The process of creating a botanical painting is a lot like walking a tightrope. 

After carefully selecting my subject, I draw it out and then trace the design onto tracing paper with black pen,

I retrace the drawing on the reverse with HB pencil. Then positioning it carefully over the vellum, go once more over the front of the design with red pencil

 “In the beginning you must subject yourself to the influence of nature. You must be able to walk firmly on the ground before you start walking on a tightrope.” 

Henri Matisse 

I place tracing paper over the vellum to protect it whilst I paint, and cutting out a little window in the paper to expose the piece I wish to work on. To the side of my painting, I keep the initial drawing as reference.

You take those first tentative steps onto the tightrope, eyes firmly fixed on the task ahead and concentrating hard to stay focused.

And I’m off! I redraw the pencil lines in thin paint and then gently erase them. The paint that I am using is quite transparent so I don’t want want the grey pencil lines to show through.

After the first few steps, you begin to feel more confident and even a little excited.

It’s beginning to take shape

I’m using initial washes of winsor orange for the warmer berries, and for those in the shade, I use the cooler wash of Schmincke purple magenta. After that, I build up the colours with winsor orange-red, permanent rose, pink madder, scarlet red, purple lake and perylene violet.

But halfway through, you begin to wobble precariously!

 What to do, what to do? It’s too far to go back and start again, too much time has been invested, and yet there is still so far to go.

Aargh! I’m beginning to overpaint!! I’m fiddling too much!!! When I try to lift paint, it all comes off in a lumpy mess!! It’s losing balance!

Still not right but looking a bit better. However  I have discovered that you can use a scapel to gently scratch off the paint where needed. Unfortunately, this is proving a little too addictive! Oh no!! I need to put down the scalpel or risk ruining the surface altogether. In fact, I need to move the scalpel away from me altogether!

“You simply have to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Put blinders on and plow right ahead.” George Lucas

Deep breaths. Rebalance. Focus. Continue on. I can do this!

I continue on.  The tracing paper window is opened further.  I usually paint with my hand resting on a wad of kitchen paper, a habit from my Egypt days to save the paper from a sweaty palm. I also use the kitchen paper to wipe off the excess paint.

… but I’m not giving up just yet!