Botanical

Sketchbook Mary Ann Scott

with Margaret Stevens
Foreword by Sir Roy Strong

in Association with
The Society of Botanical Artists
 ASSIGNMENT 4

Single Flower Study

Margaret Stevens: In Assignment 4, we want to see the various
elements brought together in a single-variety study showing leaves, flow-
ers, and stems. This calls for sharp observation because the tutor will be
looking for details such as accuracy in describing the leaf joints and the
stem, which can be round, square, ridged, variable in width, and smooth
or hirsute.
Naturally, there is a huge range of flowers from which to choose, but
students are sometimes at a loss, perhaps because there is so much avail-
able. A regular question is “Does it need to be just one flower?” to which
I reply, “It depends entirely on the flower.” One beautiful rose with its
bud and leaves in the style of Redouté is suitable, but so too is a cluster
of rambling roses. A single incurved chrysanthemum flowerhead may be
someone’s preference to a stem of spray chrysanthemums, but some gen-
era, for example, daffodils, look better in an odd-numbered group rather
than as a single stem.

Mary Ann Scott : Although we were always encouraged to place

the leaves and flowers on the paper in a pleasing and interesting way,
the emphasis of the two previous assignments had been more
on technique and accuracy of color than composition.
Now we were being asked to pay more attention to
the balance of shapes, colors, and tone, to the empty
spaces between shapes, and to the habit of growth.
All these elements should combine to lead the eye
into the painting and to give the impression of a liv-
ing plant, rather than a mechanical representation.

Right: Gladiolus bud.

Opposite page: Gladiolus and Peruvian lily.

2
GLADIOLUS
After completing the flower page for the previous
assignment, I felt dissatisfied with the results of my
efforts. My flowers and leaves looked overworked;
all the detail seemed to distract the eye rather than
enhance the form. I wanted to be able to depict varia-
tions of hue and tone in a softer, more unified way, and
I thought that by trying to improve my technique of
wet-into-wet, I would be heading in the right direction.
A spray of Gladiolus provided a fine subject to practice
on, with its flounced petals and succession of hues from the
lime-green buds to the warm yellow of the opened blooms.
The half-open bud of a purple gladiolus was also fun to work
on. I enjoyed showing the papery texture of the sepals and
the way they enclosed the emerging petals with hints of violet
showing through the layers of pale green.

ALSTROEMERIA
I was attracted to the soft pinks and yellows of a small bunch of
Alstroemeria (Peruvian lily) I saw in the supermarket. A quick
sketch gave me the opportunity to practice blending a mix of
Permanent Rose and Cadmium Yellow into Cadmium Pale.
When this was dry, I painted in the characteristic spotting on
the petals with a finer brush.

single flower study 3

 ASSIGNMENT 8

Working in the Field

Margaret Stevens: For this assignment, the students must work
outside. We encourage them to choose a site, study the flora over a period
of time, and record it in their sketchbooks. Eventually, we want to see one
or two complete pages of worked-up studies from these notes and observa-
tions. This is the closest our students will come to sharing the experiences
of botanical artists such as John Sibley and Jacques le Moyne de Morgues,
who accompanied expeditions in the past – though working closer to
home, the students will not encounter the life-threatening hazards both of
these men faced.

Mary Ann Scott: At first, this assignment seemed rather alarming.

The moment had come when I would have to abandon the well-lit
comfort of my workplace and brave the elements, yet I also felt a
small tingle of excitement – surely this was what being a botanical
illustrator was all about.

Above: Crow garlic or wild onion.

4 Botanical Sketchbook
Above: Crow garlic and goatsbeard..

working in the field 5

Flowers
The composition was planned
around the three superimposed
leaves with their conspicuous veins.
The main flowering stem was set
between these, while another made
a graceful curve in the foreground.
In what was essentially a study in
green, I aimed to create interest by
paying attention to significant details
such as the deeply channelled and
winged petioles, the leaf bracts, and
the elaborately structured racemes.
Depth was created by contrasting
warmer, yellow greens with cooler,
bluer hues.

6 Botanical Sketchbook
Camellia sasanqua “Yuletide”
The single red flowers of this beautiful camellia begin to open before
Christmas and continue until early spring. I noticed that the color
of the petals varied considerably, according to the weather. A sharp
frost would produce deeper shades of crimson, while milder weather
would turn the petals a softer, pinker shade. A mix of Quinacridone
Red and Winsor Red seemed to catch the nuances of color well,
with a little Scarlet Lake to add brilliance and a watery wash of
Permanent Rose glazed over the highlights to soften and unify.

Moving On 7
Discover Artistic Growth
Experience a master class in botanical illustration through one woman’s
development from enthusiastic amateur painter to accomplished botanical
artist. While studying for a Distance Learning Diploma from the Society of
Botanical Arts, Mary Ann Scott began an extraordinary correspondence with
Margaret Stevens, the society’s President, who offered advice and critique.

Including firsthand accounts of the joys and challenges Mary Ann faced as she
progressed through the course, Botanical Sketchbook is sure to inspire artists of
all skill levels. It is beautifully illustrated and packed with practical advice on
all aspects of botanical painting in watercolor.

Contents
FOREWORD
by Sir Roy Strong

INTRODUCTION
by Margaret Stevens and Mary Ann Scott

ASSIGNMENTS
Drawing ✳ Leaves ✳ Flowers ✳ Single Flower Study
Fruit ✳ Vegetables ✳ Botanical Illustration
Working in the Field Working from Photographs
Mixed Flowers ✳ Diploma Portfolio

MOVING ON

COLOR CHARTS

Author’s note

Mary Ann Scott received a Diploma with Distinction on the Distance Learning
Course run by the Society of Botanical Artists and became a full member in 2009.
Margaret Stevens is the President of the Society of Botanical Artists and Course
Director of the Distance Learning Diploma course. She is author of The Art of
Botanical Painting and The Botanical Palette.

Hardcover, 81⁄2 × 10 7⁄8 , 128 pages

ISBN: 978-1-59668-232-0, $24.95
Available September 2010