Cow Parsley sketch

[@cmeblu75]

Please make these as long as possible!!!! If people wanna watch quick let them go elsewhere. I find painting & drawing so meditative. And I absolutely need it. I’m a microbiologist, but my passion has moved more and more into botany and art. My only child passed away suddenly at 11yrs old. Nature & art are literally the only things that help me move forward day to day and help me heal. If there is any healing from this type of loss…

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

Dear Katherine, this is an incredibly moving comment, and I am utterly devastated for you. I have kids too, one of whom is 11, and the idea of her loss is indescribable. I can see how nature and art could possibly provide a space and a silence in which to sit with the enormity of that grief. I have no idea if one could ever heal from the loss of a child, but the human being is infinitely adaptable, so I guess the emotional and neurological adjustments continue to take place, and allow a grieving parent to survive and continue. I also agree about the meditative aspect of drawing. You literally get lost. Time stands still, and you are absent as the hours pass, sublimated into the here and now and entirely devoid of self and ego and (I assume) the self awareness of memory. Perhaps these moments of meditation give your mind time to rest from the grief. I could understand that being some minor help. I've never considered my videos helping anyone in such a massively moving way before. I feel completely humbled by your experience, and touched by your relationship with botany and art. I cant thank you enough for your comment, it's changed the way I see making these films. Sending you so much love, and thankyou for leaving such a personal comment yours, Lizzie

[@cmeblu75]

Your videos are immensely helpful!! Everything you said is so true about getting lost in the art, sublimated into the here and now devoid of self (ego) and yes absolutely memory. My brain is completely fixed on what’s in front of me and nothing else gets through. It’s my safe space. And so I stay hour upon hour trying to work this completely new skill. What’s difficult for me is that I see so much, I know how it should look, but not yet having the skill to produce it. It gets a little frustrating at times. I recently went from a sunflower to a daisy and it’s the same issue of not being able to incorporate all the details (lights & darks) in a way that doesn’t look clunky. I do the best that I can using graphite, pen & ink, watercolor and colored pencil. I figure I might as well learn them all decently, instead of being great at any. That saying… Jack of all trades, master of none is literally me with my flowers. The loss is too great and I think the brain subconsciously seeks for a way cope. I don’t know if that makes any sense, but I’ve had to let go of trying to make any. It takes an incredible amount of time and energy to learn something completely new and different and I’m grateful for it. I hopeful that my hands will get into sync with my eyes so that I can make work I’m actually proud of. And one day I hope it may pay some bills, but that doesn’t matter right now, right now there’s a safe place in learning something new and fascinating. Thank you again for your videos, I’ve often watched the same one over and over bcuz it helps to give me direction, what I need to do and what I’m doing wrong. ❤️💙

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

It's all down to practise, I think. the way your mind has to learn how to edit the visual information into what is seen and what needs recording. I know what you mean, you want to put ALL of it on the page. Which can swamp the illustration. I think in time your hands WILL catch up with your eyes. And in the meantime, like you say, your brain can get lost in the effort of seeing and recording, and stop thinking for a few brief anaethetised seconds. The other thing to remember is that it's incredibly easy to be hard on your work. I rarely produce anything that I love, mostly its a "I suppose that'll have to do" response. Which I think is more to do with who we are than the work we produce. I wonder if some quick sketches where you literally give yourself 5 or 10 minutes to draw a plant might help. Your brain has to focus. Set a timer. And see whether or not you manage to move away from that feeling of having over-worked or added too much. It's a horrid and exhausting excersize, but can be quite liberating! You've also chosen some really tough subjects! Try something simpler, perhaps a geranium flower, or a dogwood blossom. the compositae/ asteraceae like sunflowers and daisies are brutal. Or a flower with nice straight leaves - a monocot like a crocus or bluebell, or something like a vetch or gorse with simpler leaves that allow you to focus on the flowers. Or a pansy or viola. That might be a nice one. And most importantly, be nice to yourself! Its not going to look perfect yet. It's all a matter of time and practice and it seems to be that that's precisely what you're giving it. I salute you. x

[@krisannecajano9684]

I admire your patience madam... A piece like this could be a daunting task but the end product is so amazing....

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

Thank you so much 😊

[@leesacarlisle-brown1438]

Really appreciate the way you explain what you are doing and why, it is so helpful. And your honest humour :) Thanks so much.

