Botanical Art Techniques is an encyclopedic tutorial instruction guide to multiple different media for rendering botanical subjects. Due out 15th Sept 2020 from Workman Publishing on their Timber Press imprint, it's 416 pages and will be available in hardcover format.

This is a jaw-droppingly beautiful book. The techniques are advanced and the whole really aimed at advanced students (and professionals), but it honestly feels like a book which can be grown into with sufficient dedicated practice. It's a comprehenshive reference full of tutorials and techniques.

The introductory chapters include tips for preparing specimens to keep them fresh whilst being drawn, working in the studio and in situ, tips for setting up a studio, and a crash course in botanical Latin. The tutorials begin with rendering in black and white (graphite, and pen & ink), then in color (colored pencil, watercolor (on paper and vellum), and finally an advanced compendium of specialized techniques and composition.

This is a very very comprehensive guide. The applied tutorials are well written, but advanced. I would suggest that art students of all levels of expertise will find good takeaways here, but it will be most efficiently utilized by advanced to professional artists. This would be a superlative choice for libraries, reference, art/makers' studios and collectives, or a wonderful inspirational gift for an aspiring artist.

Really beautifully made. Five stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

This is a beautiful book. The illustrations and demonstration are exquisite. I enjoyed examining the pictures and techniques, fabulous. This book would be a wonderful addition to an artists studio or classroom.

3 Stars! This was a very detailed book & great if you are serious about art! I’m not much of an artist so this book wasn’t very helpful for me, it went right over my head but if you love drawing already, this might be a good book to check out. Lots of info & photos!
*I received this book at no charge from the publisher and I voluntarily left a review.*

--A Wealth of Information for Creating Detailed Art of the Natural World--
I was provided an advanced review copy from the publisher and the following are my thoughts.

First of all, this book is a MUST-HAVE for anyone aspiring to create botanical art that accurately depicts plants as they appear in NATURE (and not in your imagination). If you are an artist with a scientific bent, this is the book to get. No other botanical art book I know of offers this amount of information on this topic. At 400-plus pages, it aims to help keep this tradition alive and well by sharing the tips of top modern-day botanical artists who work in different mediums.

Many of the tips you will not easily find elsewhere, if at all. The beginning chapters on how to keep your plant specimens looking fresh for longer tops anything I've ever read (and I've trained in Ikebana).

The tutorials cover graphite, colored pencil, pen and ink, watercolor, vellum, egg tempera, oils, and printmaking. I'm mainly interested in working with graphite, colored pencils, and pen and ink, and the tutorials, and the amount of content in just these mediums alone is worth it for me. The rest of the tutorials I view as a bonus or for future inspiration. The composition chapters go beyond the information I've seen in other books.

Again, at over 400 pages (which are beautifully laid out and full of tutorial photos), it really is no exaggeration to call this book "comprehensive". This is the book I'd give as a gift to a budding botanical artist.

But first, I'm buying it for me!

This beautiful book covers a wide range of media from etchings to watercolors, but not only that it also covers specific things that an artist could find difficult to render such as cactus needles and the bloom on fruit. This book goes through clear and concise ways to really bring out an extra layer of realism in your art. If you're looking for a way to step up your botanical art game, this is it. This can be used for artists of all skill ranges, but if you're a beginner it might seem a little daunting, but remember that perseverance is key.

Thank you to Timber Press and Netgalley for providing me of an e-ARC of this book. However, all thoughts, opinions, and lack of art skills are my own.

An absolutely stunning and comprehensive guide to creating botanical artworks. The book instructs the reader in the basic artistic skills and techniques required and then elaborates on them with applied and advanced techniques as they relate to botanical illustrations. Each step is helpfully portrayed with photographs of the techniques and finished artwork.

** Review will be posted to blog www.elainehowlin.com on release date

This extensive manual with tutorials by 50 botanical artists which exemplifies botanic art is an expression of how an artist approaches a subject while keeping an open mind in creating art. The first section, “Getting Started” shows us how to select and care for botanical subjects in a studio or in the field and instructs the reader with a tutorial of basic botany. The rest of the book is divided into three parts with each showing applied tutorials. 1. Drawing techniques in black and white using graphite and pen and ink. 2. Botanical subjects in color using colored pencil, watercolor on paper and on vellum. 3. Specialized techniques in components and composition. This is a must have book for anyone interested in botanical art.

