What do you think?
Rate this book
Botany for the Artist: An Inspirational Guide to Drawing Plants
Following the success of Anatomy for the Artist and Sketch Book for the Artist, this latest title from the acclaimed artist Sarah Simblet investigates the extraordinary structure and variety of every type of plant-from mosses and lichens to flowers and trees-and teaches the reader how to draw them.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
18 people are currently reading
1274 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
December 13, 2019
I bought this book for my daughter, who (unlike me) is rather artistic. My thinking was, that it was a way to get her interested in a field of science (botany), by appealing to her interest in drawing. When it more or less wholly failed at that, I thought at first that she just didn't like drawing in any way which was not in the style of manga. But after reading it myself, I began to see why she dropped it, although it was an interesting read for me.
The order of the book is one problem. It starts with algae, fungi, and lichens, acknowledging that these are not technically plants but since many of the same drawing techniques apply, it tells you about them, with examples (both drawn and photographic) from each of these groups. Then mosses and liverworts, ferns and horsetails. We get to conifers, and then finally flowering plants, but for these we are mostly learning about them botanically, not how to draw what you are seeing.
Then, there is a more in-depth look at roots, and how to draw them, for 14 pages. Then forty pages on stems, a few dozen more on leaves, and then finally, at page 160, we get to flowers. Now, if you look at this from the point of view of the plant, either in evolutionary time or in the life of a plant as it grows, this all makes good sense. If you are looking at it from the point of view of a budding (hehe) young artist, it is exactly backwards. How to draw flowers, is probably where you should start, then more detail on how they function and why, and work your way back through leaves to roots, stems, and oddballs like mosses, lichen, algae, etc.
In other words, if you are already a devoted botanical artist, this might be a good way to approach the subject, or at least a good way to organize the information already in your head. I'm not so sure it's a great way if you want to introduce someone to the subject.
In my case, since my interest is mostly from the naturalist side of things, and I am an indifferent artist at best, I found it a satisfying read in the morning over breakfast, a page or two every day. She gives us examples of drawings from the masters (Leonardo da Vinci, Albrecht Dürer, Maria Sibylla Merian, etc.), photographs from the University of Oxford Botanical garden and Herbarium, copious examples of her own sketches and paintings, and a great deal of easily readable text on how plants sprout, grow, live, reproduce, and die. I cannot comment in an informed way on her artistic advice, but it was fascinating to read about, from my own outsider's point of view. Painting seems like an awful lot of work, although probably that is part of how one is forced to slow down and look for more than two seconds at the subject, which could be useful in and of itself.
I will stow this book away, and bring it out for my daughter to look over again in a few years perhaps, and in the meantime perhaps it has worked better at making me appreciate art than it did on making her appreciate botany.
The order of the book is one problem. It starts with algae, fungi, and lichens, acknowledging that these are not technically plants but since many of the same drawing techniques apply, it tells you about them, with examples (both drawn and photographic) from each of these groups. Then mosses and liverworts, ferns and horsetails. We get to conifers, and then finally flowering plants, but for these we are mostly learning about them botanically, not how to draw what you are seeing.
Then, there is a more in-depth look at roots, and how to draw them, for 14 pages. Then forty pages on stems, a few dozen more on leaves, and then finally, at page 160, we get to flowers. Now, if you look at this from the point of view of the plant, either in evolutionary time or in the life of a plant as it grows, this all makes good sense. If you are looking at it from the point of view of a budding (hehe) young artist, it is exactly backwards. How to draw flowers, is probably where you should start, then more detail on how they function and why, and work your way back through leaves to roots, stems, and oddballs like mosses, lichen, algae, etc.
In other words, if you are already a devoted botanical artist, this might be a good way to approach the subject, or at least a good way to organize the information already in your head. I'm not so sure it's a great way if you want to introduce someone to the subject.