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

You are so welcome! And thank you for such a generous comment. x

[@srkzfan]

Really love the longer format. Thanks so much for sharing your wisdom and expertise!

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

My absolute pleasure.

[@cmeblu75]

Oh my gosh, you’re actually using the hard lines as an advantage here?!? Every teacher drills in to avoid those at every cost, but it’s amazing to see how it can work when done right. Oh my, so much to learn it never ends ❤️💙🌻

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

Ah yes. it's all about balancing what works for you, what's easy, what's botanically accurate, and what looks good, Every botanical illustrator finds their own methodology. I am in awe of practitioners like Julia Trickey, who work from light to dark; Lucy Smith with her immaculate line work; and Anne Swan who does things with coloured pencils that I could never manage with a whole panoply of watercolour boxes. It's inspiring. But I seriously think that there can't be any such thing as "right" or "wrong". Let alone "cheating". Bain of my existence, working with people who worry that doing something or other is "cheating". Man, if Leonardo and David Hockney used projectors and camera lucidas, then who am I to suggest this is "cheating"? I say be grateful for every tool we have at out disposal. And use those pencil lines if they work for you! SO glad you feel inspired by all the tips and learning. it's exciting, isn't it? I feel exactly the same. x

[@cmeblu75]

You’re absolutely thrilling to watch and I’m quickly devouring all your videos. It’s so true what you say about people thinking “I’m cheating.” I’ve heard people say “am I cheating if I turn my work around?” Noooo, That’s not cheating and as long as you don’t mix up where your light source is turn it around. It’s amazing to see that someone as wonderfully talented as yourself will question yourself and go so far as to say “I’m not that good, the moment you think you’re good at something why do it?” I’m trying to balance this way of thinking bcuz I’m inclined to say all I do is crappy, but I keep trying. I keep pushing forward. My current obsession is the sunflower and oh what a nightmare, so much involved, so much going on in that beautiful center and it changes so much overnight!! Good grief, if only I could capture all the stages before my flower dies. I’ve yet to accomplish this. Oh yes, and so many tubes of watercolor, but never the accurate shade straight from the pan, tube. Thank you so much for passing on your incredible talent and inspiring those of us who dream to be illustrators too 💙❤️

[@alexissalazar2579]

Espectacular tu vídeo👍👍👍👍

[@Jeanne88B]

I really love your videos! Thank you so much. It’s such a treat listening to you and your information and your stories. And watching you paint is wonderful!

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

You are so welcome! Im really glad you enjoy them, Jeanne. x

[@sandraworrall-hart3840]

Beautiful and detailed instruction. I like the use of the blue to enhance the white inflorescences. Watched your presentation, via Julia Trickey, which was marvellous. Thank you!

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

Hi Sandra, thanks so much for watching both the film AND my talk with lovely Julia. Glad you like the use of the blue, it is helpful. x

[@azbz1z2z75]

I bought a brush like the one you use. Love it so much. It does such tiny strokes. Perfect.

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

That's great to know! Im nto normally that uptight about equipment choice, but when it comes to brushes, I do think it makes quite a difference. So glad you're enjoying the new brush! x

[@johnclark2774]

I loved the video. Thank you Megan x

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

Thanks so much! Really pleased to hear that.

[@songbird5266]

Oooh, a post-Thanksgiving treat! I can't wait to paint along with a cup of coffee and apple pie. So grateful for your real-time videos!

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

So glad to be able to post it in time for the festive holiday! Enjoy.

[@monislimdancer1]

Hello, I love your illustrations. You mentioned as you were painting your zinnia, that certain colors fade. How can you avoid this ? Can you use a finishing spray to cover the drawing?

