BOTANICAL SKETCHBOOKS
The botanical sketchbook is a botanical artist and illustrator’s essential workbook: a place to capture and record plants from life, to investigate their forms, structures and colours. The artwork on the pages of my sketchbooks ranges from highly detailed plant studies for scientific illustration, to looser drawings made to keep the eye and hand in practice for drawing and painting plants.
You can find some of the images below, plus many more, in Lucy’s new instructional book: “Botanical Sketchbooks, an Artist’s Guide to Plant Studies,” published by The Crowood Press!
WHERE TO BUY? Botanical Sketchbooks is now available to buy as a paperback, in bookstores and online in the UK from: The Crowood Press (Publisher), Kew Gardens Shop, Amazon , Summerfield Books, Blackwells (free overseas delivery), Wordery (free overseas delivery), NHBS, Awesome Books, Browns Books, Abe Books (including some international options!), Booksplease, The Telegraph, Waterstones, WH Smith; in Australia: Angus & Robertson, ; USA: Walmart USA , Barnes & Noble, Amazon. Ebook versions can be found at: The Crowood Press , Amazon , Barnes & Noble US , Browns Books, Kobo Aus ; and many more.
All images (c) copyright Lucy T Smith
Drawing under the oak tree Quercus robur, capturing spring flowers, London 2023, from "Botanical Sketchbooks" Chapter 6: Working in the Field. Photo credit: Laurence Hill
Pine cone sketched freehand in ink
Sketchbook study of Gustavia longifolia, Kew Gardens 2009; from "Botanical Sketchbooks" Chapter 9: How Sketchbook Studies Inform the Finished Work.
Flower dissections of Truongsonia lecongkiettii, a new genus and species of palm from Vietnam published in 2023; from "Botanical Sketchbooks" Chapter 8: Scientific Botanical Sketchbook.
Capturing colour from life: the jade vine, Strongylodon macrobotrys; from "Botanical Sketchbooks" Chapter 3: Flowers
Sketchbook studies of Passiflora flower, 2014
Capturing autumn colour on the leaves of the whitebeam tree, Sorbus alba. London, 2022; from "Botanical Sketchbooks" Chapter 7: Capturing Trees Throughout the Seasons.
Ink sketches of winged seed, pen and ink on toned paper
Sketchbook drawing of arabica coffee
Sketchbook study of Isotrema manshuriense, Kew Gardens, 2001 from "Botanical Sketchbooks" Chapter 3: Flowers.
Snowdrop, Galanthus elwesii, a bee's view, London 2023; from "Botanical Sketchbooks" Chapter 1: Materials.
Drawing the flower of Galanthus elwesii from life, sketchbook study; from "Botanical Sketchbooks" Chapter 3: Flowers.
Detail of colour draft for Coffea canephora, Coffee Species Print
Campanula sp., Kythera, Greece, 2001
Drawing of Victoria cruziana, a study of its habit for a pen and ink scientific illustration
Detailed sketch of Archontophoenix purpurea, Mount Lewis Queensland, 1997; from "Botanical Sketchbooks" Chapter 9: How Sketchbook Studies Inform the Finished Work.
Scientific sketchbook drawings of the flowers of Tahina spectabilis, a new genus of palm described in 2009; from "Botanical Sketchbooks" Chapter 9: How Sketchbook Studies Inform the Finished Work.
Sketchbook study of English Oak, Quercus, robur, 2022-3; from "Botanical Sketchbooks" Chapter 7: Capturing Trees Throughout the Seasons.
Quick sketches of Hyacinth bulbs, 2023; from "Botanical Sketchbooks" Chapter 1: Materials.
Cyclamen study, somewhere in Greece, 2001
Echeveria elegans pencil drawings, in line only (R), line and tone (L); from "Botanical Sketchbooks" Chapter 2: Methods and Techniques.
Drawing of the second-night flower of Victoria boliviana, 2018
Detail of sketchbook flower study, Digitalis purpurea (foxglove); from "Botanical Sketchbooks" Chapter 3: Flowers.
Drawing a dissected Rosa rugosa flower; from "Botanical Sketchbooks" Chapter 3: Flowers.
Wild apple tree branch, drawn October 2022; from "Botanical Sketchbooks" Chapter 6: Working in The Field.
Capturing colour of the Echinopsis flower; from "Botanical Sketchbooks" Chapter 5: Subbulents, Cacti and Other Pot Plants.
Young fruit of the jadevine, Strongylodon macrobotrys; from "Botanical Sketchbooks" Chapter 4: Fruits, Pods, Cones and Seeds.
Sketchbook study of Victoria cruziana, Princess of Wales Conservatory, Kew Gardens 2017
Freehand pen & ink sketch of "batul" apple tree, Copsa Mare, Transylvania