16 days until the RHS botanical art exhibition set up.

March 24, 2014April 3, 2015 | Gaynor's Flora

I have spent the day Photoshopping the Crab apple pictures and there is another glimpse at the end of this blog.

But this evening I was at a meeting with my Bosham artist colleagues. The Chichester open Studios art trail is during the first two weekends in May, this will include the bank holiday Monday.

In the beautiful village of Bosham lives a whole enclave of artists using different media. We are going to start the art trail a little early on Friday 2 May with a preview at each of the artist’s studios. This will be between. 17:00 to 20:00.

Hopefully, people living in the vicinity will get the opportunity to see what is on display in a relaxing environment. More about this soon.

Tomorrow and for a further two days, I will be teaching the workshop ‘From sketch to drawing – learn to draw botanical images’.

So many have problems with their initial drawings and plans for their botanical paintings. Unfortunately, it is often the case that one finds out by having experienced it, that the final painting will only be as good as the line drawing. Those on the workshop have already understood this and hope to improve their drawing skills.

But, this is another part of Malus Evereste.

Botanical art demonstration in coloured pencil for the SFP

March 23, 2014April 3, 2015 | Gaynor's Flora

I tried to prepare for today’s demonstration yesterday evening! I had some interesting assistance.

I decided to show how to do a couple of Magnolia x soulangeana blooms and prepared the outline drawing for today.

Today I had a lovely relaxing day with my husband as we drove to a little village just outside Salisbury where the Society of Floral Painters meeting was being held. A lot of people had turned up both to get advice about their own botanical art work and to watch the demos.

Coloured pencil work is fairly time consuming, so I didn’t get too far with painting the Magnolia, but I enjoyed the time showing the various techniques and answering all the questions fired at me. People there were obviously very interested and it was a very useful exercise – also for me. It is amazing how much one learns oneself when teaching!

After the demo my husband treated me to a delicious lunch. What a lovely break for a few hours from the crab apple series. I did return to it when we eventually got home again.
>

From Sketch to drawing – Learn to draw botanical images.

March 5, 2014April 4, 2015 | Gaynor's Flora

This is the title of the next workshop in Bosham, Nr Chichester.

I still have some places on the workshop Tuesday 25 – Thursday 27 March. Would you like to join us?

In every workshop I run, I always set off time to compose and sketch out the picture that is to be painted. As often as not people are reluctant to spend time on the drawing, thinking that it will sort itself out when the paint or coloured pencil goes on. It won’t! your final picture will only be as good as the drawing you use as a ‘master’.

Now you have the opportunity to learn the tricks of drawing your botanical subject easily. Remember that awkward leaf that sticks directly towards you? How difficult do you find drawing it? Just follow the tips I will give you, and reduce the problems you have in the future.

What about drawing a load of petals round a centre part – do they meet when you get round to the other side? Again, find out how to do this. Or a daffodil; getting the trumpet right?

Here are some sketches from my sketchbook and a couple of final drawings done with graphite.

If you want to join us, go onto my website and contact me via the contact form. Its on http://www.gaynorsflora.com

Oriental poppy seed-head sketch & colour matching

Daffodils from sketchbook

Stinking iris from Sketchbook. sketch & colour matching.

Final Euonymus leaf in graphite on Bristol board

Finishing off Hellebores for 2014

March 4, 2014April 4, 2015 | Gaynor's Flora

I have talked about Hellebores for such a long time this year as they started off flowering early and I was afraid there wouldn’t be much left by the time the workshop came about. Well as you know, they are still strutting manfully in the garden – even with all this rain.

Before I started painting botanically, I never thought that the winter could produce so much beauty. Now I emphasise these magnificent blooms in the garden.

Before going back to talking about the RHS exhibition and how that is going, and the subject of the next workshop, I thought I would include a few of the Hellebores that I have done. There is only one this year, but as you may now know (for those who follow the blog), some of my pictures can take several weeks to do.

Hellebores workshop success

March 3, 2014April 4, 2015 | Gaynor's Flora

We had a really enjoyable three- day botanical art workshop from Friday until Sunday. There may have been periods of dark clouds and rain outside, but inside we had plenty of colourful Hellebores and a lot of laughter. You will see shortly if the laughter was of detriment to the painting.

