"Art is the only way to run away without leaving home" (Twyla Tharp)

Botanical illustration finale ...




I have been a bit slow updating my blog because life truly has gotten in the way - and then some!  So much has happened I can't begin to tell you ... so instead I guess I had better play catch up with the past few months and post the remaining diploma artworks to round off the completed SBA Distance course.  This one being the botanical illustration - which I touched on in an earlier post during the height of the madness.



Rough leaf rubbings in graphite on copy paper to study venation ...
plus a lot of close work to observe the reproductive elements



It took forever to work out the composition for this artwork - so many components came into play ...


The best way for me to compose is to have final drawings of each element on various cuttings of tracing paper and then move the pieces around until they fall into place in a pleasing arrangement.


Love the flowers of the Bauhinia variegata, starting to come to life ...




I quite liked the design with these two flowering stems ... but so much more to go!!




Really enjoyed the palette ... all my favourite colours came into play ...



There was so much detail to include on this illustration - I wanted the page to be very informative - showing the flower front, side and back view - bud, calyx, unfurling bud, leaves from all angles - ripe  and dehisced seed pod - and of course the dissections which were rendered in graphite.



 Watercolour work completed ...


 This was the most difficult and time consuming piece of all three diploma works due to the research and accurate observation and detail required.  I chose the Bauhinia variegata as it was flowering profusely at the time and I had already completed colour studies to include in my mixed floral composition - once again I worked on a few artworks simultaneously to ensure I was able to complete the course on time!
I was rewarded for my hard work when I saw this artwork hung in London at the annual Society of Botanical Artists (UK) Exhibition.



 Bauhinia variegata var. 'Variegata' - Butterfly Tree
Botanical Illustration with graphite dissections
© Vicki Lee Johnston


17 comments:

  1. Vicki, this work is extraordinary. From beautiful concept to final illustration it is exquisite. I wish you would make your photos larger so all of us could enjoy this major work of art a bit more. The images deserve it. I am completely awed, my friend.

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    1. Thanks so much Marsha - such a compliment - I have made some of the images slightly larger and if you click on them they should enlarge.

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  2. Love this painting Vicki. The petals are so good - I wish I could paint flowers like you. Amazing. It's such a long process isn't it?! Lovely to see how you did it though, and I am fascinated by the leaf rubbings - that's a pretty clever move - might try that one for myself.

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    1. Thank you Jess - I love painting flowers - I find leaves harder!

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  3. Really beautiful and nice to see the whole process. I have not tried the leaf rubbing either!!

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    1. Thanks Claire - the leaf rubbings are a great record of the leaf pattern and make it so much easier to interpret

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  4. This is incredibly beautiful Vicki, well done!!

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    1. Oh thank you Laura - am enjoying watching your journey

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  5. Ditto all of the above Vicki. A wonderful achievement and a beautiful piece of work. Looking forward to seeing your next piece.

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  6. It looked wonderful at the exhibition where we had the privilege to see it for real! And you deservedly got top marks for it, congratulations again!

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    1. I got such a surprise to see it hanging there - thank you Alena :)

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  7. Beautiful *and* informative Vicki! Thank you!

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  8. Amazing Vicki. Love seeing the process. Congratulations on an amazing Portfolio!

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    1. Thank you so much Lori - hope it helps with your journey too

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