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

Hi Mona, that's a great question. No, you can't spray anything onto watercolour to stop it from fading, sadly. And there's not a lot you can do to prevent fading, except for choose paints which are lightfast. Or have prints of your work made, and keep the originals out of the light. Saying that, sometimes the fading is barely perceptible. It's colours like reds and purples and pinks which are the most likely to fade. Having colours fade is something artists have always struggled with, the term is a "fugitive" colour. Some are more fugitive than others (more likely to fade in light), and of course paint manafacturers are always striving to make their colour more fade resistant (less fugitive). If you look at watercolours, they are graded according to how fade resistant they are (or are not). Below is a fuller explanation from the Winsor and Newton website, and thanks so much for such a good question! : "Permanence The permanence of an artists’ colour is defined as ‘its durability when laid with a brush on paper or canvas, graded appropriately and displayed under a glass frame in a dry room freely exposed to ordinary daylight and an ordinary town atmosphere’. In simpler terms, their resistance to change when exposed to light and the atmosphere. Winsor & Newton ratings take into consideration the following factors; the natural passage of time, accelerated tests for lightfastness and binder stability, combined with results from pigment manufacturers’ testing, making our permanent ratings the most stringent in the industry. AA - Extremely Permanent A - Permanent B - Moderately Durable C - Fugitive For further information on some colours, the rating may include one or more of the following additions: (i) ‘A’ rated in full strength may fade in thin washes (ii) Cannot be relied upon to withstand damp (iii) Bleached by acids, acidic atmospheres (iv) Fluctuating colour; fades in light, recovers in dark (v) Should not be prepared in pale tints with Flake White, as these will fade (vi) ‘A’ rated with a coating of fixative Lightfastness Lightfastness is shown with an ASTM rating for the pigment. The ASTM abbreviation stands for the American Society for Testing and Materials. This organisation has set standards for the performance of art materials including a colour’s lightfastness. In this system I is the highest lightfastness available and V is the lowest, though both ratings I and II are considered permanent for artists’ use. To measure lightfastness using this system, colours are reduced to a level of 40% reflectance by the addition of Titanium White, (except for water colour which relies on the white paper). This means the amount of light reflected from the colour swatch. The swatches are then tested in both sunlight and artificially accelerated conditions. Where no ASTM rating is given for a Winsor & Newton colour, it is labeled as N/L meaning “Not Listed”, this usually indicates that the pigment or the type of range has not yet been tested by the ASTM. It does not necessarily indicate a lack of lightfastness. In these cases we recommend that you refer to the Winsor & Newton permanence rating, which evaluates colour on many aspects including lightfastness and is used to indicate a colour’s ability to resist fading." Winsor & Newton website www.winsornewton.com/na/education/composition-permanence/terms-explained/

[@casscoghill]

Hey, Lizzie! Love your channel so much!! 🥰✨ Do you have any videos that show the pencil sketching process? Most of the ones I’ve seen start with the sheet has prepared and I would really love to learn more about your drawing technique!! 😍 Xoxo, Cassi

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

Hi Cassandra. This is a problem for me, I'd love to film the drawing process. But the pencil doesn't show up on camera, and I also move the page around quite a bit. I do want to try and figure out how to do some showing the drawing, but I need to decide how. I guess if I drew in ink instead of pencil that might work? Certainly worth considering. Thanks for the suggestion and the kind words. It's def on my "to do" list; figuring out how to film my drawing process.... X

[@lehacarpenter7773]

@@LizzieHarperillustrator Hi, and thank you for all your beautiful videos. I also love to watch your process, and wanted to upvote the pencil drawing video. I would just add that even if the pencil doesn't show up well, and even if you used a light blue pencil (which I'm guessing you don't), I would still love to see it exactly as you normally do it, because what you normally do is what produces your amazing and beautiful work! :)

[@inekedusseljee3093]

Amazing tutorial. How much time did you spend on the drawing?After mixing do you try out the color first on a piece of paper before using it?

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

Hi Ineke! The drawing took about 2 hours probably, so I edited it down to 1hr of film. Sometimes I try the colours on paper first, but not always. With larger pieces I almost always do a little dab of colour first on a sheet of the same paper that the drawing is done on. but as time goes by you get a bit more confident about colour mixing, and it doesnt feel so scary!

[@inekedusseljee3093]

@@LizzieHarperillustrator thank you, that is quit quick, but then you are a the greatest professional I know and I am just a doing it as a hobby. I am trying to do the same after mixing colors. I also try the color then next to the leaves. I paint a strip and then put a hole in the middle. Silly idea? I hope you stay safe and healthy as does your family.

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

Not a silly idea at all! I have the same, I only recently learned the tip form a colleague. Its literally my business card with a hold punched in. Isolating the colour on the leaf can really help with colour matching. Yours is a similar approach, and very wise. x

[@bebopkirby]

Excellent as usual. Your pencil lines seem very dark, is that for the viewer to see what you are doing?

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

I bumped up the contrast a little in order to make it clearer, yes. Well spotted. I should have mentioned in in the audio. Thanks, and well done for being so perceptive