In my case, since my interest is mostly from the naturalist side of things, and I am an indifferent artist at best, I found it a satisfying read in the morning over breakfast, a page or two every day. She gives us examples of drawings from the masters (Leonardo da Vinci, Albrecht Dürer, Maria Sibylla Merian, etc.), photographs from the University of Oxford Botanical garden and Herbarium, copious examples of her own sketches and paintings, and a great deal of easily readable text on how plants sprout, grow, live, reproduce, and die. I cannot comment in an informed way on her artistic advice, but it was fascinating to read about, from my own outsider's point of view. Painting seems like an awful lot of work, although probably that is part of how one is forced to slow down and look for more than two seconds at the subject, which could be useful in and of itself.
I will stow this book away, and bring it out for my daughter to look over again in a few years perhaps, and in the meantime perhaps it has worked better at making me appreciate art than it did on making her appreciate botany.
December 5, 2012
(More pictures at parkablogs.com)
Botany for the Artist is a gorgeous reference for plants. The pages are filled with a mix of photographic plant portraits and Sarah Simblet's detailed sketches. Everything's beautifully laid out. The exquisite illustrations in the book are mainly black and white.
As with typical DK books, it's also filled with educational information. Every part of the plant is explored, from the roots, stems, leaves, flowers to the fruits. They are provided with scientific names and also interesting information on how they grow and their functions.
The drawing lessons are short two-page guides at drawing found throughout the book. There are tips on capturing likeness, establishing the composition, adding colours and details. Also included are selected features on Renaissance botany artist.
This is an excellent resource for botany artists. Having this book is like having a botany art museum at home.
May 15, 2021
This great resource is a wonderful refresher course in basic Botany as well as the Latin nomenclature that tags along with it. Interspersed among its own excellent illustrations are some wonderful prints from past masters who were inspired by the amazing creations that surrounded their otherwise ordinary daily lives and stopped them in their tracks.
ongoing-reference
September 13, 2016First update:
The opening pages of this beautiful book are chock full of great information that is super useful.This is not a coffee table book, nor is it an intro to botany textbook Un these opening pages, she addressing the art questions more than the science questions and I love her helpful suggestions for working with plants and the minimal but fascinating history of the art form and evolution of the discipline of botanical illustration. The photography is gorgeous and interesting and Sarah Simblet's pen and ink drawings are both anatomical detailed and artistically expressive. She uses a wholly different approach and set of materials than I am in my beginning botanical illustration course, and it's exciting and refreshing, if a bit intimidating, to see what she's able to do with those simple materials, but luckily she is coherent and articulate and has already in the first pages, given me a way of seeing how she's doing what she's doing. I will not achieve exactly her results, nor do I want to, but I can see what kinds of discus different stages of the drawing require. A few well-captioned photographs are making the process it seem manageable. Thank goodness Simblet eschews the pitfalls of the project based art book, the other end of the spectrum from the big exhibition based inspirational art book with an abstruse scholarly essay whose main audience are other art critics. She does include are photographs of the materials she uses and brief examples of the kinds of marks she makes and why they are are effective, but this isn't a "learn to draw horses" type of how-to book where you're asked to recreate something step by step. A very nice balance is achieved here between practical hands on information for visual learners and sumptuous close up photos and drawings of botanical subjects. I'll have to wait to see how well I absorb the botany part, which was the initiating reason for my picking this book up. On the face of it, it's not very searchable and certainly not exhaustive. I'm only on page 48. More will be revealed.
The opening pages of this beautiful book are chock full of great information that is super useful.This is not a coffee table book, nor is it an intro to botany textbook Un these opening pages, she addressing the art questions more than the science questions and I love her helpful suggestions for working with plants and the minimal but fascinating history of the art form and evolution of the discipline of botanical illustration. The photography is gorgeous and interesting and Sarah Simblet's pen and ink drawings are both anatomical detailed and artistically expressive. She uses a wholly different approach and set of materials than I am in my beginning botanical illustration course, and it's exciting and refreshing, if a bit intimidating, to see what she's able to do with those simple materials, but luckily she is coherent and articulate and has already in the first pages, given me a way of seeing how she's doing what she's doing. I will not achieve exactly her results, nor do I want to, but I can see what kinds of discus different stages of the drawing require. A few well-captioned photographs are making the process it seem manageable. Thank goodness Simblet eschews the pitfalls of the project based art book, the other end of the spectrum from the big exhibition based inspirational art book with an abstruse scholarly essay whose main audience are other art critics. She does include are photographs of the materials she uses and brief examples of the kinds of marks she makes and why they are are effective, but this isn't a "learn to draw horses" type of how-to book where you're asked to recreate something step by step. A very nice balance is achieved here between practical hands on information for visual learners and sumptuous close up photos and drawings of botanical subjects. I'll have to wait to see how well I absorb the botany part, which was the initiating reason for my picking this book up. On the face of it, it's not very searchable and certainly not exhaustive. I'm only on page 48. More will be revealed.
