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BOTANICAL FLOWERS
– Fujiko Rose
Unlock your artistic potential by blending traditional and modern inking techniques to craft stunning contemporary monochromatic botanical art. Let Fujiko Rose, winner of Landscape Artist of the Year (Series 5), guide you on this creative journey and inspire your unique masterpiece!
Reference Image
Materials
Paper (We suggest watercolour paper)
Pencil
Set of pigment liner pens – 0.1, 0.2,
0.5 etc.)
Selection of brushes, including
oil brush & fan brush
Indian Ink – Black
Kitchen Towel / Tissue
Eraser
Water
Find these items at cassart.co.uk
Compositional sketch
Print out your reference image and have it close by.
Start sketching the image onto your watercolour paper in pencil. The focus of this drawing is the flowers, sketch them first and map everything else around them.
Draw the stems using a sweeping motion, adding energy to the drawing.
Play around with the composition and find what works for you. You do not need to include every leaf and flower. You will not be able to make changes once you start using inks. Now is the perfect time to experiment.
You don’t want to spend too much time on this drawing.
With your composition mapped out. Look at your image and consider where your darks and highlights will be.
You are working from a colour reference image but your ink drawing will be monochromatic. It can be hard to decide on your darks and lights because of this. Go with your gut instinct or make your reference image black and white.
When you have decided on the areas that will be dark, lightly shade the area with your pencil. This will act as a map when you apply your ink.
Top tip- If you are not used to drawing flowers, draw a circle within a circle. The inner circle is your bud and the outer circle is the parameters for your petals. Keep practising until you are confident.
Applying ink
Take a 0.1 ink pen and make light marks in the centre of our main flower. You are adding texture with your pen.
Continue this process on the petals.
Take an old brush. It is better if it is old and scraggly as this will help add texture to your work.
Dip your brush in watered-down ink and begin applying the ink around the pen ink marks that you have already made.
To help highlight the delicacy of the botanicals, you want your dipped ink to look lighter than your pen ink.
Repeat this process on the other main flower of the piece.
Top tip – Have some kitchen roll to hand. If the ink you have applied with a brush is too dark, blot it to make it lighter.
Working on the stems
Take an ink pen (0.2) and begin shading the flower stems. Try and make smooth strokes on the stem. Copy the form of the stem itself.
Do not worry if your drawing is not perfect. Botanical drawings are very free and expensive. Keep doing them and you will hone your technique and get used to working with ink.
Feel free to swap between different pens and your ink and brush to shade the various stems.
Focus on the stems in the foreground.
Working on the leaves
Use an ink pen and draw one leaf at a time. Keep assessing the level of detail you are adding. Less is more. Do not overcrowd the drawing with your marks.
Apply broader strokes for shaded areas and dappled strokes for lighter areas.
Play around with your marks. Focus on the shadow, tones and overall form of the leaf rather than detail.
Angle your pen differently to play around with mark-making and tones.
Take your brush and ink and replicate what you have done with the pigment liner pens. You want all elements of the drawing to feel cohesive so work with pens and a brush in all sections.
Top tip – You can always add more but can’t take away. Be mindful of the marks you make.
Adding Depth and movement
Small dashes and dots can help make your flowers feel 3D. Do this with a pigment liner pen.
Take your brush and ink and draw in the flowers and stems that are not in the foreground. This ink is lighter so suits the back and side of the drawing better.
Water the ink down and blot once you have applied. Botting will also add a mottled effect which also helps make the flowers feel 3d.
As ever, use different marks, pressure and movement to add interest to your drawing.
Keep doing this until your drawing is complete.
