BOTANICAL ART & ARTISTS
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  • HISTORY
    • What is Botanical Art?
    • What is Botanical Illustration?
    • Botanical Art History Books >
      • The Art of Botanical Illustration (Blunt)
      • Book Review: Treasures of Botanical Art
    • Herbals
    • Florilegia and Flora
    • Patrons of Botanical Art >
      • About Leonhart Fuchs
      • About Basilius Besler
    • Past Masters - Botanical Art and Illustration >
      • About Maria Sibylla Merian
      • About Elizabeth Blackwell
      • About Georg Dionysius Ehret
      • About Franz Bauer
      • About Sydney Parkinson
      • About Pierre-Joseph Redouté
      • About Marianne North
    • Famous Asian Botanical Artists (600-1900)
    • 20th & 21st Century Botanical Artists >
      • About Arthur Harry Church
      • About Margaret Mee
      • About Mary Grierson
      • About Raymond Booth
      • About Rory McEwen
      • About Pandora Sellars
    • Botanical Photographers
    • Botanical and Herbal Art Online
  • ARTISTS
    • Botanical Artists in the UK
    • Botanical Artists in North America
    • Botanical Artists in Europe
    • Botanical Artists in Australia and New Zealand
    • Botanical Artists in Asia
    • Botanical Artists in Africa
    • Botanical Artists in Latin America
    • Botanical Printmakers, Photographers, Sculptors et al
    • The Jill Smythies Award
    • Botanical Artists on Facebook
    • Botanical Art Blogs
  • Exhibitions
    • Calls for Entries - OPEN exhibitions
    • Online Exhibitions >
      • ARCHIVE: Online Botanical Art Exhibitions
    • RHS Botanical Art & Photography Shows >
      • ARCHIVE RHS Botanical Art Shows 2007-2021
      • Exhibit Titles at RHS Botanical Art Shows
      • RHS Portfolio Photography (Botanical / Horticultural)
    • Hunt International Exhibition of Botanical Art & Illustration
    • UK >
      • Permanent Collections (UK)
      • Botanical Art Exhibitions at Major UK Galleries & Museums >
        • ARCHIVE: Major Gallery Exhibitions
        • ARCHIVE: Shirley Sherwood Gallery Exhibitions
      • Botanical Art Exhibitions in England and Wales >
        • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Art Exhibitions in the UK
        • ARCHIVE: Reviews of Annual Exhibitions by the Society of Botanical Artists
      • Botanical Art Exhibitions in Scotland >
        • ARCHIVE: Scotland - Botanical Art Exhibitions
    • North America >
      • Permanent Collections (USA)
      • ARCHIVE Past ASBA Exhibitions in the USA
      • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Art Exhibitions in the USA
      • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Art Exhibitions in Canada
    • Europe >
      • Permanent Collections (Europe)
      • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Art Exhibitions in Europe
      • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Exhibitions in Germany
      • ARCHIVE: ​Past Botanical Art Exhibitions in Ireland
      • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Exhibitions in Russia
    • Australasia >
      • Margaret Flockton Award
      • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Art Exhibitions in Australasia
    • Asia >
      • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Art Exhibitions in Asia
    • Africa
    • ARCHIVE: World Wide Exhibition of Botanical Art 2018
  • Education
    • Best Botanical Art Instruction Books >
      • Best Instruction Books by Botanical Art Societies >
        • The Art of Botanical Painting - review
        • The Botanical Palette - review
        • Botanical Sketchbook - review
      • Best Instruction Books about Botanical Illustration >
        • Botanical Illustration - Books by Bobbi Angell
        • Botanical Illustration (Oxley) - review
      • Best Instruction Books by top Artists / Teachers >
        • Books By Billy Showell
        • Books - the Eden Project
      • Best Botanical Drawing Instruction Books (Pencils) >
        • Botanical Painting with Coloured Pencils - review
      • e-Booklets / digital guides
      • NEW Books about Botanical Art & Illustration (2020)
      • NEW Books about Botanical Art & Illustration (2019)
      • NEW Books about Botanical Art & Illustration (2018)
    • Tips and Techniques >
      • Tips from RHS Gold Medal Winners
      • Preparation and set-up
      • Botanical Sketching and Sketchbooks
      • Design and composition
      • Colour
      • Pen and Ink
      • How to draw and paint trees and leaves
    • Botanical Art Video Tips >
      • Video Tips: Watercolour Painting
      • Video Tips Coloured Pencils
      • Video Tips: Pencil drawing
      • Video Tips: Painting Flowers
      • Video Tips: Painting Leaves & Trees
    • Online Botanical Art Instruction >
      • CHECKLIST: FAQS about Online Learning
      • ONLINE TIMELINE
    • International Directory: Botanical Art Teachers
    • International Directory of Botanical Art Courses >
      • UK: Botanical Art Courses
      • North America: Botanical Art Courses
      • Europe: Botanical Art Courses & Holidays
      • Australasia: Botanical Art Courses
    • Diplomas and Certificates >
      • SBA Diploma Assignments
    • Distance Learning Courses
    • Talks, Lectures & Tours
    • Botanical Education on Facebook
    • Fellowships, Scholarships, Bursaries and Residencies
  • Materials
    • Paper
    • Vellum
  • Groups
    • National & Regional Botanical Art Societies
    • Florilegium Societies & Other Groups
    • Botanical Art Groups on Facebook
  • Botany
    • Why botany matters to artists
    • Botany Books for artists >
      • Botany for the Artist (Simblet)
      • The Art of Plant Evolution
      • The Concise British Flora in Colour (1965)
    • Scientific botanical illustration
    • Plant Forms and Anatomy
    • Plant Evolution and Taxonomy
    • Plant Names and Botanical Latin
    • Botanical Dictionaries
    • How to Identify Plants
    • Recording a Plant / Sketchbooks >
      • Plant Pressing for your own Herbarium
    • Botanic Gardens & Herbaria >
      • Global and National Networks
      • Herbaria, Seed Banks and Fungaria
      • Botanic Gardens in the UK >
        • Old Botanic & Physic Gardens in London
      • Botanic Gardens in Ireland
      • Botanic Gardens in Europe
      • Botanic Gardens in the USA
      • Botanic Gardens in Canada
      • Botanic Gardens in Asia
      • Botanic Gardens in Australia
    • Blogs about Plants and Flowers
  • Contact
    • About Katherine Tyrrell
    • About Reviews
    • Privacy Policy