June 2, 2013
I haven't read all the way through, but this book is like a university course on botanical art. It is stunning to look at and there is so much information. Wonderful detailed photographs of many plants as well. This is quite a resource.
July 31, 2017
I just grabbed this book off the shelf at the library thinking I would look at the pictures and return it --but it is actually a stunning book, full of information on plants and on artistic methodologies. Gorgeous and a truly interesting read.
February 27, 2020
Even if you are not someone who likes to draw, this book is gorgeous as well as being quite informative. It is the sort of book that you can just sit and flick through and admire the details in the images or sit and read conventionally.
The book is arranged in a way that makes it easy to follow from one section to the next. So after the first three chapters that deal with The Art of Botany, Drawing Plants and Diversity you then go onto the plant starting at the Roots, then Stems, Leaves, Flowers and finally Fruits Seeds and Cones. these final four chapters mirror the life of a plant and it is this sort of attention to detail that is evident throughout the book.
The pages are glossy and some of the images are stunning, there are little diagrams, famous paintings and studies that all give a budding artist inspiration. The drawings and images are accompanied by captions that give snippets of information that make this book very easy to lose yourself in for a couple of hours.
A gorgeous book that is of very good quality and one I would definitely recommend to lovers of nature, budding artists and also gardeners and plant lovers.
The book is arranged in a way that makes it easy to follow from one section to the next. So after the first three chapters that deal with The Art of Botany, Drawing Plants and Diversity you then go onto the plant starting at the Roots, then Stems, Leaves, Flowers and finally Fruits Seeds and Cones. these final four chapters mirror the life of a plant and it is this sort of attention to detail that is evident throughout the book.
The pages are glossy and some of the images are stunning, there are little diagrams, famous paintings and studies that all give a budding artist inspiration. The drawings and images are accompanied by captions that give snippets of information that make this book very easy to lose yourself in for a couple of hours.
A gorgeous book that is of very good quality and one I would definitely recommend to lovers of nature, budding artists and also gardeners and plant lovers.
July 31, 2016
This book is stunning.
I was expecting one of those flimsy 'for artists' books that seem to be the norm, but this is an exceptional work of love.
This is written by someone who understands her art, understands botany, understands teaching and loves all three passionately. The result is a very useful book. Both for artists and for people that want to gain (well beyong entry level) insight into the plant world.
I bought this book to inspire me for making black board drawings for the children in my fifth grade Waldorf school. The book really helps me to look at plants artistically and make solid artistic choices. It also helps that rather a lot of photographs in the book are pictured on a black background! This makes the 'translation' to the black board so much easier!
My mother - a water color artist - was also hugely impressed and inspired by the book.
I highly recommend this book.
I was expecting one of those flimsy 'for artists' books that seem to be the norm, but this is an exceptional work of love.
This is written by someone who understands her art, understands botany, understands teaching and loves all three passionately. The result is a very useful book. Both for artists and for people that want to gain (well beyong entry level) insight into the plant world.
I bought this book to inspire me for making black board drawings for the children in my fifth grade Waldorf school. The book really helps me to look at plants artistically and make solid artistic choices. It also helps that rather a lot of photographs in the book are pictured on a black background! This makes the 'translation' to the black board so much easier!
My mother - a water color artist - was also hugely impressed and inspired by the book.
I highly recommend this book.
