‘NESBA FAvorites’ materials for botanical art
Throughout the years, our members have tried and tested many different paints, papers, and supplies! Please see below for a list of recommended supplies, as well as links to our preferred online art suppliers. When you shop through these links NESBA receives a small percentage — by clicking through below you can help support NESBA and it’s mission!
If you have any questions about materials, we’re happy to help — please contact us.
Paints
For brands, many members like:
Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolors
Daniel Smith Watercolors
There are other high-quality artist quality paints including Schmincke and Sennelier.
For a basic set, many of our artists enjoy using the ‘split primary’ palette as well as a few earth tone colors (Ultramarine Blue, Phthalo/Winsor Blue (Green Shade), Scarlet Lake or Pyrrol Scarlet, Quinacridone/Permanenet Rose, Lemon Yellow (Winsor Lemon), New Gamboge or Hansa/Winsor Yellow Deep, Burnt Sienna (Daniel Smith), Raw Sienna (Daniel Smith). You can get by with these colors and can mix much of what you need with them, and add colors as you go (we all do!).
Paper
Many botanical artists prefer painting on hot-pressed paper due to its smooth surface that allows for fine details. It’s important to use 100% cotton paper for the best results. Brands our artists like include:
Arches (Hot Pressed)
Fabriano Artistico (Hot Pressed, Traditional White or Extra White)
Moulin Du Roy (Canson) (Hot Pressed)
Winsor & Newton Professional (Hot Pressed)
Stonehenge Aqua and Fluid 100 (Hot Pressed) (both a bit more affordable)
Vintage Paper Company - www.vintage paper.com
Brushes
Some of the brushes that our members have grown to love over the years include:
Raphael 8404 or 8408 Kolinsky Sable
Isabey Kolinsky Sable
Da Vinci Maestro Round Kolinsky Sable
Rosemary & Co Kolinsky Sable
Colored Pencils
Colored pencils are becoming more popular with botanical art, and many artists who work mainly in this medium love the Faber-Castell Polychromos line of pencils for their color range, point retention, and ease of layering to mix colors.
Additional Supplies
For your painting practice, some additional supplies will help you with the process of botanical painting:
A range of graphite pencils for drawing and tonal studies
Wax-free graphite transfer paper (for transferring drawings to good paper)
Good quality tracing paper or drafting vellum (for initial drawings, transferring drawings to good paper, and tonal studies)
A white ceramic or porcelain plate for mixing paint (this facilitates color mixing as it mimics the white of your paper and also does not cause paint to ‘bead’ on its surface)
“Dividers” for measuring plant material
A kneaded eraser and a soft white eraser for taking graphite off of your watercolor paper
Low-lint paper towels for dabbing your brush while painting (many like “Viva” brand)
THE BOOK CORNER
NESBA MEMBERS FAVORITE BOOKS
Botanical Art Book List – from Sarah Roche’s collection, 2019
Foundations:
Botanical Painting in Watercolour Showell, Billy Search Press, 2016 www.searchpress.com www.billyshowell.com
The Kew Book of Botanical Illustration King, Cristabel Search Press, 2015 www.batsford.com
The Art of Botanical Painting Stevens, Margaret, in association with the Society of Botanical Artists Collins, 2004 www.collins.co.uk
Botanical Illustration: Watercolour Technique Wunderlich, Eleanor B Studio Vista, 1991
Techniques:
Drawing and Painting Plants Brodie, Christina Timber Press, 2006
Painting Flowers in Watercolour Guest, Coral G. A&C Black in association with the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, 2001
Exploring Flowers in Watercolour: Techniques and Images Sherlock, Siriol Batsford, 1998 www.batsford.com
Watercolour Flower Portraits Showell, Billy Search Press, Great Britain, 2006 www.searchpress.com www.billyshowell.co.uk
Botanical Sketchbook Mary Ann Scott Batsford, 2015 www.pavilionbooks.com
Botanical Portraits with Colored Pencils Ann Swan B.E.S. Publishing, 2010 www.bes-publishing.com
Botany:
The Art of Botanical Illustration: An Illustrated History Blunt, Wilfrid Courier Dover Publications, 1994
Botany for Gardeners, Revised Edition Capon, Brian Timber Press, 2005 www.timberpress.com
Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide Newcomb, Lawrence Little, Brown, and Company, 1977
Botany for the Artist Simblet, Sarah D.K. Publishing, 2010 www.dk.com
Botanical Art Reference:
A New Flowering: 1000 Years of Botanical Art Sherwood, Shirley Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford, 2005
A Passion for Plants Sherwood, Shirley Cassell & Co.; 2001 Contemporary Botanical Artists Sherwood, Shirley Weidenfeld & Nicholson in association with the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, 1996