Video Tips
- Pencil Drawing

Video Tips on using pencils for botanical art
​including pencil media, drawing and blending with graphite pencils
​and how to draw botanical subjects using a graphite pencil
​

The Botanical Art Video Tips and Tutorials below are by botanical artists and can also be viewed on YouTube.  

This page covers
  • basics around use of a graphite pencil (e.g. brands, pencil sharpener)
  • basics of drawing using a pencil (e.g. drawing armatures)
  • botanical drawings using pencil
  • botanical subjects in pencil
If you want to see a larger version of the video:
  • click the bottom right hand corner of the video
  • you'll see an option to go to either full screen or view the video on YouTube.
  • I suggest you open the video in a new tab so you don't lose this page!

More Video Tips about Botanical Art 

  • Video Tips - Painting in Watercolour
  • Video Tips - Painting Flowers
  • Video Tips - Painting Leaves
  • Video Tips - Coloured Pencils​

Introduction to Graphite Pencils

Ann Swan introduces the different types of pencils she uses and the different brands on the market.  She highlights the ones which are suitable for her use - but recommends people find a brand which suits how they use a pencil on paper.

How to sharpen a mechanical pencil

One of the things you need to do when using a pencil for botanical art Is make sure you have a sharp point. 
Sharpening is a key skill which you need to develop if working with pencils.  You can use a knife or conventional pencil sharpeners for normal wood cased pencils but sometimes you may want to sharpen a mechanical pencil.
This is a demonstration of how Ann Swan HAND sharpens her graphite pencils to achieve a long, clean, sharp point for her detailed botanical plant drawings.

She also shows you how to safely change a blade on a surgical scalpel.
This is Sarah Morrish's video about how she sharpens her pencils to maintain a good point using a Rapesco Sharpener and fine grade emery boards or sandpaper.
How do you sharpen the point on a mechanical pencil?

​
Mindy Lighthipe shows how to sharpen a lead in a clutch pencil using a special sharpener designed for use with mechanical pencils.

Understanding Surface Contour - how to create an armature drawing

First we learn how to draw contours. Next we need to be able to understand form and draw it - because this is what converts a 2D image into a 3D image.

In this video Mindy Lighthipe shows how to create an armature drawing to make a record of the form of an artichoke.

Drawing Paper for Realistic Pencil Drawings

JD Hillberry doesn't draw plants or flowers but he is a very experienced pencil artist who specialises in realistic rendering. 

In this video he highlights:
  • how you need to protect your paper when drawing and why you need to pick up paper by the edges
  • how to create a barrier between your hand and the drawing support
  • different sorts of paper - and the difference between the front and back side and Hot and Cold Press papers. (He likes to use the reverse side of Arches Aquarelle HP paper)
  • he demonstrates the difference in values between different papers with different tooth.