December 25, 2022
I would give this book 10 stars if Goodreads had such a system. This amazing book about plants and graphics is amazing.
This is not a typical drawing book. The book itself is a work of art, and this is a historical work of art.
I adore Sara Simblet's artwork, especially her obsession with sketching plants. Botany for Artists is not a manual on drawing techniques.
The history of botanical drawing is first covered in the book. includes information about plants, which is amazing.
The contents of this book are
The Art of Botany
Drawing Plants
Diversity
Roots
Stems
Leaves
Flowers
Fruit, Cones, and Seeds.
DK books have excellent print and paper quality, as you are probably aware. I purchased two books on botanical illustration.
Another one is Wendy Hollander's Botanical Drawing in Color. Drawing plants is a great way to relieve tension and anxiety because everyone likes them.
If you love plants and drawing buy this one first. Recommended
Dil Nawaz
Karachi, Pakistan
https://ocdil.blog
This is not a typical drawing book. The book itself is a work of art, and this is a historical work of art.
I adore Sara Simblet's artwork, especially her obsession with sketching plants. Botany for Artists is not a manual on drawing techniques.
The history of botanical drawing is first covered in the book. includes information about plants, which is amazing.
The contents of this book are
The Art of Botany
Drawing Plants
Diversity
Roots
Stems
Leaves
Flowers
Fruit, Cones, and Seeds.
DK books have excellent print and paper quality, as you are probably aware. I purchased two books on botanical illustration.
Another one is Wendy Hollander's Botanical Drawing in Color. Drawing plants is a great way to relieve tension and anxiety because everyone likes them.
If you love plants and drawing buy this one first. Recommended
Dil Nawaz
Karachi, Pakistan
https://ocdil.blog
September 5, 2017
The book is part botanical reference, part art book, part how to. I confess I didn't read it in its entirety because I was short on library time and the botany information is dense. But if that's your interest, this is a lovely resource to have on it.
The book is full of illustrations of plants: flowers, fruits, roots, trees, leaves, seed pods... and also peppered with botanical photographs as well.
Interspersed with all of the information and art are drawing/painting lessons on particular plants. She works mainly in pencil, ink, and watercolor.
The book is worth looking through just for all of the illustrations.
The book is full of illustrations of plants: flowers, fruits, roots, trees, leaves, seed pods... and also peppered with botanical photographs as well.
Interspersed with all of the information and art are drawing/painting lessons on particular plants. She works mainly in pencil, ink, and watercolor.
The book is worth looking through just for all of the illustrations.
September 4, 2020
I love this book! It’s filled with basic information about botany that will help me better observe a plant, etc in order to draw it; it has gorgeous drawings by the author with explanations of her drawing process; and it includes numerous examples from some of the most famous and the best botanical artists with mini history lessons about botanical drawing. An invaluable resource for artists and a gem of a book.
April 20, 2018
Stunning book for anyone with the slightest interest in botany or botanical art - gorgeous pictures, clear explanations. There's a chapter on history then a chapter on each part of plants and trees (flowers, bark, leaves, etc.) each with detailed illustrations. Just beautiful.
June 15, 2018
Agree 100% with Teoh Yi Chie at Parka blogs: «This is an excellent resource for botany artists. Having this book is like having a botany art museum at home».
For a quick glance through the book, see
https://www.parkablogs.com/content/bo...
For a quick glance through the book, see
https://www.parkablogs.com/content/bo...
July 9, 2019
Scrumptiously gorgeous, this coffee table book teaches us the parts of the plant while demonstrating expressive pen & ink drawing, pencil drawing, and painting. Simblet's art is paired with beautiful photographs of plants: a mesmerizing combination.
December 18, 2019
Remarkable! A feast for the eyes and elixir for the creative soul - a wealth of inspiration for creative lovers of art who are driven, by their very nature, to create beautiful representations from the natural world
September 1, 2018
Stuffed with detailed, useful information. Beautiful pictures and drawings. Reference.
February 13, 2019
Such an inspiring book!
