Drawing Botanicals

at Montalvo Art Center

Class:1
Planning and Designing
Thursday, 3/13/08
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
 Class-1: Planning and Designing

1) Introduction to schedule of topics and materials. Hand out

materials.
2) Topic presentations and exercises:
a) Planning
b) Guidelines.
c) Drawing Plants: Leaves, Stems, Roots, Flowers, Fruit
d) Perspective: Point of view, overlap, line break,
foreshortening, diminishing perspective, parallax and
atmospheric perspective.
e) Composition: Shape, Focal Point, Thirds, Threes,
Grounds, Value, Eye flow.

 Planning

• Study the Plant specimen for the best

perspective
• Choose a format based on your subject
• Sketch and fit your design
 Framework and
guidelines
• Frame your subject: Lightly draw a box into
which your subject will fit.
• Frame components and use guidelines:
Lightly draw geometric shapes that would
place and fit the largest component shapes
of your subject.
• Compose the shapes of spaces and of your
larger elements. Adjust and erase freely.
• Frame the shapes of smaller components.
 Frame and Format
Horizontal format of about 1:1.5
Drawing exercise: Frame this specimen.
Notice the space between flower and leaves
Composite frames and guidelines
 Perspective

• Point of View
• Overlap
• Diminishing perspective
• Foreshortening
 Point of View

Find the most recognizable angle of view

“Flowers & Botanicals” by Diane Cardaci
Perspective and thickness of lines

“Scientific Illustration”, by Phyllis Wood

LinePerspective:
plus grey value shading
Line Break
 Composition
• Spaced shapes V.S. Grouped shapes

• Focal points: Elements of highest contrast.

• Diminishing objects and converging lines

create focal paths.

• Focal paths: The eye follows contrasting

edges or lines as well as similar objects of
diminishing size.

• Good spacing: Negative space between

elements create good or bad shapes and
edges.
Eye Flow is the key to understanding design
Japanese ikebana arrangement: Design formulae
Botanical designs have rules for scientific study
A more complicated micro habitat still shows details
Beauty in simplicity
Perspective
Leaf twists and curls: Midrib is key
Drawing branches: Overlap and foreshortening
Vanishing Point: The horizon is key.
Drawing the parts of
the plant
Stems, Roots, Buds, Leaves, Flowers, Fruit
Stems
Nodes, scars
Buds
Leaves
The edge of a leaf
Use the midrib as a guideline
Leaf form
Leaf Venation
 Flowers
Regular and Irregular
Flower Geometry
Radial Symmetry
Bi-symmetry
A dense, flat cluster of florets, as in plants of the
composite family, e.g.: Sunflower, Aster or Daisy.
 Fruit
Drupe, aggregate fruit, seed pod, naked seed
 Roots
Tangle management
 Reference

• Live plant specimens are best

• Herbarium collections are useful but it takes a

professional to flesh out a dried, pressed plant.

• In-focus macro photographs from several angles are

necessary for accurate illustrations.

• Books, or Google images is helpful for identification.

• Don’t just copy photographs by others. Alter the image to

avoid copyright infringement.
Composition
Start with Thumbnail sketches

• Small thumbnail compositional sketches

• A variety of designs based on any one idea.
• Change the perspective
• Change the placement of elements.
• Change the values.
• Change the format.
 Components of Composition

• Editing for comprehension, and eye flow.

• Focal point and focal paths.

• Balance: Eye flow and stagnation.

• Placement of line, shapes and values: Rule of thirds, edges as lines.

• Perspective: Point of view, horizon and diminishing elements.

• Value Key: Mood.

• Light and shadow: Time of day.

• Pattern: Repetition of dark shapes.

• Action: Dramatic behavior and dynamic diagonals.

 Step by step composition

• Choose a perspective - for dramatic impact.

• Choose shapes and patterns of value.

• Draw thumbnail designs of different formats.

• Enhance perspective depth using values and by

editing elements.

• Separate areas of value for readability and pattern.

• Isolate and contrast the subject to create a focal point.

Monotonous shapes and spaces
V.S.
Varied shapes and spaces
Balance of elements and spacing
Balance,
Imbalance,
static balance
dynamic balance.
 Triangle theory
• Odd numbers of elements are more
pleasing and dynamic than even
numbers.

• Variety in size of similar elements is

more pleasing.

• Triangular spacing creates pleasing

shapes.
3 of a kind: small, medium, large.
 Rule of Thirds

• Dividing your page into thirds. Rule of thumb

for placing your focal point, or subject.

• A focal point near an edge tends to draw

attention away from the design.

• A focal points in the center tends cause

attention to stagnate in the center.

• A focal point placed one third of the way into

the image draws attention, creates balance
and creates space for secondary elements.
Rule of thirds: small, bright primary element
Primary element in the center: Static design
 Direction of elements and
marks
Eye flow follows the direction of marks and shading
as well as elements.
Eye flow: Rapid or delayed
 Focal paths

• The viewers eye moves from areas and

elements of highest contrast to areas
and elements of lowest contrast.

• These attractive elements are called

focal points.

• The viewer’s eye follows predictable

paths. The artist controls and creates
these paths of interest and eye flow.
 Converging lines

Lines that converge create a focal point.

Value: Time and Mood
• Key: High key is bright, Middle is balanced and Low
key is dark.

• The key and length of shadows tells you the time of

day.

• Back lighting and long shadows create dramatic

patterns.

• Analogous values create restful mood.

• Complementary, or contrasting values create

drama.