One of my first projects for this year is a botanical illustration which I've been working on (amongst other things) over the last couple of weeks. As soon as this one came up, I decided I wanted to do something Australian and as a result have developed a new-found obsession with gathering, buying and stalking out every kind of native flora I can! Thought I'd share some of the bounty that have been giving my home and sketchbook a workout over the last little while.
As you can see, in the end I decided upon this grevillea.... although not as bold and fabulous as some other things I could have chosen; the detail, intricacy and softness of these natives have a real beauty when you stop to take a proper look. It's funny, I actually used to not like these flowers at all (and many natives in fact); but I think I'm developing a new found appreciation for my things in nature that I used to gloss straight over.
Aside from this exercise being a great justification for me nicking roadside flowers and spending inordinate amounts of time in florists, I've really been enjoying tacking something a little different, and trialling and learning with new techniques and approaches.
It's still in progress but I hope you enjoy a few images of the workings in the meantime. I look forward to sharing the completed piece with you in a week or two!
Pip x