It’s an amazing book if you are into painting botanical and you are starting now! It has some tutorials, techniques with examples of flowers, fruits and vegetables. Has the approach of the two most used materials for botanical art: colored pencils and watercolor. An amazing book for beginners at botanical and intermediate drawing/painting skills.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3451352772

OMG, this book! A must! An absolute must for artists, budding or expert and even for students of Botany. And full five stars because why not!
This is a guide on making detailed and botanical sketches and paintings in all sorts of mediums, be it graphite, oil, colour pencils, water colours, pen & ink or acrylics and even techniques like etching, using water colours on vellum, gouache or metalpoint (which I wasn't even aware of). Did I leave anything out? Probably.
I tried some of the techniques using water colours and colour pencils because those are the only things I have with me now. The amount of detailing was amazing and at times I wonder how can one possibly copy nature on paper like that! The pictures of the step by step progress of the artworks were really useful.
The ebook was a little difficult to read and zoom into. Considering that this is an art guide, you will need the physical copy but rest assured, this is an important book to have on your desk if you do detailed sketching and painting, especially of plants.
More than 50 artists have contributed to the compilation of this book - each with their unique techniques and tips. More range for you! Now this is what I call a proper guide!
Highly recommended!

Links to my blog and Instagram below.

A beautiful and expert rendering on the subject, this book contains everything you need to know about botanical art, from basic botany ftoor the artist to the different techniques and mediums available.

The text contains detailed instructions on wwhere and how to start your artwork, with reference material ranging from flowers to veetables, and the magnificent illustrations are enough to make anyone want to pick up a pencil and start drawing,

I especially liked the fact that graphite as a medium was explored, as well as pen and ink. The current situation is the perfect time to stat drawing or painting, and this is the ideal companion, To be honest, I would love a print copy, it is truly a gem.

Many thanks to the publishers and Net Galleybfor my ARC.

This title is absolutely beautiful. I come from a family of artists which each lesson seemingly being good at different types. This book reminded me of my great aunts art and the art I grew up drawing as a child and made me crave the experience of drawing once again. Loved it and loved the detail with materials and structure of drawing.

BOTANICAL ART TECHNIQUES had me at that exquisite cover, and kept me entranced ‘til the last page. It’s a gorgeous guide from the pros at the American Society of Botanical Artists. Provides helpful instruction for any artist, no matter how skilled, with a host of tutorials on using watercolor, colored pencil, ink, pen, oils, egg tempera, and more. Awash in glorious photos (900+) plus examples of stellar work done by the best contemporary artists in the field, BOTANICAL ART TECHNIQUES has become my haven of joy amid “le virus horrible.”

5 of 5 Stars

Pub Date 15 Sep 2020

Thanks to Timber Press and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

#BotanicalArtTechniques #NetGalley

This is a really fun book for anyone interested in botanical art. I draw and cut/sculpt flowers for jewelry making purposes and am constantly trying to learn to improve my drawing technique. Loved how detailed and structured this book was, with various mediums demonstrated. Photos were extremely helpful and well curated. A lot of care and hard work went into crafting this guide, and it has provided an excellent resource to improve my skillset.

Upon first glance, the cover is eye-catching and immediately makes me want to pick it up to look inside. This book is by far one of the best art tutorial books I have ever laid eyes on. The art is beyond beautiful, and the guidance they provide is easy to understand. There are different chapters on shading, how to correctly hold a pencil, how to analyze a flower to draw it proportionately, how to arrange cut flowers, and so much more. Various techniques are provided throughout that allow you to create in a variety of mediums including paint, ink, and pencil.

One of my favorite things though, is that it dives into botanical science. It showcases the basic anatomy of a plant so you can become more acquainted with what you are drawing. By doing so, it let's you understand and connect with the art even more. I have always loved drawing flowers, but this has made me appreciate them so much more than I previously had.

I cannot speak highly enough about this book. Whether you are a seasoned artist or just dipping your toes in, this is a must have! I am counting down the days until I can get my hands on a physical copy!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary eARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes. I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me this opportunity!

This is not a book for a beginner artist. It was very in-depth and advanced. If you are already an artist, you may like this book. The illustrations were beautiful to look at.

If you like botanicals and art, this book is for you. Or if you just like to browse through beautiful images and dream of being able to recreate them, this book is for you.

Another great book I have had the honor of previewing early. Even if I never get a drawing complete the book I spires me and is just nice to look at.

What can I say about this book, simply; Amazing. I think it is the Bible for the Botanical Illustrator. I must say it is the Bible for any artist who starts in this botanical field.
You have absolutely everything you should know, techniques, materials, different mediums, composition, color theory, just everything.
You would not be disappointed if you include this book in your library.
Thank you Timber Press, for letting me read this ARC.
I love it!
.

I tried several times to download this book and I could not open it despite different attempts. This is unfortunate because I was really looking forward to reading and reviewing this book.

A stunning book! A wonderful art text for drawing botanicals of all sorts.

I don’t know what I was expecting but this book is both helpful for honing drawing skills AND would make a beautiful addition to any bookcase.