the title ‘The Measure of the Year. It takes us through Gael's year in her garden and as a botanical artist. The text connects the artwork with the garden and landscape and the time of year.

​[Detailed review to follow]

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 144 pages
Publisher: Mascot Media
Publication Date: 28 Sept. 2018
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1999845781
ISBN-13: 978-1999845780
​(I was sent a copy to review)

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​The Greenwood Trees: History, Folklore and Virtues of Britain’s Trees
​by Christina Hart-Davies 

​This book is in effect a contemporary version of what we refer to in botanical literature as Herbals. Recommended for those doing botanical studies of trees.
​The book covers 37 different varieties of tree, of which 31 are natives of the UK i.e. they were around 6,000 years BC when the waters started to rise again after the Ice Age. The book has five sections:
  • a brief history of trees in Britain 
  • people and trees 
  • trees and beliefs 
  • things that live in trees 
  • The Greenwood Trees 
Read my detailed book REVIEW: The Greenwood Trees by Christina Hart-Davies


format: paperback
​pages: 120
size: 200 x 200 mm / 7.875 x 7.875 in (square format)
ISBN: 978‑1‑909747‑40‑1
price: £ 15.99
Publication date: September 2018
(I was sent a copy to review)

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