Wildflower families: Ranunculaceae, the Buttercups
Wildflower families: Ranunculaceae, the Buttercups is the first of a series of blogs [...]
Trees: Horse chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum
Trees: Horse chestnut is one of a series of blogs I’m writing on [...]
Unearthing the Enigma: Japanese Knotweed’s Unstoppable March
Unearthing the Enigma: Japanese Knotweed’s unstoppable march is a guest blog written by Matt [...]
Red Deer stag step by step
It’s been a while since I did an animal step by step blog, [...]
British Thrush Species
There are six species of thrush regularly seen in Britain. Some are year [...]
Flower shapes: Symbolism & Cultural significance
Flower Shapes: Symbolism and Cultural Significance guest blog by Nina James Summer Flower [...]
Paul Reubens Artist level Youlan series Watercolour box: Review
Paul Rubens artist level YouLan series of solid watercolours is a set of [...]
Spotted fish
Spotted fish is another of my blogs on patterns in nature. You can [...]
Trees: Scots pine Pinus sylvestris
Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris Scots pine is one of a series of [...]
Researching a wildflower
Researching a wildflower involves gathering information on the anatomy, distinguishing characteristics, family, and [...]
Watercolour paints: Inside my paint box
Watercolour paint choice is very personal, and everyone will have their own favourite [...]
Trees: Small-leaved lime or Linden
Small-leaved lime Tilia cordata and other Lime or Linden trees This is [...]
Geranium Variegated Leaf Step by Step
Geranium Variegated leaf step by step I love geraniums, and am especially fond [...]
Potatoes
Potatoes are ubiquitous vegetables, a staple in the west since their introduction from [...]
Patterns in Nature: A quick overview
Introducing patterns One of the things in nature which is worth taking a [...]
Variegation: Patterns on leaves
What is Variegation? Many of the patterns you see on plant leaves, especially [...]
Striped Patterns in Nature
Stripes Stripes are seen across the animal and plant kingdoms. Although the first [...]
Sand hill Screwmoss: An illustration challenge
Sand hill Screwmoss Syntrichia ruraliformis ruraliformis is one of the species completed for [...]
Great Burnet Step by Step
Recently, I’ve illustrated the Great Burnet, Sanguisorba officinalis for an interpretation board, to [...]
Common Grass species identification: Some easy shortcuts
As you may have noticed, I’m rather obsessed with grasses, and have blogged [...]
Wildflowers of Braunton Burrows
A recent commission involved illustrating 30 species for Braunton Burrows, a very beautiful [...]
Comparing Synthetic Watercolour Brushes – Part 5 (the final episode!)
This is the fifth and final of my blogs and linked films, looking [...]
Comparing Synthetic Watercolour Brushes – Part 4
Comparing Synthetic Watercolour Brushes – Part 4 is the fourth of my blogs [...]
Orchid Botanical Illustration Step by step
Orchids have always been a bit of a mystery to me, so when [...]
Comparing Synthetic watercolour brushes Part 3
This is the third of my blogs (and films, the one specific to [...]
Mosquito life cycle – illustrating the Anopholes mosquito
Introducing the African Malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiae The mosquito is one of the [...]
Illustrating the Cannock Chase Berry Vaccinium intermedium
Cannock Chase Berry Vaccinium x intermedium is a really tricky subject to illustrate, [...]
The Bad Garden
The non eco-garden is a companion blog to my earlier one, explaining and [...]
Good Garden: A wildlife Haven
Illustrating a wildlife garden is always a challenge, but something I embrace. Not [...]
Carbon Cycle: A Complicated Illustration
When I was asked to “illustrate the Carbon cycle” for a brochure on [...]
Fungal treats at Cusop Churchyard
Fungal subjects always make my heart sing, so I was really pleased when [...]
Spotted Flycatcher step by step
Spotted Flycatchers Muscicapa striata are lovely birds, often overlooked because of their seemingly [...]
Trees: Birch
Birch trees: The Silver and the Downy Birch There are two main [...]
Bird’s-foot Trefoil: An Excellent Plant
Bird’s-foot Trefoil: Where to find it? This blog is in praise of [...]
Plant Evolution: A brief overview
Plant Evolution is complicated, and in this blog I plan on simplifying it [...]
Beatrix Potter: Illustrator and Inspiration
Beatrix Potter is known to people the world over as the creator of [...]
Trees: Beech
Introduction Beech trees are common across Britain, favouring chalky soils. The oldest Beech [...]