Elizabeth Hellman answers your botanical art questions


The Society of Botanical Artists' Elizabeth Hellman has your botanical art questions covered

phoenix-flower-3-elizabeth-hellman

Phoenix Flower 3, Tulipa Parrot, watercolour on paper, 40x40cm

From offering lighting tips and brush advice to explaining whether your subject needs to be painted on a white background, botanical artist Elizabeth Hellman is here to help with all your queries.

Where do you find or source some of your more exotic specimens?

I source my specimens from a wide variety of places, and I'm always keeping my eyes open for interesting and inspiring subjects. I visit gardens, browse florists and grow some of my own plants and flowers.

Plants can wilt, bloom or change over time. Are there ways around this?

Plants changing over time is a constant difficulty for the botanical artist, hence I tend to use photographs to draw and paint from. I am a very slow painter, but some people seem to manage quite well.

Keep plants and flowers in a cool room if possible, and make sure they're somewhere safe where they're not going to get knocked, or even nibbled (cats love nothing better than chewing a prize specimen, I've discovered). It's often helpful to take photos for reference and make preparatory sketches.

Are there certain pitfalls or things to consider when using reference photos for botanical paintings?

I often paint almost entirely from photos as some of my paintings take so long. Taking good photographs is essential, especially if you will not be able to see the original specimen. If using for reference, I'd advise paying attention to details such as leaf joints rather than just concentrating on the more engaging parts of the plant.

Take photos in good light, and from lots of different angles – both close up and at a distance. Make sure you will have enough information to understand how the plant "works" – for example, whether the leaves are opposite each other or alternate, what pattern the veins of a leaf take, or how the flowers are attached to the stems.

oriental-poppy-elizabeth-hellman.

Oriental Poppy, oil on board, 60x60cm

How do light your specimen so you can see enough detail to paint it?

If you use natural light, be aware that shadows will change throughout the day, and some flowers will follow the sun round, or open and close according to the light. If painting from life, it's far easier to use your own light source, so that it's constant.

If I am able to dictate the light source, for instance when painting in my studio, I use a daylight bulb, which gives a much better quality of light. I usually photograph subjects in daylight and move them around until I find the best angle and light. Digital photography makes it easy to experiment.

What sort of things are you looking for in your preparatory sketches?

I don't often make preparatory sketches these days. I know other people find it very helpful to do this though, especially if you lack confidence. I'd advise looking at all the details you need, as you would if you were taking reference photos. It can be very helpful to understand all aspects of the subject and get a feel for it, as well as practising for the final piece.

Botanical art is very representational. How far can you stretch things in terms of composition?

If doing a traditional botanical painting, you have to make sure the image is true to the plant, and botanically correct. However, it is possible to arrange things into a more pleasing composition if, say, you don't like how a leaf is sticking out.

It would be OK to work from several different specimens and use the bits that you find the most attractive, as long as they are still botanically accurate. You can also use dissections or separate details (such as a seed pod) to make a more interesting composition or combine different plants in the same image.

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Iris 4, watercolour on paper

How do you correct mistakes on a white background when painting in watercolour?

White backgrounds make it harder to correct mistakes. It's common to have to extend a petal or add an extra leaf if  paint has got in the wrong place or gone over an edge slightly. If using watercolour, you can take some of the paint off and lighten it by applying small amounts of water and blotting the excess pigment, but you'll never get the paper back to white.

Does a subject need to be isolated on a white background to be a true botanical artwork?

I don't believe that a work has to be isolated on a white background to be a true botanical artwork, although traditional botanical paintings are usually on a white or off-white background. Vellum is a traditional support for paintings and each piece is unique with a lot of colour variation. A black background can also work extremely well.

Do you have any advice for organising your botanical art palette?

I am fairly unorganised with my palette, but generally group paints by colour – for example, putting all the blues in one place. This is a very individual thing though and I'd suggest doing whatever works for you.

vintage-roses-elizabeth-hellman

Vintage Roses, oil on board, 50x50cm

You use both watercolour and oils for your botanical artworks. Do certain subjects lend themselves to one or other medium?

Yes – if I want to paint a subject in isolation on a white background I will usually go for watercolours. Watercolour is more immediate (because of the short drying time), less messy, and can really capture the translucency and delicacy of petals.

Oil paint, on the other hand, has the advantage that you can over-paint, so you can disguise mistakes and change things as you go along. It can be really good for getting the velvety texture of some petals, such as roses, and I find it easier if I want to paint very large works. It's also good for doing backgrounds. I use oils by building up thin layers and letting them dry in between coats. It's a lengthy process but worth persevering with.

How do you accurately match your colours?

I match my colours by eye, which is something that becomes easier with experience. If using watercolour, I often try out a colour on a small piece of watercolour paper first to make sure it's right. I do build colours up in layers too, and so alter the colour with different glazes. If I've made a colour too dark, I will wet and blot it to take some of the colour off, and then over-paint if necessary. One can only do this so often though, before the texture of the paper is spoilt.

What brushes do you use for the most detailed elements of botanics, such as veins or "hairs"?

I use synthetic brushes for watercolour rather than the more traditional sable. I vary the size of the brush as needed, going down to a 000 for really fine lines.

lion-flower-elizabeth-hellman

Lion Flower, watercolour on paper, 60x60cm

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