This page is about processes related to preparation:
  • sketchbook studies and working drawings;
  • burnishing paper
  • transferring drawings from studies to final art paper for painting​
​
Design & Composition can now be found on a separate page
This page is NEW and is currently being developed.

Preparation: sketchbook studies and working drawings
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Keeping a sketchbook and doing studies and working drawings before you commence your final artwork is an essential process for all those who are serious about their botanical art.  This is the best way to work out how to represent the features of the plant and how best to represent these on paper.
 I always try to do a study or sketch page because it’s the best way to learn about the plant by deconstructing. 
Dianne Sutherland
The processes of working out:
  • recording how a plant grows in its natural habitat
  • illustrating how a plant works
  • defining its distinctive features
  • how to represent texture
  • what colours it includes
  • how best to present it
  • how best to draw or paint it
​are all best done in advance.
Picture
Flower Studies by Leonardo da Vinci. Metalpoint, pen and ink on slightly brownish paper
Picture
one of Ferdinand Bauer's annotated sketches for the "Flora Graeca" - the numbers relate to his colour swatches which meant he could record accurate colour without needing to paint
Botanical Sketchbooks by Helen and William Bynum
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: This book is about botanical sketchbooks which were created to record the natural world - between the 16th and 20th centuries. It attracted a lot of glowing reviews when published.
  • the contents provide a real insight into the firsthand experiences and adventures of the botanists, artists, collectors, and explorers behind them.
  • It's a unique book which all botanical art enthusiasts will treasure.
  • It's also a very special gift for a botanical artist or for a person who enjoys botanical art.​​

This book was published almost simultaneously in the UK and USA - hence the two different covers below and the two different publishers. The standard of publishing is absolutely first rate. (My copy is the Princeton edition)
What's unique about this book is that it provides an insight into the working methods and sketchbooks kept by various different important and/or famous names in botanical art - as well as a few who are less well known - what they recorded and how they chose to make and annotate their records.

It's an amazing collection of colour images - many of which have never been seen before - because they are in sketchbooks
Hardcover: 296 pages
Publisher: Thames and Hudson Ltd;
Publication date (1st edition): 13 April 2017

RECOMMENDED UK:
rated an average 5 out of 5* by 4 customer reviews
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Botanical Sketchbooks from Amazon.co.uk
The sketchbooks cover:
  • sketches made on location - by adventurers, collectors, those pursuing botany and those undertaking imperial projects
  • by those serving science - as naturalists or botanists and in the botanical garden
  • by those making art - by artists interested in nature in art, as a job (eg for explorers), for their patrons
  • by those who sketched plants as a pleasing occupation
It also has a very useful listing at the end of how to find out more.
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press Publication date: May 9, 2017
Language: English
Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 1.4 x 10.9 inches
RECOMMENDED USA:
rated an average 4.8 out of 5* by 13 customer reviews
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Botanical Sketchbooks from Amazon.com
Other processes also playing a role in developing a botanical artwork include:
  • photography - in situ and back in the studio
  • video - try doing a 360 degrees pan around the plant
  • collecting images of how other artists have approached the same plant
  • developing colour swatches for all the colours you can see - with notes as to what colours you used
  • using thumbnail sketches to work out shape and tonal values for the artwork
The third book (see below) produced for the Distance Learning Diploma Course run by the Society of Botanical Artists is based on a sketchbook developed by a student (Mary Ann Scott) who was awarded a Distinction at the end of the course. 
Botanical Sketchbook
by Mary Ann Scott with Margaret Stevens

One of the things the SBA Diploma students have to do is keep a sketchbook.  This book provides both an inspiration and a guide

If you'd like to know more about the book and how it came about
Paperback: 128 pages
Publisher: Batsford Ltd (5 Mar. 2015)
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UK: 4.7 out of 5* by 43 customer reviews

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USA: Rated 4.4 out of 5* by 36 customer reviews
Botanical Sketchbook from Amazon.com
Sketchbook Tips: REFERENCE:
Sketchbooks allow artists to research their subjects and to fine tune observational skills.  They facilitate drawing and painting practise without the pressure of producing a finished work. They allow compositional ideas to be formulated. A large body of study material can be created without the commitment of a final piece. 
Dianne Sutherland
Stillman & Birn: Zeta Sketchbook
Recommended: I like this sketchbook a lot. It provides a heavyweight smooth natural white paper (270gsm) inside a quality heavyweight binder. The paper is ph neutral and lignin and chlorine free. It works well with both dry and wet media eg pencils and coloured pencils, pen and ink and watercolour or inks. It would also work well with water based marker pens.

It's very suitable for pencil drawing, pen and ink drawing and studies in watercolour. The bound book also lies flat making it easy to work across a double page spread.

​This is a link to an example of a study of daffodils painted by Shevaun Doherty in a Zeta Sketchbook
Metric Dimensions of the A4 size: 30.7 x 21.6 x 1.8 cm

There's also a smaller version. Plus you can also get in a spiral bound version if you prefer to tear pages out of your sketchbooks.

