Botanical Artists Group on Facebook is 10 years old!

Banner for the Botanical Artists Group of Facebook

The Botanical Artists Group on Facebook celebrates its 10th Birthday this month. 
​I HIGHLY RECOMMEND membership to all practising botanical artists on Facebook.  It's very informative and helpful plus well regarded group. 

This month marks the 10th anniversary of the Botanical Artists group, which was created by Sigrid. Although we did have a small group prior to that date as some of you will recall. Now we are all much older and wiser? (of course) and it's a huge group with over 12k members, which is testament to the continued popularity of botanical art and illustration.

I'm posting to say thanks to Sigrid and all who have contributed to the group over the years. The group kind of runs itself due to the input from you all. It has been a great way of making contact with other artists around the globe and for sharing the love for botanical art.
Dianne Sutherland Ball

Here's a few facts about it:

• founded by Dutch artist Sigrid de Vries (Facebook Page)
• run by Sigrid and UK artist and tutor Dianne Sutherland Ball (Facebook Page)
• it now has 12,200+ members
  • most of whom are practising botanical artists
  • they include numerous professional and semi-professional botanical artists - including many who are leading artists who are known internationally.

PURPOSE

GROUP DESCRIPTION: This group is about Botanical Art and illustration. It was established to bring together botanical artists to support and inspire each other by providing a forum for discussion, sharing work, practice and for the appreciation of the art form. A botanical artist combines scientific accuracy with aesthetically pleasing depictions of plants, so, it's not just about painting flowers but about botanical art in the wider context as an art form.

The comments by existing members are a tribute to the help and support that members have had from fellow members in their quest to develop their botanical art.

WHO CAN BE A MEMBER

WHO IS THIS GROUP FOR: Botanical Artists are welcome here and also people who have an appreciation for botanical art. Artists of all levels are welcome. Note: There is a Botanical Art for Beginners Group so if you are just starting out and this might be appropriate for you too.

 Everybody is welcome - who sticks to the rules. 

WHAT CAN BE POSTED - and what should NOT be posted

WHAT CAN MEMBERS POST. You can post your Botanical artwork but please remember to add the plant name, preferably the Latin or cultivar name or failing that a common name. We're also happy to see posts related to Botanical art, such as your news, e,g. about exhibitions, new books or Botanical Art courses. Please don't post the same thing repeatedly, or overdo self promotion. You may also share information and questions about materials and equipment as well as hints and tips. No more than 2 post per day per member please.

​WHAT MEMBERS SHOULD NOT POST: Before posting, consider whether there might be a more appropriate group for your post. We do no want to see photographs of plants for identification purposes, work copied from tutorials or insects and animal art. All of those things belong in other groups and will be removed. The group is not commercial, so no selling please.

Content is very much focused on 'proper' botanical art and illustration.

• Members are expected to know and name the plant they are drawing / painting. 
• Work copied from others (i.e. infringing copyright) and/or executed as part of a tutorial and/or photographs and/or including animals -are not allowed
• Posts which contravene the rules are removed very quickly
• Information can be shared about events, exhibitions. courses, books etc - but it's very much NOT a place to overdo self-promotion

​
Moderation is strict - which makes for a very well run group with incredibly few distractions from those who don't want to observe the rules. The latter generally find they are no longer members PDQ. 

​COPYRIGHT​

COPYRIGHT Respect the artist's copyright on all images shown. Do not copy artwork shared in this groups or post work copied from elsewhere. For the avoidance of confusion regarding copyright and permission we no longer permit any copies of artwork in this group. By copy we mean a painting or drawing copied from the work of another artist.
​
Do not share the artist's work digitally outside this group unless you have the artists permission to do so. Unless it is from a link that is public, such as an artists website, blog or public profile.

The Group is a safe place to share.  The strict moderation also applies to infringement of copyright. No copies are allowed within the group or copied and posted elsewhere. 

With so many eyes on what gets posted where, Moderators soon catch up with those who did not read or do not observe this part of the rules.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO AND NOT DO

RESPECT OTHER MEMBERS: Most important rule in this group is to respect each other. We will not allow any judgemental or disrespecting behaviour here. Any comments that we regard as rude, judgemental or disrespectful will be removed.

HOW TO POST YOUR WORK. This Group is kept alive by the generous nature of the artists who post their work, if you wish to post your work, here's a link to the Document on how to do so. Please read this document before posting and place work in the correct folder: (link supplied)

The Group is a very well behaved group - in part due to the very active moderation - plus t provides lots of information about what you can and cannot do.

It's also a Private Group which means only members can see who's in the group and what they post.

Botanical Art Groups & Societies ​on Facebook

I have an Index of Botanical Art Groups & Societies on Facebook on my website.

The Page includes a form for you to tell me about your Facebook Group - if it is not listed.

If you've got two emails on this topic,
please refer to READ THIS: If you subscribe to news from Botanical Art and Artists