Pencil Drawing - Blending and Shading - Learn to blend and shade your drawings

JD Hillberry specialises in drawing in pencil and charcoal.

​he provides excellent advice about different approaches to blending and shading - focusing on blending tools. direction of blending moves and the type of touch to use to avoid damaging the surface of the paper..

He covers the use of:
  • a paper stump
  • a tortillon
  • a foam pastel blender (tools with foam tips)
  • chamois,
  • a cloth like paper towel
  • felt cloth (for rough textures)
  • printer paper

Help with Erasing

Help with Erasing

Graphite for Scientific Botanical Illustrations
​

Now we progress to looking at how botanical subjects can be drawn using a graphite pencil

Graphite for Scientific Illustrations - Supplement to the free Guidebook - with English subtitles

BELOW is the Graphite for Scientific Illustrations - Supplement to the free Guidebook by Rogerio Lupo, Brazilian winner of the Margaret Flockton Award in 2010 and 2013 (with English subtitles ​reviewed by Bobbi Angell, American Botanical Illustrator).

This video lesson aims to support the study and practices of the Guidebook: Graphite and its Possibilities Applied to Scientific Illustrations - see  Graphite for Scientific Illustrations de Rogério Lupo

Botanical Subjects in Graphite
​

How to draw a Poppy seedcase in graphite

Gaynor Dickeson looks at how to keep clean and how to keep the paper clean as well as specific aspects of drawing in tone and line using graphite.
Resources about  Botanical Art and For Botanical Artists
ABOUT: About the Author | Contact | Testimonials | Privacy Policy                  COPYRIGHT 2015-22: Katherine Tyrrell  all rights reserved.
NEWS 
News Blog about artists, awards, exhibitions etc.
HISTORY
- Best Books about Botanical Art History
- History of Botanical Art 
- Herbals
- Florilegia
- Patrons
​
- Past Masters - Botanical Art and Illustration
​- Famous Asian Past Masters (600-1900
- 20th & 21st Century Botanical Artists
- Botanical Art Online
CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS
- Botanical Artists around the world 

EXHIBITIONS
-
Calls for Entries
- Exhibitions around the world
- Online Exhibitions
- RHS Exhibitions
- Hunt Exhibitions
​
ORGANISATIONS
- Botanical Art Societies - national / regional / local
- 
Florilegium & Groups
- Botanical Art Groups on Facebook

EARN 
- Tips and Techniques
- Best Botanical Art Instruction Books
- Directory of Teachers
- Directory of Courses
- Online Botanical Art Courses
- Diplomas and Certificates
​
- Talks, Lectures and Tours

ART MATERIALS (Paper / Vellum)

BOTANY FOR ARTISTS
-
 Scientific Botanical Illustration
- Best Botany Books for Artists
- Plant Names & Botanical Latin

BOTANIC GARDENS & Herbaria
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  • Home
    • Site Index
  • NEWS
    • NEWS blog subscription
  • HISTORY
    • What is Botanical Art?
    • What is Botanical Illustration?
    • Botanical Art History Books >
      • The Art of Botanical Illustration (Blunt)
      • Book Review: Treasures of Botanical Art
    • Herbals
    • Florilegia and Flora
    • Patrons of Botanical Art >
      • About Leonhart Fuchs
      • About Basilius Besler
    • Past Masters - Botanical Art and Illustration >
      • About Maria Sibylla Merian
      • About Elizabeth Blackwell
      • About Georg Dionysius Ehret
      • About Franz Bauer
      • About Sydney Parkinson
      • About Pierre-Joseph Redouté
      • About Marianne North
    • Famous Asian Botanical Artists (600-1900)
    • 20th & 21st Century Botanical Artists >
      • About Arthur Harry Church
      • About Margaret Mee
      • About Mary Grierson
      • About Raymond Booth
      • About Rory McEwen
      • About Pandora Sellars
    • Botanical Photographers
    • Botanical and Herbal Art Online
  • ARTISTS
    • Botanical Artists in the UK
    • Botanical Artists in North America
    • Botanical Artists in Europe
    • Botanical Artists in Australia and New Zealand
    • Botanical Artists in Asia
    • Botanical Artists in Africa
    • Botanical Artists in Latin America
    • Botanical Printmakers, Photographers, Sculptors et al
    • The Jill Smythies Award
    • Botanical Artists on Facebook
    • Botanical Art Blogs
  • Exhibitions
    • Calls for Entries - OPEN exhibitions
    • Online Exhibitions >
      • ARCHIVE: Online Botanical Art Exhibitions
    • RHS Botanical Art & Photography Shows >
      • ARCHIVE RHS Botanical Art Shows 2007-2021
      • Exhibit Titles at RHS Botanical Art Shows
      • RHS Portfolio Photography (Botanical / Horticultural)
    • Hunt International Exhibition of Botanical Art & Illustration
    • UK >
      • Permanent Collections (UK)
      • Botanical Art Exhibitions at Major UK Galleries & Museums >
        • ARCHIVE: Major Gallery Exhibitions
        • ARCHIVE: Shirley Sherwood Gallery Exhibitions
      • Botanical Art Exhibitions in England and Wales >
        • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Art Exhibitions in the UK
        • ARCHIVE: Reviews of Annual Exhibitions by the Society of Botanical Artists
      • Botanical Art Exhibitions in Scotland >
        • ARCHIVE: Scotland - Botanical Art Exhibitions
    • North America >
      • Permanent Collections (USA)
      • ARCHIVE Past ASBA Exhibitions in the USA
      • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Art Exhibitions in the USA
      • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Art Exhibitions in Canada
    • Europe >
      • Permanent Collections (Europe)
      • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Art Exhibitions in Europe
      • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Exhibitions in Germany
      • ARCHIVE: ​Past Botanical Art Exhibitions in Ireland
      • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Exhibitions in Russia
    • Australasia >
      • Margaret Flockton Award
      • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Art Exhibitions in Australasia
    • Asia >
      • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Art Exhibitions in Asia
    • Africa
    • ARCHIVE: World Wide Exhibition of Botanical Art 2018
  • Education
    • Best Botanical Art Instruction Books >
      • Best Instruction Books by Botanical Art Societies >
        • The Art of Botanical Painting - review
        • The Botanical Palette - review
        • Botanical Sketchbook - review
      • Best Instruction Books about Botanical Illustration >
        • Botanical Illustration - Books by Bobbi Angell
        • Botanical Illustration (Oxley) - review
      • Best Instruction Books by top Artists / Teachers >
        • Books By Billy Showell
        • Books - the Eden Project
      • Best Botanical Drawing Instruction Books (Pencils) >
        • Botanical Painting with Coloured Pencils - review
      • e-Booklets / digital guides
      • NEW Books about Botanical Art & Illustration (2020)
      • NEW Books about Botanical Art & Illustration (2019)
      • NEW Books about Botanical Art & Illustration (2018)
    • Tips and Techniques >
      • Tips from RHS Gold Medal Winners
      • Preparation and set-up
      • Botanical Sketching and Sketchbooks
      • Design and composition
      • Colour
      • Pen and Ink
      • How to draw and paint trees and leaves
    • Botanical Art Video Tips >
      • Video Tips: Watercolour Painting
      • Video Tips Coloured Pencils
      • Video Tips: Pencil drawing
      • Video Tips: Painting Flowers
      • Video Tips: Painting Leaves & Trees
    • Online Botanical Art Instruction >
      • CHECKLIST: FAQS about Online Learning
      • ONLINE TIMELINE
    • International Directory: Botanical Art Teachers
    • International Directory of Botanical Art Courses >
      • UK: Botanical Art Courses
      • North America: Botanical Art Courses
      • Europe: Botanical Art Courses & Holidays
      • Australasia: Botanical Art Courses
    • Diplomas and Certificates >
      • SBA Diploma Assignments
    • Distance Learning Courses
    • Talks, Lectures & Tours
    • Botanical Education on Facebook
    • Fellowships, Scholarships, Bursaries and Residencies
  • Materials
    • Paper
    • Vellum
  • Groups
    • National & Regional Botanical Art Societies
    • Florilegium Societies & Other Groups
    • Botanical Art Groups on Facebook
  • Botany
    • Why botany matters to artists
    • Botany Books for artists >
      • Botany for the Artist (Simblet)
      • The Art of Plant Evolution
      • The Concise British Flora in Colour (1965)
    • Scientific botanical illustration
    • Plant Forms and Anatomy
    • Plant Evolution and Taxonomy
    • Plant Names and Botanical Latin
    • Botanical Dictionaries
    • How to Identify Plants
    • Recording a Plant / Sketchbooks >
      • Plant Pressing for your own Herbarium
    • Botanic Gardens & Herbaria >
      • Global and National Networks
      • Herbaria, Seed Banks and Fungaria
      • Botanic Gardens in the UK >
        • Old Botanic & Physic Gardens in London
      • Botanic Gardens in Ireland
      • Botanic Gardens in Europe
      • Botanic Gardens in the USA
      • Botanic Gardens in Canada
      • Botanic Gardens in Asia
      • Botanic Gardens in Australia
    • Blogs about Plants and Flowers
  • Contact
    • About Katherine Tyrrell
    • About Reviews
    • Privacy Policy