This technique marks the beginning of most watercolour botanical art pieces.

Botanical illustration tutorial: With any illustration, I always begin making a drawing in my sketchbook. The more drawing you do the faster you will improve.'. Mark the main veins very faintly in pencil observing exactly how they divide and sub-divide and where and how they meet the leaf margins (sometimes you can see the structure of the veins more clearly on the reverse of the leaf).

Here's why: 'Stargazers are bold and beautiful flowers.

For the darkest green of the leaf we use a grey that is at least a tone darker otherwise it will not darken the green. Now we are going to give some shape or form to the leaf by shading in any areas of strong shadow with a range of warm greys.