These are a couple of comments I have had already:

“Thank you a three lovely days, I had a great time and managed to paint something, progress indeed”

“Such a lovely 3 days ”

Hellebores are really beautiful flowers. A gardener once told me that they are very promiscuous. Often different coloured Hellebores are planted next to each other in a flower bed and are readily fertilised by each other. However, we still have a variety of different colours from white to very dark red/blue/black.

In the garden, Hellebores are often only seen standing statuesquely but with their heads hanging. In the workshop we had them floating in bowls of water with their lovely centres smiling up at us.

This is some of the work created at the workshop. Would you have liked to join us? The next workshop is at the end of this month. Either check it out on my website http://www.gaynorsflora.com, or wait for the next blog.

Next Botanical Art workshop – Hellebores

February 6, 2014April 4, 2015 | Gaynor's Flora

The next workshop is February 28th – March 2nd. That is Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The topic suggestion is Hellebores.

Many will have seen Hellebores and snowdrops
poking their heads up in the garden already – as long as their gardens are not underwater.

I feel so sorry for all those people who are struggling in the UK, because of the wind and rain. I am so grateful to have been spared and can only imagine what they are going through.

Back to Hellebores and the botanical art workshop. I have one or two places available on the workshop and it is suitable for those who want to start painting botanically, to those who are already fairly well accomplished. You can use watercolour, coloured pencil or graphite and as the class is kept deliberately small I will be able to give individual attention to everyone.

The workshop is held in the beautiful village of Bosham, near Chichester on the South coast of England. Beautiful even now!

Can I tempt you with one or two pictures from my garden this week?

Do get in touch via this blog or my website http://www.gaynorsflora.com if you want to take part in the workshop or make any comments.

Botanical Art holiday in Norway

January 31, 2014April 4, 2015 | Gaynor's Flora

The Botanical Art holiday workshop in Norway 29 June to 6 July will take place.

The holiday is booked with Thon Hotell, Åsgårdstrand. The studio overlooks the Oslo fjord and plants that are typical for Norway will be the topic.

Already I have bookings from students from different countries, all wanting to experience Norway in the middle of the summer when the weather is usually at its best.

The hotel has been really helpful so far with suggestions and support. The Norwegian Botany Organisation too has been supportive and want to help get the plants for us to draw or paint.

The only two uncertain things at this time are the names of the people who will be attending ( there are still some places available) and the weather. But apart from super accommodation and opportunities to enjoy the best of Norway, there will definitely be good botanical art teaching and good company.

There will be no more than 12 students so that each person gets individual attention at their own level. Although the workshop is still several months away, it is worth booking it as soon as possible to ensure a place.

Look on www.gaynorsflora.com for more details, links to ‘what to see’ and your booking form.

Thank you to the Thon Hotell, Åsgårdstrand for the picture of their view of the Oslo Fjord.

First botanical art workshop in 2014, 16-17 January

January 6, 2014April 4, 2015 | Gaynor's Flora

Happy New year and plenty of botanical art.

I have two workshops in January, in Bosham Nr. Chichester. The first is ‘Colour mixing in Botanical art with Coloured pencil’ and the second is the same theme only using watercolour.

The first workshop is for anyone interested in working with coloured pencil if they already do so, or they would like to learn. Therefore it will be a good one both for new beginners and experienced.

We have all had the same problem now and again haven’t we, that we just can’t mix the right colour ? Well this workshop will be focusing on how to get it right. Getting the right depth of colour with coloured pencil is a matter of mixing the colours optically on the paper. We don’t always have the right colour to hand and, if we did, it is likely to be flat and boring without depth to it. Come and learn how to do it.

Thursday and Friday 16-17 January between 10:00-16:00. Get in touch via my website gaynorsflora.com. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

This is a snippet from that on which I am working towards the RHS exhibition in April. It is in coloured pencil:

Pen and Ink student update

December 21, 2013April 4, 2015 | Gaynor's Flora

Yesterday I had my last botanical art class before Christmas. Two of my students had continued with the pictures they had started on the Pen and Ink workshop and they proudly finished them yesterday.

I too am proud to show the pictures here. Both chose to do hydrangeas, although initially they had thought it would be too difficult. I think you will agree with me that they have produced lovely and entirely different pictures.

GAYNOR'S FLORA

Botanical art, illustration, artist, illustrator, teacher, workshops, classes

Tuition