Introduction   6
Botanical art: a personal perspective   8
Materials and tools   12

GETTING STARTED   20
Drawing an elliptical flower   28
Line and tone exercise
Drawing a mushroom   34
Line and tone exercise
Project 1: William Pear   38
Step by step
Project 2: Poppy seed head   42
Step by step
Understanding plant structure   48
Examining your subjects   56
Gathering information   60
Project 3: Peas and pods   70
Step by step
Composition   74
Project 4: Apple blossom   80
Step by step
Project 5: Common grape hyacinth   86
Step by step
Project 6: Cape Gooseberry   92
Step by step
Project 7: Dutch Iris   96
Step by step
Project 8: Freesia   102
Step by step
Project 9: Sweet vernal grass   108
Step by step
Project 10: Pot marigold   122
Step by step

Index   128

Penny Brown trained and worked as a theatre designer for 10 years before an increasing love of painting and drawing led her to illustration. She works in watercolour, graphite and most recently, cut paper collage. She has illustrated many books on craft, textiles, design, natural history and gardening. She exhibits her botanical paintings and drawings with The Society of Botanical Artists in London, Frankfurt and Spain. She has won several awards including the prestigious President's Prize at The SBA exhibition in 2015. She is also a member of The South West Society of Botanical Artists and opens her studio regularly for Dorset Art Weeks. She looks forward to continuing her parallel careers in botanical art and illustration.