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Burnishing the paper
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In the quest for a very smooth paper and total control of paint, it can be very educational to learn about the traditional methods used for burnishing paper.
Burnishing is a process by which the surface of the paper is rendered less fibrous and spongy in appearance. This is accomplished by means of pressure applied by rubbing sized paper. This can be accomplished by machines, but was historically done by hand. Dry sheets of sized paper are placed on a flat surface and pressure is applied by rubbing a smooth, hard object across the surface of the paper. Typical objects that are used for burnishing include agate, glass, bone, and horn. Burnished paper is typically used for manuscripts or stationary work, where bleeding inks are a concern.
​​Burnishing | AIC Wiki
I use an agate burnisher, after the main tonal washes and before I add fine details. I only burnish the painted areas, not the whole page. This suits my technique, which is lots of washes and detail dry-brushed on afterwards.
Elaine Moore Mackey (portfolio website)
Burnishing is a traditional method for preparing paper for calligraphy. A smooth polished non-absorbent surface allows writing implements and ink to move smoothly across the paper. This enables the creation of a smooth line of ink that flows across the support. This can be achieved through burnishing.

Burnishing is also a technique used by watercolour painters who want a very smooth plate surface on which to paint.

Burnishing works by compressing the fibres of paper. In paper manufacturers this happens when the paper fibre is run between rollers. 

The effects of burnishing are threefold. The paper becomes:
  • thinner - because the paper fibres have been compressed due to the pressure used
  • smoother - ink and paint flow more easily across the surface and flow is easier to control (i.e. no unintentional feathering of edges)
  • less absorbent - the paint tends to sit on top of the paper rather than sinking in - much as happens when painting on vellum. This means it's not suitable for wet in wet approaches in watercolour painting which rely on the paper being absorbent.
​
Tools used for burnishing include anything very hard, without edges and completely smooth. Examples include:
  • an agate
  • a round glass paperweight or muller (usually used for grinding pigments)
  • Bone and horn can also be used if smooth.
A video about Glazing, Burnishing and Polishing Paper through time - a lecture given by Jane Colbourne, Conservation Department, Northumbria University. It's nearly an hour long and is about the history of and context for methods used for preparing paper in the past.
REFERENCE:
Professional Glass Muller

Agates are fine if you are burnishing a small area. However if you want to burnish a larger area, this glass muller measures 7cm across and also provides an ergonomic grip. These two features help make the whole process easier and speedier. 

It's designed for grinding pigments but works just as well smoothing paper.
Weight 360g

Prepare to transfer your image - from studies to final art paper

Getting a study from initial paper to fine art paper is a challenge for many artists.
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Transferring the Image
  • Transfer the minimum needed to make sense of the image
  • Use a lightbox (or a sunlit window) to transfer an image.
  • Trace your studies onto tracing paper. Cut them out and them move them around (and/or flip them) to arrive at a suitable composition
  • Create a master copy of your composition as a reference - and in case anything goes wrong!
  • Draw the line to copy just inside the outline 
  • Lighten the traced image on the paper until it is just visible before starting to paint
  • Tips on transferring drawings by Katie Lee (go to Tips and the see the menu of articles)
  • Tracing to art paper by Gaynor Dickeson - a step by step demo
  • Alternatively use a product such as Tracedown paper that provide a clean way to transfer drawings to final paper.
I know the thought of transferring seems an utter waste of time, but think of it as another chance to check the drawing, go at the process with a peaceful heart, do it slowly, thoughtfully, and NEVER lose sight of what the image is. 
Katie Lee
Tracedown Paper

This is very good quality wax free tracing paper. The sort of product where paying more really pays off in practice.

You can do several tracings from one sheet. The tracing is also easily erased without smudging or making a mess of the paper.
This is the graphite version but you can also get it in assorted colours if you prefer.

Recommended: rates and average of 4.7 out of 5 stars on Amazon UK

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How to Create Transfer Paper for Artists

This is a How-to video by Mindy Lighthipe on transferring drawings and sketches onto watercolor paper. Learn to make your own transfer paper with step by step instructions. 

The subject matter is natural history rather than botanical art but the principles are the same.

Plus comments on commercially available transfer papers

Tracing and transferring images to art paper

How to trace an image to art paper - without creating indentations by Gaynor Dickeson 

Tracing using a Lightbox

Many artists use a lightbox for ease of tracing. The major change in recent years is that boxes have got a lot slimmer and are now more like iPads in terms of thickness.
Huion® Tracing Light Box L4S 
17.7 Inches A4 Size LED Adjustable Light 

Lightboxes of old used to be quite chunky affairs. Now they are powered by LED lighting and have become super slim - making them much easier to accommodate.

This particular lightbox has the following features:
  • The L4S has a diagonal length of 17.7inches.. In overall terms it's larger than A4 and smaller than A3 - but also comes in other sizes (eg A3)
  • The actual working surface is acrylic and 12" x 8"
  • It's extremely slim - being only 5.1mm in thickness
  • It's also light and portable due to only weighing 0.61kg (about 1.3lbs)
  • Power is supplied via a micro USB cable meaning it can be powered by your computer
  • The light can be very bright (1100 Lux) and will shine through 300gsm paper - but it also can be adjusted to a level that's comfortable for you to work with. The adjustment for the light is by holding the on/off switch.
  • The only downside is that the USB Cable Length 1.2m. You can however buy a separate power supply.
Dimensions: 36 x 0.5 x 27 cm

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Huion L4S LED Light Box from Amazon.com