August 2, 2020
The best book and a great help and inspiration for every artist who is interested in drawing fine details of plants.
April 12, 2022
Botany for the Artist is exactly what the title says it is-- just enough botany for an artist to understand what's seen, and to be able to draw it in botanical form, plus a bit of history.
September 4, 2022
MUST for the bookshelf to peruse, study, enjoy, and draw from! one of those books to "skim" read cover to cover, BUT THEN just flip open somewhere and study a page.
September 30, 2023
Very informal. With beautiful details and designs of botany. Plus it gives interesting details of the artist perspective of how they created their flowery design.
January 15, 2025
Pretty pictures
July 4, 2025
What a beautiful book! Sarah Simblet's books for the artist are all brilliant, but I think this is my favorite. . . beautiful photos and drawings, as well as a wealth of information.
October 5, 2015
I often find that "X for the Artist" books are disappointing- they feel like the author is phoning it in and they don't really add much value to the student. This is a definite exception to that trend- it's engagingly written, beautifully illustrated and full of actually relevant tips. The book's structure was a great choice- it's divided into chapters based on which part of the plant is being covered, whether that's shoots, stems, seeds, etc, and then within the chapter you have a scientific overview, historical examples of botanical paintings, drawing tips, etc. It was a pleasant surprise to see all of the different parts of plants covered with what feels like equal detail and enthusiasm- roots get as much attention as more traditional subjects like flowers.
My one critique would be that I often found myself wishing the book would go into more detail on the topics it covered- in particular, it would have been nice to see more examples of non-Western representative art. However I can understand that it's already a thick expensive volume filled with full-colour photography, and for the most part it's a point in its favour that it left me wanting more.
In conclusion, if this topic interests you at all, then I would say this book provides an excellent return for your investment. I would especially recommend this book to artists who are fans of science writing but are completely new to plant biology, and to people assembling reference libraries for art students.
My one critique would be that I often found myself wishing the book would go into more detail on the topics it covered- in particular, it would have been nice to see more examples of non-Western representative art. However I can understand that it's already a thick expensive volume filled with full-colour photography, and for the most part it's a point in its favour that it left me wanting more.
In conclusion, if this topic interests you at all, then I would say this book provides an excellent return for your investment. I would especially recommend this book to artists who are fans of science writing but are completely new to plant biology, and to people assembling reference libraries for art students.
September 22, 2016
I thought this was a great overview on plant life. It breaks it down to categories for the ignorant. I came away with a good sense of different types of plants, their forms, and reason for their structure. I thought it was great. However, it does have typographical errors. It was more than three so I did notice it enough to write about it. As far as information goes though, I went from being ignorant to being a bit informed. I didn't even consider there were winged fruits before. I'm sure there is a wealth of information out there about plants that I don't know but now, at least I have a beginner crash course knowledge under my belt. I thought it was also written in a manner that keeps it interesting. It breaks down plants and its types into different categories and gives at least an example of each.
December 6, 2016
Beautiful, beautiful book. I was lucky enough to pick up this book due to second hand book sale. I was looking for older tatty books that I could take apart and make mosaics up out of for Christmas presents. I found this one relatively cheaply and the images in here are so well done I couldn't do it. I have kept it on my bookshelf and found other images for my presents. This book was my Christmas present to myself.
May 27, 2014
One of the best technical reference books for botanical artists and illustrators, Botany for the Artist provides a comprehensive look at a wide variety of plants, from their structure, function and growing information to illustration techniques that can help accurately capture their intrinsic character and beauty.
December 3, 2013
An absolutely stunning book. Simblet's drawings accurately show the botanical features of the plant. While they are clear, her drawings are full of life , movement and inspiration. Interspersed are photos, historian botanic art and master classes. A must have for anyone interested in botanic art.
January 15, 2021
Sarah Simblet's Botany for the Artist is an in depth guide to drawing plants. It describes what plants are and how to study different species and parts of them through drawing. Even if you are not interested in drawing this amazing book will make you drewl. ⠀
Read
March 6, 2014When I start ordering - this will be top of the pops!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews