Meriel Thurstan

This book was a bit of a surprise. When I had browsed it at the library it seemed like a good tutorial book, but once I started to read it word for word and prepare to follow the exercises I realized it wasn't worth working from. The completed art samples were gorgeous, but the steps were often text only or with TINY examples. The text was too small as well, and about as much of a strain on the eyes as studying the drawn examples. This layout was a strange decision, I suppose more the editor's fault and nothing to do with the author. Normally art tutorial books are highly visual--including large graphics--, easy to follow, and never text-only. I prefer not to judge a book but it's market peers, but in this case I can see why it's a good idea to cater to what consumers expect to get. I know I can find better tutorials in other books and YouTube videos, so I'm not going to force myself to complete these exercises, which by the way, are not for true beginners. With the poor step-by-step instructions and the level of detail in the completed paintings, I consider this book more for intermediate botanical artists.… (mere)

This is a lovely book. I like it's honesty and clear approach to instruction in the art of botanical painting. Clearly it is based on the year's program of instruction that the Eden project offers. I'd like to see the little group of botanical artists with whom I work (in these Corona Virus times that has been put on hold for the last 10 months) ....try something similar. But obviously, it requires a huge amount of coordination and management to produce a useful book from the individual works of the artists. Not easy to achieve.
I purchased this book when I was well into botanical art and so had laboured through the basics.....tone, drawing, perspective, more drawing, then colour charts and colour mixing ...until, finally, I got to apply colour to one of my drawings. That was quite momentous for me ....seeing colour for the first time on one of my drawings. Anyway, in terms of the basics, I didn't learn much from this book but I loved the worked examples and I love the swatches of colour where artists have tried various combinations, or, as on p62, have actually done some trial paintings of petals. It kind of shows the process more or less as i have found it....an endless search for the right colours, blends and glazes. There is a throwaway line on p26 that the leaves took 4 days to paint. I found myself thinking....well that's ok...it has taken me over 12 months to finish a single painting. (Admittedly I only work at it 3hrs a week and have to set up and take down within this 3 hrs). But yes, it is time consuming and it is very realistic painting.....or it aims to be. (So my mother in law thinks that it's not really art...more like technical drawing).
There is one section focused on roots. And, I must confess, that I have conspicuously avoided getting involved with roots ....too difficult! But I think a work is enhanced if some consideration is given to roots. However, I realise that it is impossible to really get the true picture of the roots of a plant by pulling it up. The finer roots are inevitably lost and the even-finer root-hairs are totally invisible when removed from their high humidity environment. I recall discussing root hairs with a senior Research Scientist at the CSIRO ...who was expressing some skepticism regarding their importance...and I was assuring him that I had actually seen their proliferation on the early roots from maize seedings in a controlled temperature environment. I guess the surface area of the single root was increased 1000X or maybe much more by this volume of root hairs. I digress. Bottom line is that artists are not paying enough attention to roots.
In the book we have the usual attention paid to mixing colours though why (p 47) have they run their colour blends across two lines instead of just having one continuous line across the page?
They cover a range of techniques, Texture, white on white, composition....some useful ideas about geometry and plant drawing. And all handled with rather a light touch which I enjoyed. Seems the the classes on which this book were based were rather fun.
I give it five stars. I enjoyed it and still enjoy dipping into it for inspiration.… (mere)