Faux Bontanicals

8 x 11 hot press Arches paper

This is not a very good image of my "faux" botanical painting.

For some reason the scan is shadowed.  I think I'll try a photo of it next time.  

The flowers are Bleeding Heart Vine that grow near our door here in Florida.  I actual blossoms are very tiny…about an inch long but they are exquisitely beautiful.  Bright red tiny blossom and pops out and then only lasts a few days.  

"Real" botanicals have to have a scale showing how much I enlarged the drawing.  AND even though I did use a magnifying lens, I know that I should have one that I wear on my face and then have better lighting.  

I also do not care for Arches hot press 140#.  

It is very unforgiving and tends to "pill" a little in a wash.

I've had this piece of paper for a long time and it may actually have some dampness in it.  

I read that most botanical artists prefer Fabriano hot press 300#.

Also once I made my initial drawing on tracing paper, I should have made more of an effort to compose the painting more.  I was just playing and trying things out.  I think the one little side drawing of the last stage of the flower should have been on the vine too.  I need to work on the leaf more too.  

I am in the packing mode right now and so I really do not have much time for this right now.  But it is fun.  I took some photos as well.  Some botanical artists keep their plants/flowers, fruits etc in the fridge so that they can keep them as fresh as possible for as long as possible.  

So this is something to play with this summer.

There is a botanical course offered at Dillman's this summer that I am considering.