Here is the first video in my 2020 tulip phase. I go through one of these every year. Unfortunately this year my tulip craving will be hard to feed. The much anticipated crops of 'Black Parrot', 'Burgundy' and 'Apricot Beauty' I planted in my garden were all eaten by something unknown and mysterious, while West… Continue reading Anatomy of a tulip – Video
Do you sometimes feel like your paintings look a little bit flat? Here are 3 simple things you can do to add more depth... 1- Grey haze As things get further away from us, they get greyer. This is because the atmosphere gets in the way. Mostly because of little droplets of water, it gives… Continue reading Top Tips: 3 tips to add depth to your paintings
I don't want to drop the C bomb, but Christmas IS coming... I know that many of you will want to paint Christmas cards so I tried to ignore my it'stooearlyforChristmasphobia and I put together a Holly tutorial for those amongst you who are not afflicted and like to get their act together early. Holly… Continue reading New Holly tutorial in my Etsy online shop
While I am busy keeping an eye on the adventurous and frankly completely out of control baby blackbirds in my garden, let's do an update on courses for the rest of 2019... I am doing a series of workshops on the Isle of Wight this summer and autumn. Once a month on a Tuesday I… Continue reading Workshops Isle of Wight, London and West Dean
Hello everyone! On the 31st of August, I will run a Botanical fruit painting watercolour masterclass at the Mall Galleries in London, from 11am to 4pm. I am very excited about this, I hope you will be too... I will post a link as soon as the tickets are for sale. Come and join me...Only… Continue reading Exciting masterclass at the Mall Galleries in London
There is something quite magical and romantic about a dip pen with a beautifully marbled handle and a gorgeous nib. The feel you have as you dip the pen and make a mark on the paper with the liquid ink cannot be matched by a felt tip pen. For this ginkgo leaf I have chosen… Continue reading Ginkgo leaf part 2: Ink
I have been painting a lot of Ginkgo biloba leaves, some from my own tree in the garden, others from the beautiful pair of trees outside the orangery in West Dean Gardens. There is something fascinating about a prehistoric tree. You can just imagine it surrounded by Diplodocus and Stegosaurus in the fading Jurassic light,… Continue reading Ginkgo leaf part 1: drawing
